If you’re a Windows user, you might have noticed that windows indeed has a lot of delightful features and functions that’ll just change your life. Very considerate Microsoft of what users wish to have, with Windows 10 it expanded the functionality. Window-snapping and screen-splitting features have been so good that even macOS might prefer having them in the years to come. The split-screen function lets you work with several windows/applications side-by-side at the same time.
This feature had been spotted back in windows 7 as window-snapping. Window-snapping would let windows occupy half-half of the screen. This time with windows 10, you can go further with up to 4 windows working together.
How to split your screen on Windows 10?
The screen-splitting features can be done with the following mentioned ways:
Snap Assist
Splitting screen into half (Two Windows)
The Snap Assist is the easiest method to split your screen into several windows. You can access this feature by: Start > Settings > System > Multitasking. But it also gets enabled by default when you follow the following procedure:
- Select a window that you want to share half of your Screen with.
- Then Drag it to the edge of the screen, to the point your cursor disappears.
- A translucent outline will be displayed on your screen giving you a hint of where and how much of screen the selected window will be taking.
- Release your mouse there’s it. Your Window is snapped on to your screen.
When you snapped your screen, if other windows or applications are also open then you’re given an option to select between the windows/applications to fill the other half of your screen. Choose any and enjoy multitasking on two different windows at the same time.
Splitting screen into quarter (Four Windows)
The larger and higher resolution display can help you enjoy more than just two windows at a time. The steps for that are quite similar to that of snapping your screen into two.
- If you’re willing to open more than just two windows at the same time then at first select a window and drag it all the way to one of the corners of the screen.
- The remaining open windows will pop as a thumbnail. So with one active window in one corner of your screen, select another window and drag it to the other corner of the screen wherever suits you.
- Follow the same procedure to fill the remaining two corners of your screen.
The keyboard shortcut for split-screen
The keyboard Shortcut for splitting your screen is simple.
- Snap window to left or right half: Windows key + left/right arrow
- Snap window to corner/quarter of screen: Windows key + left/right arrow then up/down arrow
- Make window fullscreen: Windows key + up arrow until the full screen
- Expand ¼ window to ½ window: Windows key + up/down arrow
But, snap assist can be troublesome at times. Thus you can turn it off from: Settings>>System>>Multitasking>>Snap Windows>>Toogle Off.
This snap feature was first introduced with Windows 7. In Windows 7 you can snap your screen by using the Windows key and the left or right arrow keys to move windows around. And in Windows 8 and 8.1, you can snap your screen by:
- After opening a window/application, select one of the windows. Drag the window to the left or right side of the screen. Move it all the way over, as far as you can go, until your mouse won’t move anymore.
- Release the mouse after a translucent screen appears.
- The reaming windows thumbnail shall appear and select the other application/ window that you wish to share the remaining of the windows.
- If your screen resolution is high enough and your video card supports it, you can position three apps on the screen.
Note: You can also resize the split window when you move the line in between them.
