How to Split Your Screen in Windows 11

To split your screen in Windows 11, select one window and press Windows + Left arrow, then select another and press Windows + Right arrow. You can also drag windows to opposite screen edges or choose a Snap layout for several apps. These steps use Windows 11 menus.

Put two windows side by side

Select the first window you want to arrange, then press Windows + Left arrow to snap it to the left half of the screen. Select your second window and press Windows + Right arrow to place it on the right. These shortcuts work with compatible app windows.

To use a mouse or touchpad, drag the first window to the left screen edge. Release it when the placement preview appears, then drag the other window to the right edge and release at its preview. Use compatible, resizable windows for this method.

For quarter-screen placement, drag a window to a screen corner and release when the preview appears. Repeat with the other windows you want to arrange. This gives you room for more windows than a two-window split.

Choose a layout for several windows

With a window active, press Windows + Z to open Snap layouts. Choose a position in a two-, three-, or four-window arrangement, then select the offered window thumbnails to fill the remaining positions. The layouts available depend on your display resolution and scaling.

You can also hover over the window's Maximize or Restore button. Select a position within a layout, then choose companion windows. Available layouts depend on display size, and application compatibility varies.

If the hover menu does not appear, try Windows + Z and check the hover setting described below. If your preferred arrangement is not offered, choose one shown on your screen or use the left and right snapping shortcuts for two compatible windows.

Use the layout bar at the top

Drag a window toward the top of the screen to reveal the Snap layout bar. Place it in your preferred layout position, then choose the remaining windows. On a touchscreen, you can drag the window with your finger.

If the top bar does not appear, check its option under Snap windows using the settings below. You can also press Windows + Z to open the layout chooser.

Resize the split and return to a group

After you snap the first window, Snap Assist offers thumbnails of other windows for the next position. Select the window you want to place there, then fill any remaining positions in your chosen layout. Snap Assist must be enabled for those suggestions to appear.

Once the windows are arranged, drag the divider between them to adjust their proportions. You can give one window more room instead of keeping an equal split.

To return to an existing arrangement, hover over a grouped app's taskbar icon and select its group preview. Snap groups are also available through Task View and Alt + Tab. The previously snapped windows must still be open.

Turn on Snap and fix missing menus

If snapping or its menus are missing, open Settings > System > Multitasking and turn on Snap windows. Expand Snap windows to see the controls for suggestions, layout menus, and groups.

For companion-window suggestions, turn on the setting that reads "When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it". For the button hover menu, turn on the setting that reads "Show snap layouts when I hover over a window's maximize button".

To enable the top bar, turn on the setting that reads "Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen". For easier edge placement, turn on the setting that reads "When I drag a window, let me snap it without dragging all the way to the screen edge". Then return to your window and repeat the dragging method.

For group previews, turn on the setting that reads "Show my snapped windows when I hover over the taskbar apps, in Task View, and when I press Alt + Tab". With your snapped windows still open, hover over a grouped app's taskbar icon and select the group preview.

Move your windows to another monitor

With multiple active monitors, select the window you want to move. Press Windows + Shift + Left arrow or Windows + Shift + Right arrow to move it to the adjacent monitor.

Then use the Snap shortcuts to position it on that monitor. Repeat for the other windows you want on that display.

Create a custom arrangement with FancyZones

For a custom layout, get PowerToys from Microsoft's PowerToys product page using its Microsoft Store option or official GitHub installation route. In PowerToys > FancyZones, select Open layout editor and choose a layout. PowerToys must remain running for FancyZones to work.

Hold Shift while dragging each window into a zone. If you prefer a mouse button, select Use non-primary mouse button to toggle zone activation, then use that button while dragging.

For keyboard placement, turn on Override Windows Snap and press Windows with an arrow key, such as Left arrow or Right arrow. This setting makes those shortcuts control FancyZones instead of standard Windows Snap. To span several zones, hold Ctrl while dragging across activated zones.

To save an arrangement that can launch its apps again, enable Workspaces in PowerToys and select Launch editor. Select + Create workspace, arrange your app windows, then select Capture and name and save the workspace. Before saving, you can also create a desktop shortcut for the workspace. Later, select Launch in the editor or use that desktop shortcut to launch the apps into their saved positions.

On a managed Windows installation, your administrator can control whether FancyZones is enabled through PowerToys policy. If that policy disables FancyZones, use the Windows Snap methods above to arrange compatible windows.

Split webpages or Word documents inside an app

For two webpages within one Microsoft Edge tab, press Alt + F to open Settings and more, then select Split screen. Choose the second webpage to fill the other pane. Availability can vary by browser version and market, and a managed browser policy can disable the feature; if the option is missing, use Windows Snap to arrange two compatible browser windows.

To leave Edge's split view while retaining both pages, open More options within the split view. Select Separate two tabs to return the pages to separate tabs.

In Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024, open both documents, then select View > Window > View Side by Side to view and compare two Word documents. Select Synchronous Scrolling if you want the documents to scroll together. Select View Side by Side again to exit that arrangement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you split Windows 11 into top and bottom halves?

Yes, select one compatible window and press Windows + Alt + Up arrow for the top half. Select another and press Windows + Alt + Down arrow for the bottom half.

Can you snap windows using your voice?

Yes, on Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, open Settings > Accessibility > Speech and turn on Voice access. You need a microphone, and initial setup requires internet access; choose a supported language, select Agree and continue, and wait for the language files to download. With voice access listening and your desired window active, say Snap window to left, then activate the second window and say Snap window to right. These are English voice commands.

How do you put two Chrome tabs into split view?

In current desktop Chrome on Windows 11, right-click an inactive tab and select New split view with current tab. You can also right-click a link and select Open link in split view, or press Shift + Alt + N to start a split view with the keyboard. To separate the panes, open the Split view menu and select Separate split view.

Does Firefox have its own split view?

Yes, you can use Split View in Firefox 149 and later on Windows 11. Right-click a tab and select Add Split View, then choose the second tab in the right pane or enter a website address there. Alternatively, hold Alt and click another tab in the same window. Drag the divider to resize the panes, or select Separate Tabs from the tab context menu to separate them.

How do you split one Excel worksheet into scrolling panes?

In Excel for Microsoft 365 or Excel 2024 on Windows 11, select the row below the desired horizontal split, the column to the right of the desired vertical split, or a cell below and right of both. Select View > Window > Split to create independently scrollable panes. Select Split again to remove the panes.