How to Split Screen on Windows 11 (Snap Layouts and Shortcuts)

Want two apps side by side without dragging and resizing windows by hand? Here is how to split screen on Windows 11: press Windows + Left arrow to snap the window you are using to the left half of the screen, then pick a second window from the thumbnails that appear to fill the right half. For three or four windows, hover over a window’s maximize button (or press Windows + Z) and choose a snap layout. Below you will find every built-in way to split your screen, the shortcuts, snap groups and how to turn snapping on or off.

Quick answer

• Two windows, keyboard: Windows + Left arrow or Windows + Right arrow, then click a thumbnail to fill the other half.
• Two windows, mouse: drag a window by its title bar to the left or right edge of the screen and let go.
• Three or four windows: hover over the maximize button, or press Windows + Z, and pick a layout. You can also drag a window to a corner to give it a quarter of the screen.
• Undo the split: click a window’s maximize button or press Windows + Up arrow.
• Turn it on or off: Settings > System > Multitasking > Snap windows.

Method 1: Split screen with snap layouts (easiest)

Snap layouts are the Windows 11 feature built for this job. Microsoft describes them in its support guide Snap your windows.

1. Open the apps you want to see together, for example a browser and a Word document.
2. Hover your mouse over the maximize button (the square in the top-right corner of the window), or press Windows + Z.
3. A small panel of layouts appears: halves, thirds, quarters and other arrangements.
4. Click the zone in the layout where you want the current window to go.
5. Snap Assist then shows thumbnails of your other open windows. Click one to fill the next empty zone, and repeat until the layout is full.

The layouts on offer depend on your display size, so a large or ultrawide monitor shows more choices than a small laptop screen.

Method 2: Drag windows to the edges and corners

If you prefer the mouse, you don’t need the layout panel at all:

• Half screen: drag a window by its title bar to the left or right edge of the screen. It snaps to that half.
• Quarter screen: drag the window into one of the four corners. It takes a quarter of the screen, so you can fit four windows.

After the first window snaps, Snap Assist shows your other windows so you can fill the free space in one click.

The Snap bar (drag to the top)

Drag a window toward the top of the screen and a Snap bar with the same layouts drops down. Move the window over the zone you want and let go. It is a handy way to reach the three- and four-window layouts without aiming for the maximize button.

Method 3: How to split screen on Windows 11 with keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are the fastest way once you remember them. These are from Microsoft’s list of keyboard shortcuts in Windows:

To snap with the keyboard, hold the Windows key and press an arrow key. Keep holding the Windows key and press the arrows again to move the window to another snap position, then let go of the Windows key to place it. Snap Assist then offers your other windows for the rest of the screen.

Resize the split

Snapped windows don’t have to share the screen 50/50. Hover over the divider between two snapped windows until the bar appears, then drag it left or right. The window next to it resizes to match, so there are no gaps or overlaps.

Snap groups: get your split screen back in one click

When you snap windows together, Windows 11 remembers them as a snap group. If you switch to another app, you don’t have to rebuild the layout:

• Hover over the taskbar icon of one of the grouped apps. You can restore the whole group or just that one app.
• Snap groups also show up in Task View (Windows + Tab) and when you press Alt + Tab.

This is great when you keep coming back to the same pair, such as email next to your calendar or notes next to a video call.

How to turn split screen (Snap) on or off in Windows 11

If snapping doesn’t work, or it keeps popping up when you don’t want it, check the settings:

1. Open Settings (Windows + I).
2. Go to System > Multitasking.
3. Turn the Snap windows switch on or off.
4. Expand Snap windows to choose exactly which parts you want. The options are:
   • When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it (Snap Assist)
   • Show snap layouts when I hover over a window’s maximize button
   • Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen (the Snap bar)
   • Show my snapped windows when I hover over the taskbar apps, in Task View, and when I press Alt + Tab (snap groups)
   • When I drag a window, let me snap it without dragging all the way to the screen edge

For example, if the layout panel keeps appearing every time your mouse passes the maximize button, untick just that option and keep the rest of Snap working.

Split screen across two monitors

Snap works on each monitor separately, so you can split one screen into halves and the other into quarters. To move a window to the other display, press Windows + Shift + Left arrow or Windows + Shift + Right arrow, then snap it there. If you are still setting up a second screen, follow our guide on how to set up multiple monitors on Windows 11 and Mac.

More Windows 11 tips

• If apps feel slow when you run several side by side, try these tweaks to speed up Windows 11.
• Want to show someone your split-screen setup or record a how-to video? See how to screen record on Windows 11.

FAQ

How do I split my screen into two on Windows 11?

Press Windows + Left arrow (or Right arrow) to snap the current window to one half, then click a thumbnail in Snap Assist to fill the other half. With a mouse, drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen.

How do I split screen on Windows 11 into 3 or 4?

Hover over the maximize button or press Windows + Z and pick a three- or four-zone layout, then fill each zone from Snap Assist. For four equal windows, you can also drag one window into each corner of the screen.

What is the shortcut for split screen on Windows 11?

Windows + Left arrow and Windows + Right arrow snap a window to half the screen, and Windows + Z opens the snap layouts.

How do I get out of split screen on Windows 11?

Click the maximize button of the window you want full screen, or select it and press Windows + Up arrow. You can also drag a snapped window away from the edge.

Why is split screen not working on Windows 11?

The most common reason is that Snap is turned off. Go to Settings > System > Multitasking and make sure Snap windows is on, then expand it and tick the options you want, such as snap layouts on the maximize button.