How to use split screen on laptop

Last updated on May 23rd, 2023

Windows has always been a great operating system for multitasking with the ability to run various programs simultaneously with much ease. In Windows 10, Microsoft has upgraded the snapping mechanism and enhanced its functionality.  

Currently, Windows 10 offers various ways to split your screen into multiple windows with better support for multiple monitors. Windows 11 is even ahead of Windows 10 with added productivity-first features like Snap Layouts. In this guide, we take you through different methods which you can use to split your screen in Windows 10 Laptop and Windows 11 respectively.

Using Snap Assist in Windows 10

One of the most welcoming contributions of Windows 10 to multi-tasking includes Snap Assist. It is actually a Windows feature that suggests multiple ways to compile your already open apps using a specific keyboard shortcut. Here is how to use it. 

1. Select the window that you want to move to one half of the screen and then drag it to the edge of the screen. 
2. If you have other applications open when you are performing the first step, you will also see various options to fill the second half of the screen. Click on one and it will automatically drag to the empty space opposite the first window. 
3. If you want to resize the windows, place the mouse pointer on the dividing line until it becomes two arrows. After that, click and hold the divider to re-adjust the two windows accordingly. 

Split Screen Using Mouse 

Split screen on your laptop can also be obtained by using the mouse. Simply follow the steps below to get it done. 

1. Open two or more applications on your system. 
2. Place your mouse pointer on an empty area on top of any of the open windows. Long press the left mouse button to drag the window on the right or left side of the screen. It will now fill half of the screen. 
3. Select any of the other open windows that you want to move to the second empty half of the screen by repeating the previous steps. 
4. You can resize both of the windows by dragging the dividing line that separates them. 

Using the Shortcuts 

If you are in a hurry and want to split the screen in no time, then you can do it by using the shortcut key. 

1. By staying in an open window, press and hold the Windows logo key and then press either right or left arrow key. It will snap the active window either on the right or left side. 
2. Follow the same step with any of the other open windows to fill the second empty space. 

Snapping More Than Two Windows  

If your laptop possesses a large screen, then you can leverage all that extra space on the screen to open up to 4 windows by using Corner Snap.  

1. Drag and move your first open window into any corner. You can use either shortcut keys or the mouse-drag methods to do this process. 
2. You can now move any of the other open windows into the remaining corners. A maximum of four windows are placed on the screen at a time. 

Turning Off Snap Assist in Windows 10 

In case Snap Assist is causing you any trouble, you can easily disable it. 

1. Go to the Settings for searching it in the search box. 
2. Select System. 
3. Navigate to the various options that are visible on the left side and select Multitasking. 
4. Click the toggle button under Snap windows to turn this feature off.          

Splitting the screen with a third-party app in Windows 10 

Apart from using Windows 10 built-in tool Snap Assist, you can also use various third-party apps to split your screens. These apps usually give you more customization options. Several third-party apps are available for the same purpose such as AquaSnap.  

Splitting the screen in Windows 11 

Windows 11 has introduced a new feature named Snap Layouts that assists you in increasing your productivity and splitting your screen. Snap Layouts is more like Snap Assist in Windows 10 but offers up to 6 ways to snap windows. Snap Layouts comes with support for up to 3 side-by-side windows on landscape screens and top/bottom stacked windows on portrait screens. Here is how you use this feature. 

1. Hold the Windows logo key and press Z. You will see a box pop-up at the top right-hand side of your system’s open window. You can also use ‘maximize’ button to see different ways to split your screen. 
2. Choose any of the ways that you want to use it. Windows 11 will open the task switcher and suggest another open window to pick.  

The Bottom Line 

If you are a multi-tasker, splitting your screen into multiple windows would help you a lot in working on your tasks efficiently.  Just go through the different steps mentioned in this guide to find all the methods for splitting your screen and eventually increasing your productivity.