Split screen on a Chromebook effectively means putting two apps beside each other. Doing this has several benefits.
It’s a great way to boost productivity, especially if your work involves copy-pasting information between two windows.
If you’re doing research and writing simultaneously, it’s also possible to resize the windows so that your word processor is more prominent and vice-versa.
Chromebooks have several different methods to put apps into split screen, so you’ve got a few choices of how to go about it.
How to Drag Windows to Split Screen
The first and most straightforward way to go split screen on your Chromebook is by clicking and dragging windows to the edges of your display. Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Click and Drag the Top
On the first app you want to work on, move your mouse to the top part of its window, preferably a part with no interactive elements such as buttons.
Click and hold down your trackpad or mouse button, then drag the window towards the side of the screen you want the window to appear.
Step 2: Touch the Edge
Drag the window all the way until it touches the edge of your display. Doing this will cause a translucent silhouette of your window to appear.
Let go of your mouse or trackpad, and the window should now snap to the edge, taking up half the screen.
Step 3: Repeat for the Other App
On your second app, follow the same steps as above, only this time drag it towards the side of the screen opposite your first app.
These steps should result in your two apps sitting side-by-side.
How to Use the Maximize Button to Split Screen
The second way to split screen on a Chromebook involves dragging the windows you want to display side-by-side. It only takes a few easy steps:
Step 1: Click and Hold Maximize
Look for the Maximize button at the top-right on the first app you want to use.
Click and hold it until two opposable arrows appear on either side.
Step 2: Select an Arrow
Next, you’ll want to select the arrow directed towards the side of the screen you want to position the app you’re working on.
This will resize its window to take up half the screen’s real estate.
Step 3: Repeat for the Other App
Finally, you’ll need to repeat the above two steps with your second app. This time, though, you need to select the opposite side of the screen.
Now both your apps are sitting side-by-side, and you can work in split screen on your Chromebook.
How to Use Shortcuts to Split Screen
For all you keyboard warriors out there, Chromebooks have handy shortcuts for splitting your screen as well. Simply select the apps you want to split between and use the following keystrokes:
- Alt + [ to split to the left
- Alt + ] to split to the right
Using shortcuts to split screen can be particularly fast for productivity if your Chromebook has a touchscreen. You can simply use your finger to select the windows and the keyboard to move them.
How to Split Screen from Overview
You can also go into split screen on your Chromebook through the Overview screen. It’s the black screen where all your windows and virtual desktops appear. From here, you can click and drag windows to the edges of the screen, similar to the first method in this article.
The difference is that clicking and dragging will highlight both sides of the screen, indicating zones where you can drop your windows. Once you drop your first app into either side, you can then simply select the other window you want to use, and it will automatically take up the other half of the screen.
How to Resize Windows in Split Screen
Having two equally sized windows is fine for more cases. However, you sometimes may want one window to take up more space than the other. You can resize them in two simple steps:
Step 1: Hover Over the Middle
After setting two apps into split-screen mode, move your mouse cursor to the seam between them. Leave it there for a second, and two arrows will appear, indicating you can resize the windows.
Step 2: Click and Drag
Click down on the arrows and drag to change the size of both windows.
By increasing the size of one app, the other will automatically take up less space dynamically.
