docs-desktop/dotnet-desktop-guide/framework/winforms/controls/how-to-reassign-existing-controls-to-a-different-parent.md

title, ms.date, helpviewer_keywords, ms.assetid

title	ms.date	helpviewer_keywords	ms.assetid
How to: Reassign Existing Controls to a Different Parent	03/30/2017	container controls [Windows Forms], Windows Forms layout [Windows Forms], resizing layout [Windows Forms], child controls	5a5723ff-34e0-4b6f-a57b-be4ebe35cb34

How to: Reassign existing controls to a different parent

You can assign controls that exist on your form to a new container control.

1. In Visual Studio, drag three xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button controls from the Toolbox onto the form. Position them near to each other, but leave them unaligned.

2. In the Toolbox, click the xref:System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel control icon. (Do not drag the icon onto the form.)

3. Move the mouse pointer close to the three xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button controls.

   The pointer changes to a crosshair with the xref:System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel control icon attached.

4. Click and hold the mouse button.

5. Drag the mouse pointer to draw the outline of the xref:System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel control.

6. Draw the outline around the three xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button controls.

7. Release the mouse button.

   The three xref:System.Windows.Forms.Button controls are now inserted into the xref:System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel control.

See also

• xref:System.Windows.Forms.FlowLayoutPanel
• xref:System.Windows.Forms.TableLayoutPanel
• Walkthrough: Arranging Controls on Windows Forms Using a TableLayoutPanel
• Walkthrough: Arranging Controls on Windows Forms Using Snaplines