Split screen lets you see two windows side by side on one monitor

Split screen divides your display in half so you can work in two programs at once without switching back and forth. On Windows, you drag a window to the left or right edge and it snaps to fill that half. On Mac, you hold the full-screen button and choose which apps go on each side. On Linux, the method depends on your desktop environment, but most modern versions have a similar snap feature built in.

The exact steps differ by operating system, but the result is the same: two full-height windows, each taking up roughly half your screen width. This is useful for comparing documents, copying text between programs, or watching a video while you work.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows 10 and 11 snap a window to half the screen when you drag it to the left or right edge, or press Windows key + left or right arrow.
  • Mac requires you to enter full-screen mode first, then hold the full-screen button to choose a second app for the other side.
  • Linux split-screen behavior varies by desktop environment; GNOME and KDE both have built-in snap zones you can drag windows into.
  • External monitors work with split screen on all systems, and you can split one monitor while using another monitor normally.
  • Some programs do not respond well to being resized to half-screen width, so you may need to adjust window size manually instead of using snap.

Split screen on Windows 10 and 11

The fastest way is to drag a window to the left or right edge of your screen until it snaps into place. Open the program you want on the left side, then grab the title bar and drag it all the way to the left edge. When your cursor reaches the edge, the window outline will change to show it will fill the left half. Release the mouse, and the window snaps to that half. Then click on any other open window or open a new program, and it will fill the right half automatically.

If dragging does not feel natural, use the keyboard shortcut instead. Press Windows key + left arrow to snap the active window to the left half, or Windows key + right arrow to snap it to the right half. This works even if the window is maximized or minimized. You can also press Windows key + up arrow to maximize a window, then Windows key + left or right arrow to move it to a half-screen position.

Windows also supports four-way snap: drag a window to a corner instead of an edge, and it will fill one quarter of the screen. This lets you see four windows at once, though each is smaller. The same keyboard shortcuts work—press Windows key + up arrow then Windows key + left arrow to snap a window to the top-left quarter.

Split screen on Mac

Mac does not have a straightforward drag-to-edge snap like Windows. Instead, you enter full-screen mode for one app, then add a second app to the other side. Open the first program you want to use, then move your cursor to the green full-screen button in the top-left corner of the window (next to the red close button and yellow minimize button). Hold down the button for about one second until a menu appears, then select "Tile Window to Left of Screen" or "Tile Window to Right of Screen."

After you choose a side, your first app will fill that half of the screen in full-screen mode. The other half will show your desktop or a list of open windows. Click on the app you want for the other side, and it will fill the remaining half. Both apps are now in full-screen split view. To exit, move your cursor to the top of the screen, and the menu bar will appear; click the full-screen exit button (two arrows pointing outward) in the top-left corner.

If the green button does not show a menu when you hold it, your Mac may be running an older version of macOS. On those versions, you can still split the screen by opening one app in full-screen mode (press Control + Command + F), then swiping left or right with three fingers on the trackpad to see other open apps, and clicking the one you want to add to the split view.

Split screen on Linux

Linux split-screen behavior depends on which desktop environment you use. GNOME (the default on Ubuntu and Fedora) has a built-in snap feature: drag a window to the left or right edge of the screen, and it will snap to fill that half. You can also press Super (Windows key) + left arrow or Super + right arrow to snap the active window. The keyboard shortcut works the same way as Windows.

KDE Plasma (the default on Kubuntu and openSUSE) also supports window snapping. Drag a window to the edge, or right-click the title bar and select "Tile Window to the Left" or "Tile Window to the Right." You can also use Meta (Windows key) + left arrow or Meta + right arrow. KDE also lets you drag windows to corners to create a four-way split.

If you use a different desktop environment like Xfce or Cinnamon, check your window manager's documentation, as snap zones may not be enabled by default. Some environments require you to resize windows manually by dragging the edge between them, rather than using a snap feature. You can also install a third-party tool like Wmctrl or xdotool to add snap functionality if your desktop does not have it built in.

When split screen does not work or looks wrong

Some programs do not resize well to half-screen width. Text editors, web browsers, and office programs usually work fine, but some older or specialized software may display incorrectly or refuse to resize at all. If a window will not snap, try dragging it manually to the position you want instead of using the snap feature. Grab the edge of the window and drag it to the middle of the screen, then resize it by dragging the corner or edge.

If the text or interface looks too small or too large after snapping, the program may not be scaling properly to the new window size. Try closing and reopening the program, or check the program's zoom or scaling settings. Some programs let you adjust the text size independently of the window size, which can help if the interface looks cramped.

On multi-monitor setups, split screen works on each monitor independently. You can split one monitor while leaving the other monitor showing a single full-screen window. If you want to move a window from one monitor to another, drag it across the edge between the monitors, or use your system's window-switching shortcuts to move focus to the other monitor first.

Using split screen with virtual desktops

Windows, Mac, and Linux all support virtual desktops (also called workspaces), which are separate screens you can switch between. You can use split screen on each virtual desktop independently. On Windows, press Windows key + Tab to open the task view, then click "New desktop" to create another desktop. You can then split screen on that desktop separately from your first one.

On Mac, swipe up with four fingers on the trackpad to open Mission Control, then click the "+" button in the top-right to add a new desktop. You can then set up split screen on that desktop. On Linux, the method varies by desktop environment, but GNOME lets you swipe up with three fingers to see your workspaces, and you can click to add a new one.

This is useful if you want to keep different projects organized. For example, you could have one desktop with email and calendar split side by side, and another desktop with a code editor and terminal split side by side. Switching between desktops is faster than closing and reopening windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I split my screen into more than two windows?

Yes, but the exact method depends on your system. Windows and Linux support four-way snap by dragging windows to corners instead of edges. Mac does not have a built-in four-way split, but you can open multiple full-screen apps and swipe between them. You can also manually resize windows to any size you want on any system, though this takes more effort than using snap.

Does split screen work with an external monitor?

Yes. You can split one monitor while leaving the other monitor showing a single window, or split both monitors independently. The snap feature works on whichever monitor your cursor is on. If you want to move a window to the other monitor, drag it across the edge between the monitors.

What if my window will not snap to the edge?

Some programs do not respond to the snap feature. Try dragging the window manually to the middle of the screen and resizing it by dragging the corner or edge. You can also check if your window manager has snap zones disabled in its settings, and enable them if needed. On older versions of Windows or Mac, the snap feature may not be available at all.

Can I save a split-screen layout so it opens the same way next time?

Windows and Mac do not automatically save split-screen layouts between sessions. However, some third-party tools like WindowLayout on Windows or Divvy on Mac let you save and restore window positions. On Linux, some desktop environments have built-in session management that remembers window positions, but this varies by environment.

Does split screen use more battery or CPU power?

Running two programs at once uses more power than running one, but split screen itself does not add extra overhead. The power use depends on what the programs are doing, not on how they are arranged on screen. If you are trying to save battery, closing unused programs is more effective than changing how you arrange the ones you are using.