How to Use Multi-Window or Split-Screen Mode

Do you want to make your workflow easier on your Windows PC? Using multi-windows or splitting the screen in Windows 11 or 10 is one trick you can use. It doesn't matter the number of windows opened on your computer, the Snap Windows feature or the multi-window feature lets you easily multitask with all of them.

Real-life Example

As a writer who often has to research and write at the same time, I often put my document and the source I am researching from (article on the web, or video, or anything else) side by side. Sometimes when there is a need to validate two or more sources (For example, an article and the news video from where the article was taken), the Snap Windows feature helps me multitask between 4 opened windows. Now that you have a basic idea of how you can juggle between multiple windows using Windows snap layouts, the question is how to use it.

Prerequisite - Enable The Snap Windows Settings

First, ensure that you have enabled Snap Windows settings (if it is not already enabled). How would you know if the feature is enabled or not? Hover your mouse on the maximize/restore button and check if you can see Snap layouts like these.

If you can, skip to the next part, else follow the steps below to enable the Snap Windows settings -

Step 1 - Open Settings by pressing Windows + I.

Step 2 - From the left-hand side, click on System.

Step 3 - On the right-hand side, scroll down and click on Multitasking.

Step 4 - Toggle on the switch next to Snap windows. Choose from the options mentioned under the Snap windows. As a starter, we'd urge you to select all the options given.

Please note - Based on the Windows version you are using, the size of your laptop/desktop screen, and the resolution, you may see one of the two Snap layouts as shown above.

How To Snap Multiple Windows?

Now that the Snap Window feature is enabled, you can choose from two ways to use the split screen or Snap Window feature on your Windows computer:

• Using the mouse - Hover your mouse over the maximize/restore button (button between the minimize (-) and (x) buttons).
• Using the keyboard shortcut - Windows key + the arrow keys. In case you are facing the issue of keyboard shortcuts not working, you can refer to this post.

Using The Mouse To Snap Windows

Step 1 - Open up multiple windows/apps on your computer.

Step 2 - To select a window, click on the header of the window. This will indicate that the window is selected.

Step 3 - While you are on the selected window, hover your mouse on the maximize/restore button. You will then see multiple layouts known as "Snap layouts". You can also launch the layout box using the Windows key + Z key combination.

Here's how it works:

• While you are on the selected window, hover your mouse on the maximize/restore button.
• From the layout box, select the layout, and the position where you would like to place the window that's opened.

The next windows would snap according to the layout you have chosen. This brings us to the Snap Assist tool. As you snap your first window, the Snap Assist tool will display all the other opened windows in the form of a thumbnail. You can now decide where you would like to add the selected layout.

Step 4 - You can also resize the layout boxes by clicking and dragging the dividing line. The best part here is that, as you resize one box, the other box will fit alongside in such a manner that there is no wasted space.

The Drag and Drop Functionality

Drag and Drop A Window Either Side of Your Screen
Drag and Drop a window or app to either side of the screen and the snap layout will appear automatically. You can choose the layout where you wish to drop the window or app.

Drag and Drop A Window To The Upper Middle of Your Screen
Drag a window to the upper middle of your screen. The moment you start moving it to the upper middle, the Snap layout box will display and you can then choose from one of the layouts. Once you have chosen the layout, use the Snap Assist to fill the layout.

Using The Keyboard Shortcut To Snap Windows

Windows + Z Key Combination
In the above steps, we have already mentioned that you can use the Windows + Z key combination to pop up the layout box. But, what next? Once you have pressed this key combination, you can press the number of the layout you want. Your window will then be automatically positioned according to your desired layout.

Windows + Arrow Keys
You can also use the Windows + arrow keys to snap the window at your desired position:

• Windows + Left arrow key positions the window/app on the left-hand side of the screen.
• Windows + Right arrow key positions the window/app on the right-hand side of the screen.
• Windows + Up arrow key positions the window/app on the upper side of the screen.

Time to Use Multi-Window Feature To Your Advantage

When your workflow requires you to juggle with/refer to several Windows apps at once, you can not just rely on the Alt + Tab functionality. You sometimes have to have your eyes set on multiple windows. That is when you can snap various Windows next to each other and refer to the content on all the windows easily. Using the multi-window feature in Windows, you can enhance your productivity and manage multiple tasks efficiently by dragging and snapping Windows to create custom layouts. Do explore this feature, and let us know if it has been able to ease your workflow.