How to Split Screen on Windows 11, Mac, and Chromebook Using Only the Keyboard

Quick answer: On Windows, press Windows + Left Arrow or Windows + Right Arrow. On a Mac running macOS Sequoia or later, press Fn + Control + Left Arrow or Fn + Control + Right Arrow. On a Chromebook, press Alt + [ or Alt + ].

Putting two windows side by side is the fastest way to compare documents, take notes during a video, or copy information from one app to another. You don't need to drag anything. Every major operating system can snap windows with a couple of keys.

Split screen shortcuts at a glance

Action	Windows 10/11	Mac (macOS 15+)	Chromebook
Snap left half	`Windows` + `Left Arrow`	`Fn` + `Control` + `Left Arrow`	`Alt` + `[`
Snap right half	`Windows` + `Right Arrow`	`Fn` + `Control` + `Right Arrow`	`Alt` + `]`
Maximize / fill	`Windows` + `Up Arrow`	`Fn` + `Control` + `F`	`Alt` + `=`
Restore / minimize	`Windows` + `Down Arrow`	`Fn` + `Control` + `R`	`Alt` + `-`

How to split screen on Windows 11 and 10

Click the first window, then press Windows + Left Arrow. It fills the left half.
Windows shows thumbnails of your other open windows on the right. Use the arrow keys and Enter to pick one, or click it.
To resize both halves at once, drag the divider between them.

Action	Keys
Snap to left / right half	`Windows` + `Left Arrow` or `Windows` + `Right Arrow`
Quarter screen (after snapping)	`Windows` + `Up Arrow` or `Windows` + `Down Arrow`
Snap layouts menu (Windows 11)	`Windows` + `Z`
Maximize	`Windows` + `Up Arrow`
Minimize / restore	`Windows` + `Down Arrow`
Move window to other monitor	`Windows` + `Shift` + `Left Arrow` or `Windows` + `Shift` + `Right Arrow`
Show desktop	`Windows` + `D`

Windows 11 tip: Windows + Z opens snap layouts, which can arrange three or four windows. Press the number shown on a layout zone to place the window there. More on our Windows shortcuts page.

How to split screen on a Mac

macOS Sequoia (15) and later

Newer Macs have built-in window tiling. The Fn key is labeled with a globe icon on recent keyboards.

Action	Keys
Tile left half	`Fn` + `Control` + `Left Arrow`
Tile right half	`Fn` + `Control` + `Right Arrow`
Tile top / bottom half	`Fn` + `Control` + `Up Arrow` or `Fn` + `Control` + `Down Arrow`
Fill the screen	`Fn` + `Control` + `F`
Return to previous size	`Fn` + `Control` + `R`

To see every tiling shortcut your Mac supports, click a window and open the Window menu > Move & Resize. The shortcuts are listed next to each option.

Older macOS versions

Hover over the green button in the top-left corner of a window and choose Tile Window to Left of Screen. Then pick a second window for the other side. You can also move between full-screen apps and desktops with these shortcuts:

Action	Keys
Enter / exit full screen	`Command` + `Control` + `F`
Mission Control (see all windows)	`Control` + `Up Arrow`
Switch desktop / Space	`Control` + `Left Arrow` or `Control` + `Right Arrow`
Cycle windows of the same app	`Command` + `

See all of them on our Mac shortcuts page.

How to split screen on a Chromebook

Action	Keys
Dock window left	`Alt` + `[`
Dock window right	`Alt` + `]`
Maximize	`Alt` + `=`
Minimize	`Alt` + `-`
Move window to other display	`Search` + `Alt` + `M`
Overview of all windows	`Show Windows`

After docking one window, a picker appears so you can choose what fills the other half. Students can find more on our Chromebook shortcuts page.

Bonus: virtual desktops

If two halves aren't enough room, use separate desktops for different tasks:

Action	Windows	Mac	Chromebook
New desktop	`Windows` + `Ctrl` + `D`	`Control` + `Up Arrow` (then click +)	`Search` + `Shift` + `=`
Switch desktop	`Windows` + `Ctrl` + `Left Arrow` or `Windows` + `Ctrl` + `Right Arrow`	`Control` + `Left Arrow` or `Control` + `Right Arrow`	`Search` + `]` or `Search` + `[`
Close desktop	`Windows` + `Ctrl` + `F4`	—	`Search` + `Shift` + `-`

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't Windows + Left Arrow snap my window?

Snapping may be turned off. On Windows 11 go to Settings > System > Multitasking and turn on Snap windows. Some full-screen apps and games also ignore snap shortcuts.

Can I split my screen into 4 windows?

Yes, on Windows. Snap a window left or right with Windows + Left or Right Arrow, then press Windows + Up or Down Arrow to move it into a top or bottom quarter. On Windows 11, Windows + Z also offers layouts with three or four zones.

Does Mac have a split screen keyboard shortcut?

macOS Sequoia (macOS 15) and later include window tiling with Fn (Globe) + Control + arrow keys. Older versions need you to hover over the green button in the window corner and choose a tile option, or use a free utility.

How do I move a window to my second monitor with the keyboard?

On Windows, press Windows + Shift + Left or Right Arrow. On ChromeOS, press Search + Alt + M. On Mac, recent versions show a Move to [display] option in the Window menu.