How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Switching back and forth between Word, Excel, a web browser, or online meeting windows wastes a significant amount of time during studying and working. Splitting your laptop screen is a simple solution, as most Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS versions already have this feature. This article from GearVN will show you simple ways to split your laptop screen.

Key points

• Splitting your laptop screen in half makes multitasking more efficient when using Word, Excel, web browsers, or participating in online meetings.
• On Windows, users can split the screen using Snap Windows, drag and drop with the mouse, keyboard shortcuts, or the Taskbar.
• On MacBooks, Split View and Mission Control allow you to arrange two windows side-by-side for more convenient studying and working.
• Avoid opening too many windows on a small screen; if you multitask frequently, consider using an external monitor or a larger laptop.

1. How to split the screen on Windows 10 and Windows 11

1.1. Enable Snap Windows before splitting the screen.

Snap Windows is a feature that pins windows to the edge of the screen so the system automatically adjusts the layout. If this feature is turned off, dragging windows to the left or right edge may not work.

• Step 1: Go to Settings , select System , and then tap  Multitasking .

Images 1 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Select the Multitasking option.

• Step 2: Turn on the Snap Windows option .

Images 2 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Enable the Snap windows option.

Once enabled, Windows will automatically detect the position when you drag a window to the edge or corner of the screen. This is the first step you should check if your laptop isn't split-screen.

1.2. Split the screen by dragging and dropping the mouse.

• Step 1: Open the two applications you need. Press and hold the title bar of the first window. Drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen.

Images 3 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen.

• Step 2: Select the remaining window to fill the empty space.

Images 4 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Select the remaining window to fill the empty space.

1.3. Use keyboard shortcuts to split the screen faster.

This is the most commonly used keyboard shortcut for splitting the computer screen on Windows:

• Step 1: Select the window you want to pin, then press Windows + left arrow to move it to the left half of the screen. Press Windows + right arrow to move the window to the right half of the screen.

Images 5 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Press Windows + left arrow 

• Step 2: To return the screen to its original state, click on the window in the upper right corner of one of the two pinned windows.

Images 6 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Click on the window in the upper right corner of one of the two

2 Ways to Split the Screen on MacBook and macOS

2.1. Use Split View to place two windows side-by-side.

Split View is a mode on macOS that displays two applications side-by-side. This feature is useful when you need to open Notes and Safari or Pages and Safari simultaneously on your MacBook.

• Step 1: Open the applications you want to split the MacBook screen with. Then, select Tile Window to Left of Screen to pin the window to the left side of the screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen to pin the window to the right side of the screen.

Images 7 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Move the cursor to the green button in the upper left corner.

• Step 2:  On the blank half of the screen, select the second window you want to open.

Images 8 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Choose the second window you want to open.

2.2. Using Mission Control

• Step 1: Open the applications or windows you want to display simultaneously on the screen.

Images 9 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Open all the apps you want to put on the home screen.

• Step 2: Press the F3 key or swipe up with four fingers on the Trackpad to access Mission Control .

Images 10 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Swipe four fingers across the trackpad to open Mission Control.

• Step 3: In the Mission Control interface , drag each window to the desired position on the screen to arrange the workspace layout. After dropping the window into the appropriate position, macOS will automatically adjust and resize to make the most of the display space.

Images 11 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Drag and drop application windows.

3. How to split the screen into multiple windows

• Step 1: Open the application windows you want to display simultaneously on the screen. Right-click on the Taskbar , then select Show windows side by side to have Windows automatically arrange the windows next to each other.

Images 12 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Select Show windows side by side​​​​​

• Step 2: After the arrangement is complete, you can drag the window borders to adjust the display size to your needs.

Images 13 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

You can adjust the window size to suit your needs.

4. Tips for using split screen effectively when studying and working.

• For studying: Place reference materials on one side, and Word or Google Docs on the other.
• Office: Use Excel + email or Excel + web browser to compare data.
• Online meetings: If the screen is large enough, place the meeting window next to the main notes and documents.
• Frequent multitasking: Consider an external monitor or a laptop with a larger screen.
• Avoid opening too many windows on a small screen as it will slow down your information viewing speed.

Images 14 of How to quickly split the screen on a Windows 10, 11, and macOS laptop.

Users can effectively split the screen even while studying or working. 

5. Some related questions

5.1. Why doesn't the window pin automatically when dragged to the edge of the screen?

Three common causes are: Snap Windows is not enabled, the application is in full-screen mode, or the operating system is responding differently due to an outdated version. You should check the Multitasking settings first, then try again using a regular window.

5.2. Does the MacBook have split-screen functionality like Windows 11?

MacBooks can split two windows using Split View, but the method differs from Windows 11. macOS uses a green button in the top left corner of the window, while Windows 11 uses Snap Layouts or keyboard shortcuts to select the layout.

5.3. Should a 13-inch monitor be split into four windows?

It's not advisable to frequently use four windows on a 13-inch screen because the content will be quite small. Two windows are more suitable for this size. If you need more, a separate monitor or a high-resolution laptop would be more convenient.

Splitting your laptop screen can be done quickly using drag and drop, keyboard shortcuts, or built-in features like Snap Layouts on Windows 11 and Split View on macOS. When you need to open 3-4 windows, you should consider the screen size to avoid clutter. If you frequently multitask, you might consider a laptop with a large screen or an external monitor for more convenient work.