Ever found yourself juggling multiple windows and wished your laptop screen could magically divide itself? Well, it actually can! Splitting your screen lets you work smarter, not harder—whether you’re comparing documents, chatting while browsing, or just multi-tasking like a pro. But if you’ve ever struggled to find the right buttons or shortcuts, you’re definitely not alone.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to split your laptop screen step-by-step, answer your burning questions, and help you tweak those split windows just how you like. Whether you’re rocking a Windows laptop or a MacBook, I got you covered.
How Do I Split the Screen on Windows Laptops?
Let’s start with Windows—it’s probably the most common laptop OS out there. And luckily, Microsoft made it super easy to snap windows side by side.
Step 1: Open the Windows You Want to Split
Open the two (or more) apps or documents you want to view side by side. For example, maybe you want your browser open on one side and a Word document on the other.
Step 2: Use the Snap Feature
Click on the title bar (the top part) of the first window and drag it to either the left or right edge of your screen. When your cursor touches the edge, the window will automatically resize to fill half the screen. Release the mouse button.
Windows shows thumbnails of your other open windows on the opposite side. Click one of these to snap it to the other half.
Step 3: Adjust Window Sizes
Want to resize the split windows? Hover your mouse over the dividing line between the two windows until it turns into a double-headed arrow. Then click and drag to adjust the size.
Example Scenario:
You’re writing a research paper and want to reference a PDF on one side and type on Word on the other. Snap your PDF viewer to the left, then pick Word from the thumbnails on the right.
Bonus: Snap Multiple Windows
Windows 10 and 11 support Snap Assist with up to four windows. Just drag a window to a corner rather than an edge, and it will snap to that quarter of the screen.
Is There a Shortcut to Split Screen on a Laptop?
Good news—yes, there is! If you prefer keyboard shortcuts over dragging windows around, here’s how to power through.
Windows Shortcut Keys
- Win + Left Arrow: Snaps the current window to the left half
- Win + Right Arrow: Snaps the current window to the right half
- Win + Up/Down Arrow: Maximize or minimize the window (for quarter-screens or full screens)
So if you want to split your screen quickly, just hit Win + Left Arrow to snap one window left, then use Win + Right Arrow on another window to snap it to the right.
Tip: Different Windows Versions
Be aware, older Windows versions like Windows 7 don’t have Snap Assist, so these shortcuts might not work smoothly there. If you’re on Windows 10 or 11, you’re golden.
Can I Split Screen on a MacBook?
Switching gears—if you’re on a MacBook, the split screen trick works a bit differently. Apple calls it Split View, and it’s handy once you know where to look.
Step 1: Enter Full-Screen Mode
First, open the two apps or windows you want to use. Then, hover over the green full-screen button in the top-left corner of one window (don’t click!).
You’ll see a small menu with options. Choose “Tile Window to Left of Screen” or “Tile Window to Right of Screen.”
Step 2: Select Your Second Window
Once that window fills one half of your screen, the other half will display thumbnails of open windows. Click the one you want on the other side.
Step 3: Exiting Split View
To get out of split screen, move your cursor to the top and click the green full-screen button again, or press Esc.
Bonus Shortcut (macOS Catalina and Later)
You can also use Control + Command + F to toggle full-screen mode, but dragging to the green button is easiest for split views.
How Do I Adjust the Size of Split Screens?
You nailed the split screen setup, but now what if you want to make one window bigger? Here’s how that works for both Windows and Mac.
Windows Resizing
Look for the divider bar between your windows—it’s usually a thin vertical line. Hover the mouse over it until you see the double-sided arrow cursor. Then drag left or right to change window widths.
Easy, right?
Mac Resizing
In Split View on Mac, move your cursor to the black vertical divider between the two windows. The cursor will change to a double-sided arrow, then click and drag to adjust sizes.
Common Pitfall
If you don’t see the divider or the cursor doesn’t change, sometimes the app itself limits resizing. Some apps force fixed window sizes, so resizing might be disabled.
Why Is It So Hard to Find Split Screen Features?
Honestly, you’re not alone in thinking it’s tricky. A lot of folks don’t realize these features are built right into their OS because:
- The options are sometimes hidden behind small buttons or awkward menus
- Keyboard shortcuts vary between Windows versions, causing confusion
- On Macs, Split View is tucked behind the full-screen button, which isn’t intuitive
So if you’ve ever felt like “Where the heck is the split-screen button?”—you’re onto a common pain point.
FAQ: Quick Answers to Your Split Screen Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I split more than two windows? | Yes! Windows 10/11 lets you split up to four windows in quadrants. Macs support only two windows at a time in Split View. |
| What if my keyboard shortcut doesn’t work? | Check your Windows version. Older versions may not support Snap Assist. Or, the app may not allow snapping. |
| Can I split screen on external monitors? | Absolutely! You can snap windows on any connected monitor the same way you do on your primary screen. |
| How do I turn off split screen? | On Windows, drag the window away from the edge or maximize it. On Mac, click the green full-screen button again or press Esc. |
Final Thoughts: Make Split Screen Your Best Friend
Splitting your laptop screen might feel a bit daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a total game-changer. No more clicking back and forth or squinting at tiny tabs. You’re basically giving yourself double work space—and who doesn’t want that?
So, give it a shot right now: open two windows, snap them side by side, and see how much smoother your workflow feels. You’ll be wondering why you waited so long.
References
[1] According to Microsoft Support, Snap Assist improves multitasking by letting users easily arrange open windows side by side (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/snap-windows-in-windows-10-18dd77c0-f498-4c39-b7db-8f3f7648e840).
[2] Apple’s official guide explains how to use Split View on macOS for multitasking (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204948).
Danny Inayat