Improve your productivity by dividing the screen into several sections, allowing you to open up to six or four windows at once within Windows 11.
Do you often work in multiple apps simultaneously? Switching between them can be a hassle or time-consuming. It can be an absolute nightmare when an app isn’t performing well. However, Windows 11 has a generous solution for you to enhance your multitasking capabilities with the help of all new Snap Layouts which allow you to use a simpler method to split screen on the Windows PC.
Windows 11 Snap windows feature lets you view and open multiple windows simultaneously by dividing the screen into several sections. It is possible to view up to four app windows simultaneously (six in the case of an ultra-high resolution display) each of which will take up an area on the display.
Before proceeding it is important to check whether the setting ‘Snap windows’ that lets you split the screen is turned on.
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Set ‘Snap windows’ to enable in Settings
The feature ‘Snap windows’ is turned on by default in Windows 11, but it’s important to confirm the feature prior to proceeding.
To determine whether you are able to determine if Snap Windows feature has been activated to check if the feature is enabled, use Windows + I to open the “Settings” app on your computer. It will open in the view of System settings as default.
In System settings Scroll down a little and then click on Multitasking in the upper right-hand corner of the Settings window.
Check whether the toggle in “Snap windows” is on. If it’s not then click the toggle to activate the setting.
Explore the different options available and then check/uncheck according to your needs. It is recommended to not alter your default setting until you’ve got an understanding of the idea.
Using Windows 11 Snap Layouts
Windows 11 has made splitting the screen much easier and faster with Snap Layouts integrated right into the maximize button of every window. It is no longer necessary to drag and hold windows away from the other side or play using keyboard shortcuts to activate Snap windows.
To make use of Snap Layouts within Windows 11, hover the mouse above the button to maximize in the upper-right corner of the window. A small box will pop up that offers four to six different options to split the screen.
- The first option divides screens into equal portions, so each window will have equal area on the screen.
- The second splits the screen into two parts however there is a different proportion of the screen area occupied with the window. In this instance the window on the left has greater space than that on the other.
- The third option divides the screen into threeparts, the left half being occupied by a single window, and the right-hand half is further divided into two parts.
- The fourth option divides your screen in four sections each of which takes up one quarter part of the display.
Let’s take a look at how it all works.
Split Screen in Two Sections
Start the app window you wish to split, place your cursor in the button to maximize, and choose one of the components of the first choice.
The window for the current app will now be able to snap into the chosen portion of the screen and you’ll see additional open apps as thumbnails in the second part. Choose the one you would like to include to the second portion of your screen.
There are now two windows of apps on your screen. You can open and work in them at the same time.
There is also the option to change the size of the windows. Simply move your cursor to the line that divides the two windows, and a dark, thick line appears. Then, hold and move the line in either direction to increase the size.
It is also possible to divide the screen in two by selecting the second option. You can also change the size of the windows if needed.
Split Screen into three sections
If you intend to work on three applications at the same time, you have the option to divide the screen into three parts. Move the cursor over the maximize button, and then select one of the three options in the third choice. To make it easier to understand we have chosen one quarter, but the idea is the same.
The window you are currently viewing will be able to be sized to fit the one you chose previously (top-right third) and the remaining open windows will appear as thumbnails in the left-hand side. Choose the second window you’d like for work. Remember that it will take up double the area of the other two windows, you should select the one that demands more focus and clarity.
Once you’ve selected the second window it will be displayed in the left-hand half, and the remaining windows will be shown as thumbnails during the remainder of the quarter. Choose the app you want to use and it will be displayed in the final quarter.
There are now three windows open on your screen, which you can split according to the size you prefer. The idea of resizing is the same. Simply hold and drag the line between two windows.
Divide Screen in Four Parts
The idea of breaking up the screen into four screens is essentially similar to what we talked about in the previous section. Place your cursor on the button that maximizes the window currently in use, choose the desired quarter from the final option, and choose the other apps that will be displayed on the split screen in the same manner.
Notice: Splitting the screen into four or three windows can affect the clarity and visibility, thus negating the entire goal. Therefore, it is advised to do this with a larger screen only.
Split Screen by Manually Snapping Windows to the Sides
If you were using the split-screen feature in Windows 10, the process was very different. Windows 11 has made it much simpler, but it isn’t completely removing the traditional approach that we’ll discuss in the next sections.
There are two methods to split your screen in order to see multiple windows simultaneously. You can either hold, drag and drop the Windows to the desired corner or use the keyboard shortcuts to accomplish the same. Start by cutting the screen into two. Once you have an understanding of the idea, you can move towards four.
To divide the screen in two Hold and move the desired window to one of the sides in the direction that your cursor can be able to. If you see a blurred outline of the area that will be used by the application in the background, let go of the cursor. You can simply open the desired windows and then press the Windows + LEFT/Right key to divide the screen in two.
When the default settings are in place, when one window takes up one-third of the screen, remaining windows open will be displayed in the opposite half. Choose the window you would like to put on the opposite aspect of your screen.
When you have two windows displayed on your screen, move the line between the two windows in both directions to change the size of the windows. The method to resize the windows is the same for both methods.
To divide your screen in three separate windows Hold and drag one of the windows towards the corner. when you can see a blurred outline of the background that takes up a quarter of the screen, let go of the cursor. You can also use the Windows + UP/DOWN CURSOR keys (when the window is taking up one-half or more of your screen) to create windows take up one quarter of the screen.
When you’ve got a empty quarter on your screen, all open apps will appear as thumbnails. Choose the ones you would like to include.
There are now three windows on your screen. You can also resize windows by dragging the line that divides the windows, just as you did in the past.
It is also possible to divide the screen into four windows and then view and open four application windows simultaneously. This allows you to multitask with ease.
This is all there is to the ‘Split Screen In Windows 11. You can choose to use the brand new approach that was introduced with Windows 11 or the conventional method, which you like more, and you can multitask like never before.