Who says you need to have several monitors to make your workflow easier in Windows 11 and 10? In this guide, we’ll show you how to split screen on Windows devices with little to no fuss at all. Read on for details step-by-step guides and GIFs.
This Article Covers:
How to Split Screen on Windows 11/10
These steps work exactly the same for Windows 10 and 11, so don’t worry if you’re rocking the older Windows or have recently upgraded to Windows 11.
Windows 10 Side-by-Side View
Most people tend to have at least two windows open when working on their computers. Learning how to split screen can make your workflow easier and therefore increase productivity.
Here is how to split screen Windows 10 into two:
- Drag the screen with the title bar to either the right or left side of your screen.
- When you see a window outline, let go of the mouse button, and the window will be snapped into the outlined area.
- On the other side of your screen, all other open Windows should now appear as thumbnails.
- Now, click on any one of the Windows, and it will be snapped to the blank side of the screen. You will now have two side-by-side Windows on one screen.
Alternatively, you can use the split screen Windows 10 shortcut, which is Windows key + right/left arrow. To split computer screen into two Windows, click on one window and press the Windows key + Right arrow. Then, select the other window and press the Windows key + Left arrow.
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Can Windows 10 Split Screen Into Three?
Thanks to the powerful multitasking features introduced in Windows 11, you can have three Windows open on the desktop without wasting any space. Windows 10 can still do it too, but less efficiently, and you may need FancyZones, depending on your system.
Here are the steps for Windows to split the screen into three:
- Click and drag a window toward either the screen’s right or left side.
- When the outline shows up, let go of the left mouse button.
- Now click in an empty area.
- Click and hold another window and drag it to the top or bottom corner of the other side of the screen.
- Repeat the previous step and drag the third window to the corner of the empty part of the screen.
If you wish to use the split screen shortcut, pin one window to the side using the Windows key + Left arrow. Select the other window and then press the Windows key + Right arrow. With the same window selected, press the Windows key + Top arrow. Now, select the third window and press Windows key + Right arrow and Windows key + Bottom arrow.
Microsoft Split Screen Into Four
If your display is wider, you can have up to four Windows, one in each corner, to the screen. Similar to snapping a window on either side of a screen, every window takes ¼ of the space.
Here is how to split the screen on a computer into four:
- One window can be moved to the corner of the screen by dragging it with its title bar.
- The screen should flash when the pointer approaches the corner, showing you the window’s outline. To lock the window into position, release the button on the mouse.
- Similarly, move the second window to a different corner. Once more, release the mouse button to fix it in position.
- You need to see thumbnails of the Windows that are open in the blank areas of your screen. Take up a third screen, click it, and snap it to the other side of the screen.
- Drag a window by the title bar to one of the remaining corners to snap it into place.
- If you wish to pin four Windows to a corner, choose another one to attach to the fourth corner.
A window can be “unsnapped” at any moment by simply dragging it away from a corner or edge by its title bar. If you wish to use the window shortcuts, use the Windows key + right/left arrow shortcut to pin the window to the right or left. Then, use Windows key + up/down arrow to minimize the screen to ¼ size into one of the four corners.
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How to Do Split Screen on Windows With Microsoft PowerToys
With Microsoft PowerToys, a tonne of customization options aimed toward Windows 10 users, people can go even further into Windows’ snapping functions. One of the PowerToys functions is FancyZones, which enables you to divide Windows into various ways, such as taking thirds of the screen, dividing them horizontally, etc.
Once PowerToys is installed, launch it as administrator, select FancyZones in the left sidebar, and then choose the Launch layout editor option. Here, you may decide how many Windows to create, how they should be organized, how much space should exist between them, and other settings.
If you are splitting more than two Windows, you will need a 1440p or higher screen display to get the most out of this. This tool really does help you fine-tune how you split the screen. You only need to press the Shift key while moving Windows to use your personal FancyZones. In the FancyZones panel, you may modify these shortcuts and other window-snapping settings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to Split Screen on Dell Laptop?
To split screen a laptop, simply click and drag the window to either side of the screen to have a side-by-side view. If you wish to have four Windows, then click and drag Windows into the corners of the screen. You can also use the Windows shortcuts, which are Windows key + right/left arrow and Windows key + up/down arrow.
How to Split Screen With Multiple Monitors?
The process for Windows split screen is essentially the same for multiple monitors. To make sure your cursor doesn’t travel into the second screen, drag the window to the side slowly until the outline of the pinned window shows up. Once the outline shows up, let go of the left click, and the window will be pinned.
Wrapping Up
So, now you know exactly how to split screens on Windows. Essentially all you have to do is click at drag the window header around your screen or use any combination of the Windows key + Direction keyboard shortcuts. If you found this tutorial useful, you may also like some of our other Windows content below.
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