Split-screen shortcut: two windows side by side
Snap the active window to half the screen: press Win+← or Win+→ on Windows, then pick the other window. On Mac, hold the green ● button and choose Tile Window Left/Right.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snap window to left half (Windows) | — | Win+← | |
| Snap window to right half (Windows) | — | Win+→ | |
| Open Snap Layouts (Windows 11) | — | Win+Z | |
| Tile window left/right (macOS Sequoia+) | fn+Ctrl+← / fn+Ctrl+→ | — | |
| Tile window (older macOS: hold green button) | hold ● → Tile | — | |
| Split (Rectangle app, Mac) | ⌃⌥← / ⌃⌥→ | — |
Split the screen in one keystroke (Windows)
Press Win+← to snap the active window to the left half of the screen, or Win+→ for the right half. Windows then shows Snap Assist — click any other open window to fill the empty half. Press Win+↑ after snapping to turn a half into a quarter. On Windows 11, Win+Z opens Snap Layouts so you can pick a 2-, 3- or 4-pane grid.
Split screen on Mac
macOS has no single hotkey in older versions. Hover over the green ● button in the top-left of any window and choose Tile Window to Left/Right of Screen. On macOS Sequoia (15) and later you can use fn+Ctrl+← / fn+Ctrl+→ to tile. For true keyboard snapping on any macOS version, install the free Rectangle app and use ⌃⌥← / ⌃⌥→.
Exit split screen
On Windows, drag the window away from the edge or press Win+↑ to maximize it back. On Mac, press Esc while in Split View, or hover the green button and choose Exit Full Screen.
Related window shortcuts: snap a window to an edge, create a virtual desktop, or open Task View.
FAQ
What is the split-screen shortcut on Windows?
Press Win+← or Win+→ to snap the active window to the left or right half, then click another window to fill the other side. Win+Z opens Snap Layouts on Windows 11.
Is there a split-screen keyboard shortcut on Mac?
On macOS Sequoia and later use fn+Ctrl+← / fn+Ctrl+→. On older macOS, hover the green ● button and pick Tile Window Left/Right, or install Rectangle for ⌃⌥← / ⌃⌥→.
How do I make a window take a quarter of the screen?
On Windows, snap it with Win+← then press Win+↑ (or Win+↓) to push it into a corner. On Windows 11, Win+Z offers quarter layouts directly.