WS_POPUP
Pop-up windows are top-level windows and are connected to the desktop window 's child windows list. Applications usually use pop-up windows for dialog boxes. The main difference between pop-up and overlapped windows is that pop-up windows need not have captions and overlapped windows must have captions. When a pop-up window does not have a caption, it can be created without a border. Pop-up windows may own other top-level windows or be owned by other top-level windows or both. All pop-up windows have the WS_CLIPSIBLINGS style, even if it was not specified. Pop-up windows must not be created with the CW_USEDEFAULT value for either the position or the size of the window. Pop-up windows that use CW_USEDEFAULT will exist but will have no size or no position or both.
WS_CHILD
Child windows must have a parent window and are confined to the client area of their parent. This is the major distinction between child windows and overlapped and pop-up windows. Child window parents can be top-level windows or other child windows. Child windows are positioned from their parent window 's upper-left corner and not from the upper-left of the screen as are top-level windows. Child windows are clipped to the client area of their parent. Controls in a dialog box are child windows whose parent is the dialog box. Child windows must not be created with the CW_USEDEFAULT value for either the position or size of the window. Child windows that use CW_USEDEFAULT will exist but will have no size or position or both.
Pop-up windows are top-level windows and are connected to the desktop window 's child windows list. Applications usually use pop-up windows for dialog boxes. The main difference between pop-up and overlapped windows is that pop-up windows need not have captions and overlapped windows must have captions. When a pop-up window does not have a caption, it can be created without a border. Pop-up windows may own other top-level windows or be owned by other top-level windows or both. All pop-up windows have the WS_CLIPSIBLINGS style, even if it was not specified. Pop-up windows must not be created with the CW_USEDEFAULT value for either the position or the size of the window. Pop-up windows that use CW_USEDEFAULT will exist but will have no size or no position or both.
WS_CHILD
Child windows must have a parent window and are confined to the client area of their parent. This is the major distinction between child windows and overlapped and pop-up windows. Child window parents can be top-level windows or other child windows. Child windows are positioned from their parent window 's upper-left corner and not from the upper-left of the screen as are top-level windows. Child windows are clipped to the client area of their parent. Controls in a dialog box are child windows whose parent is the dialog box. Child windows must not be created with the CW_USEDEFAULT value for either the position or size of the window. Child windows that use CW_USEDEFAULT will exist but will have no size or position or both.