How to Split Screen in Windows 10 or Windows 11

To split your screen in Windows 11, press Windows key + Left arrow to snap the active window to the left half, then pick another window from the thumbnails to fill the right half. You can also drag a window to the left or right edge of the screen, or hover over a window’s maximize button and choose a snap layout.

Windows calls this feature Snap. It can arrange two, three, or four windows at once, depending on your screen size. To place a single window in the middle instead, see how to center a window in Windows 11.

Method 1: Use the Keyboard

1. Click the first window you want to use.
2. Press Windows key + Left arrow (or Right arrow). The window fills that half of the screen.
3. Windows shows thumbnails of your other open windows on the empty side. Click the one you want there.

Method 2: Drag a Window to the Edge

1. Click and hold the window’s title bar.
2. Drag it to the left or right edge of the screen until an outline appears, then let go. Drag it into a corner instead to fill a quarter of the screen.
3. Pick a window from the thumbnails on the other side.

Method 3: Use Snap Layouts

1. Hover the mouse over the window’s maximize button (the square next to the X), or press Windows key + Z.
2. Choose a zone in one of the layouts. Windows offers two-, three-, and four-window layouts, depending on your screen size.
3. Fill the remaining zones by clicking the windows you want.

To resize a split, drag the divider between the windows. Both windows adjust together, so no space is wasted.

Method 4: Drag a Window to the Top of the Screen

1. Drag a window by its title bar toward the top center of the screen.
2. A snap bar drops down with the same layouts.
3. Release the window over the zone you want, then fill the other zones.

Windows remembers the arrangement as a snap group. Hover over one of those apps on the taskbar to bring the whole group back at once. Microsoft describes all of these in its Snap guide.

Split the Screen Into Three or Four Windows

1. Snap the first window to one side with Windows key + Left arrow.
2. While holding the Windows key, press Up arrow or Down arrow to move it into the top or bottom corner.
3. Repeat with the other windows, or use the three- or four-zone snap layout from the maximize button.

Split Windows Across Two Monitors

Each monitor has its own snap zones. To move a window to the other monitor, press Windows key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow, then snap it there with Windows key + Left or Right arrow. You can also drag a window to the edge of the second screen.

If Split Screen Isn’t Working

1. Open Settings > System > Multitasking.
2. Turn on Snap windows.
3. Expand it and check the options you want, such as showing snap layouts when you hover over the maximize button or drag a window to the top of the screen.

If only one app won’t snap, it may have a fixed window size; some games, installers, and dialog boxes can’t be resized. On small screens, Windows shows fewer layouts. For working with more windows than fit side by side, try switching between virtual desktops.

Resize a Window and Check Its Next Launch Size

To give one app window a different size, first restore it from maximized or snapped view using the title-bar controls or by dragging it away from the screen edge. Drag a resizable window’s border or corner to the width and height you want, and move it by its title bar. Save your work, close that app normally, then reopen it to check whether it remembers the size.

That check depends on the app: Windows has no universal default-size setting that forces every program to reopen at a chosen width and height. Some dialogs and apps have fixed sizes; others manage their own startup layout. For a repeatable arrangement, use the Snap methods above and resize the divider. Microsoft’s Snap guide describes those layout and resize controls. A snap group is not a promise that every app will preserve its launch size.

Stop Split Screen or Turn Off Snap

To stop the current arrangement, click the desired window’s Maximize button, or drag its title bar away from the snapped edge to restore a floating window. This changes that window’s arrangement while leaving other apps open. To stop future automatic snapping, open Settings > System > Multitasking and switch Snap windows Off. Switch it On again to restore the feature.

You can instead leave Snap on and change its individual checkboxes, such as the maximize-button layout suggestions. Microsoft’s Snap settings guide explains these controls. Turning Snap off does not close your apps or remove a second monitor; display duplication and extension are separate settings.

Split the Screen in Windows 10

Click the first app and press Windows + Left arrow, then choose the second app from Snap Assist. You can instead select the second app and press Windows + Right arrow. Dragging title bars to opposite edges also works. If snapping is disabled, open Settings > System > Multitasking and enable Snap windows. The Windows 11 maximize-button Snap Layouts menu is different from this Windows 10 route. Maximize a window to undo the side-by-side arrangement.

Arrange Four Windows in Windows 10

Open the apps you need. In Windows 10, open Settings > System > Multitasking and turn Snap windows on if needed. Select the first resizable window, press Windows + Left arrow, then Windows + Up arrow to place it in the upper-left quarter. For the other windows, combine Left/Right with Up/Down to use the remaining corners. You can instead drag each window’s title bar into the intended screen corner until a preview appears, then release. Select the intended app from Snap Assist when offered, or select and snap the next app yourself.

For two windows, drag the first to a left or right edge and choose the second from Snap Assist; adjust the divider where the apps support it. Check that all intended windows occupy usable zones, with readable content and no app inadvertently covering another. Some fixed-size windows cannot fit a quarter-screen layout. Drag a title bar away from its snapped edge or maximize that window to undo its placement; switching Snap windows off prevents future automatic snapping without closing apps. Windows 10 does not have the Windows 11 maximize-button Snap Layouts menu described above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I split the screen into four windows?

Snap a window to a corner with Windows key + Left arrow and then Windows key + Up arrow, or choose the four-zone snap layout from the maximize button.

How do I undo a split screen?

Maximize a window by double-clicking its title bar or pressing Windows key + Up arrow, or drag the window away from the edge.

Can I make the split uneven, like 70/30?

Yes. After snapping two windows, drag the divider between them. Some snap layouts also start with uneven zones.