How to Have Two Windows Side by Side Mac

Kyle Wood

Mac, Tutorials

Having two windows side by side on your Mac can greatly improve your productivity by allowing you to multitask and compare information more easily. Whether you’re working on a project and need to reference multiple documents, or simply want to watch a video while browsing the internet, this tutorial will guide you through the process of achieving this setup on your Mac.

Split View Mode

If you’re running macOS El Capitan (10.11) or later, Apple introduced a feature called Split View mode that makes it effortless to have two windows side by side. Follow the steps below to activate Split View mode:

  1. Step 1: Open the first application or window that you want to have on one side of your screen.
  2. Step 2: Click and hold the full-screen button located in the upper-left corner of the window (the button with two diagonal arrows).
  3. Step 3: After holding the full-screen button for a moment, you’ll see that the screen splits into two sections.
  4. Step 4: Drag and drop the second application or window that you want to have on the other side of your screen.

If you prefer using keyboard shortcuts, macOS also provides a quick way to activate Split View mode:

  1. Option + Full-Screen Button: Hold down the Option key while clicking the full-screen button of an application or window.

Adjusting Window Size in Split View Mode

In Split View mode, both windows are automatically resized to fit half of your screen. However, if you prefer one window to take up more space, you can adjust the window size as follows:

  1. Step 1: Hover your cursor over the vertical line that separates the two windows until it turns into a double-sided arrow.
  2. Step 2: Click and drag the line to the left or right to adjust the width of each window.

Mission Control

If you’re using an older version of macOS that doesn’t support Split View mode, you can still achieve a similar setup using Mission Control. Here’s how:

  1. Step 1: Open both applications or windows that you want to have side by side.
  2. Step 2: Press the Mission Control key on your keyboard (usually F3) or perform a three-finger swipe upwards on your trackpad.
  3. Step 3: Arrange the windows by clicking and dragging them to different desktop spaces at the top of the screen.

You can switch between these spaces by pressing Control + Left/Right Arrow keys or by performing a three-finger swipe left or right on your trackpad.

Exiting Split View Mode

To exit Split View mode and revert back to normal full-screen mode for one application, follow these steps:

  1. Option + Full-Screen Button: Hold down the Option key while clicking the full-screen button of one of the applications in Split View mode.

To exit Split View mode and return to regular windowed mode for both applications, follow these steps:

  1. Dual Full-Screen Button: Move your cursor to the top of the screen to reveal the menu bar, then click on the green full-screen button again.

With these methods, you can now easily have two windows side by side on your Mac, allowing you to work more efficiently and improve your multitasking abilities. Whether you use Split View mode or Mission Control, take advantage of these features to enhance your productivity and make the most out of your Mac’s capabilities.

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