How practise you divide the screen in Windows?

Updated: 02/07/2022 by Reckoner Hope

Illustration: Split screen on one monitor, and extended screen on two monitors.

When working on your computer, it's sometimes helpful to view more than than one document or application simultaneously, side by side. In Microsoft Windows, you can exercise this on a single monitor if you lot dissever the screen. Or, if you have more than one monitor, you tin extend the screen. The following guide shows yous how to toggle both methods on and off.

Split screen on ane monitor

To split the screen on one monitor, allowing you to see two plan windows simultaneously, adjacent, follow the steps below.

  1. Press and hold the Windows key.
  2. Press the left or right arrow key. If y'all press the left arrow key, the active program window shows on the left side of the separate screen. If you press the right arrow key, it shows on the right side of the divide screen.

Windows 7 Smart Window

To exit split-screen mode, maximize one of the program windows past clicking the maximize icon at the window'due south top-right window.

Extend screen beyond multiple monitors

If yous have more than one monitor connected to your computer, you can extend the screen across them. Called extended display, this feature allows you lot to view two or more than programme windows simultaneously, one per monitor. Select your version of Windows below and follow the steps to turn on the extended display.

  • Windows 11
  • Windows 8 and 10
  • Windows Vista and seven

Windows 11

  1. On the Windows desktop, right-click an empty area and select the Brandish settings pick.
  2. On the right side of the Display settings window, click the drop-down menu next to the Identify button above the Multiple displays option.
  3. In the drop-down, select the Extend these displays option.

Tip

If you press the Windows key+P key, y'all can click the Extend option to plow on the extended brandish.

Tip

In pace three to a higher place, if you select Duplicate these displays, each monitor displays the aforementioned screen. When doing a presentation and connecting your computer to a projector, duplicate displays are useful for showing others what you are viewing on your calculator screen.

In step three above, select one of the Show only on options to plough off the extended brandish, depending on which monitor you want to use. Yous tin can also press the Windows key+P key and select PC screen only to display the screen on the primary monitor or the 2nd screen simply for a secondary monitor.

Windows 8 and 10

  1. On the Windows desktop, right-click an empty area and select the Display settings selection.
  2. Curlicue down to the Multiple displays section. Below the Multiple displays pick, click the driblet-down menu and select Extend these displays.

Tip

If you press the Windows key+P key, y'all tin can click the Extend option to turn on the extended display.

Tip

In step 2 above, if you select Duplicate these displays, each of your monitors displays the same screen. When doing a presentation and connecting your calculator to a projector, duplicate displays can exist beneficial to show others what you are viewing on your reckoner monitor.

In step 2 above, select ane of the Show merely on options to turn off the extended display, depending on which monitor you want to utilize. You can too press the Windows central+P central and select PC screen simply to brandish the screen on the primary monitor or the 2d screen merely for a secondary monitor.

Windows Vista and seven

  1. On the Windows desktop, right-click an empty expanse and select the Screen resolution option.
  2. Next to the Multiple displays option, click the drop-down list and select Extend these displays.

Tip

If you printing the Windows key+P primal, you tin can click the Extend option to turn on the extended display.

Tip

In step ii, if you select Duplicate these displays, each of your monitors displays the same screen. When your figurer is connected to a projector, duplicated displays can be beneficial to show others what you are viewing on your estimator monitor.

To turn off the extended display, in step 2 above, select ane of the Testify desktop only on options, depending on which monitor y'all want the screen to brandish. You lot can also printing the Windows key+P cardinal and select Figurer merely to display the screen on the primary monitor or Projector only to display the screen on the secondary monitor.