Split your screen by dragging windows to the edges
The fastest way to split your screen on Windows is to drag a window to the left or right edge of your monitor. Windows will snap the window to fill exactly half the screen, then you can open a second window and snap it to the other half. This feature is called Snap information, and it works on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Open the first program you want to use. Click and hold the title bar at the top of the window, then drag it all the way to the left edge of your screen until you see a preview of how the window will look when snapped. Release the mouse. The window will resize to fill the left half of your screen. Repeat with a second program, dragging it to the right edge. Both windows now occupy the screen at the same time, side by side.
If you have three or four monitors or a very wide single monitor, you can snap windows to the corners instead. Drag a window to the top-left corner and hold it there for a moment—Windows will show you a grid of four squares. Release the mouse over whichever square you want, and the window snaps to that quarter of the screen. This works the same way on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Key Takeaways
- Drag any window to the left or right edge of your screen to snap it to half the screen automatically.
- On Windows 11, you can snap windows to quarters or sixths of the screen by dragging to a corner and waiting for the grid to appear.
- Use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + Left Arrow or Windows key + Right Arrow to snap the active window without dragging.
- If snapping is not working, check Settings > System > Multitasking to make sure Snap windows is turned on.
- Virtual desktops let you create separate workspaces with different windows, so you can switch between them instead of splitting one screen.
Use keyboard shortcuts to snap windows faster
If you prefer not to drag windows around, you can snap them using only your keyboard. Press Windows key + Left Arrow to snap the active window (the one you are currently using) to the left half of your screen. Press Windows key + Right Arrow to snap it to the right half. These shortcuts work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
On Windows 11, you have more options. Press Windows key + Z to open the snap layout menu. A grid will appear showing different ways you can arrange windows on your screen—two columns, three columns, or one large window with smaller ones stacked on the side. Click the layout you want, then click each window you want to place in that layout. Windows will automatically resize and position them for you.
These keyboard shortcuts are faster than dragging if you switch between split-screen layouts often. You can snap, unsnap, and rearrange windows without touching your mouse.
Turn Snap information on or off in Settings
Snap information is on by default on most Windows computers, but if snapping is not working, you may need to turn it back on. Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I. Go to System in the left menu, then click Multitasking.
Look for the toggle labeled Snap windows. If it is off (grayed out), click it to turn it on. Below that toggle, you will see checkboxes for Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen and Show the number of windows I can snap. Both of these should be checked if you want the grid preview to appear when you drag. Once you have turned these on, close Settings and try snapping a window again.
If you want to turn snapping off entirely—for example, if you find it annoying when you accidentally drag windows to the edge—you can uncheck the same toggle. This will disable all snap features until you turn it back on.
Snap windows to different sizes on Windows 11
Windows 11 added the ability to snap windows to more than just halves of the screen. When you drag a window to the top edge of your screen, a grid appears showing different layout options. You can snap one window to take up two-thirds of the screen while another takes up one-third, or arrange three windows in a row, or create a 2×2 grid of four equal windows.
To use this feature, drag a window by its title bar toward the top of your screen. Hold it there for a moment without releasing. A grid will pop up showing you all the available layouts. Move your mouse over the layout you want—the preview will highlight which part of the screen that window will occupy. Release the mouse, and the window snaps to that size and position. Then open or drag other windows into the remaining spaces.
This is more flexible than the older half-screen snapping, especially if you want to compare three documents at once or keep a small reference window visible while working on a larger one. The grid layouts remember your choice, so if you use the same layout often, you can snap to it faster each time.
Use virtual desktops to organize windows instead of splitting
If you have many windows open and splitting the screen feels cramped, virtual desktops let you create separate workspaces. Each desktop can have its own set of windows, and you can switch between them without closing anything. This is useful if you want to keep work windows on one desktop and personal windows on another, or if you want a clean desktop for presentations.
To create a virtual desktop, press Windows key + Tab. A panel will open on the left showing your current desktop. At the top, click New desktop (or + New on Windows 10). A second desktop appears. You can now open windows on this new desktop, and they will not appear on your first desktop. Switch between desktops by pressing Windows key + Tab again and clicking the one you want, or by pressing Windows key + Ctrl + Right Arrow to move to the next desktop.
Virtual desktops do not split your screen, but they give you more room to work without cluttering a single screen. Many people use them alongside snapping—snap two windows on one desktop, then switch to another desktop for a different task.
Troubleshoot snapping when it is not working
If you drag a window to the edge and it does not snap, the first thing to check is whether Snap information is turned on. Go to Settings > System > Multitasking and make sure Snap windows is toggled on. If it is already on, try turning it off and back on again.
Some programs do not support snapping because they are older or were designed to run full-screen only. If a specific program will not snap, try opening a different program to see if snapping works with that one. If other programs snap fine, the issue is with that particular program, not your system.
If your monitor is very small or your screen resolution is very low, Windows may disable snapping because there is not enough room. Snapping typically requires a screen width of at least 1024 pixels. If you are using an older monitor or a very zoomed-in display, this could be why snapping is not available.
Restart your computer if snapping suddenly stops working after it was working before. Sometimes a background process interferes with snapping, and a restart clears it. If restarting does not help, check Windows Update to see if there is a system update waiting—updates sometimes fix snapping bugs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I snap more than two windows at once?
Yes, on Windows 11. Use the snap layout grid (Windows key + Z) to arrange three, four, or six windows on one screen at the same time. On Windows 10, you can only snap two windows side by side, but you can open additional windows that overlap them.
Does snapping work on external monitors?
Yes. Snapping works on any monitor connected to your PC. If you have two monitors, you can snap windows on each monitor independently. Drag a window to the edge of either monitor, and it will snap to that monitor's screen.
What is the difference between snapping and maximizing?
Maximizing makes a window fill your entire screen. Snapping makes it fill half (or a quarter, or a third) of your screen so you can see other windows at the same time. Use snapping when you want to compare or work with multiple windows together.
Can I undo a snap if I change my mind?
Yes. Drag the window away from the edge, or press Windows key + Up Arrow to maximize it, or press Windows key + Down Arrow to restore it to its previous size. You can also just click and drag the window to move it freely again.
Why does my window snap to a quarter of the screen instead of a half?
On Windows 11, if you drag a window to a corner instead of a straight edge, it snaps to a quarter. Drag to the left or right edge (not a corner) to snap to a half-screen. If you want a quarter-screen snap, drag to a corner on purpose.