How to Split Screen on a Chromebook

To split the screen on a Chromebook, drag a window to the far left or right edge until it snaps to fill half the display, then click a second window to fill the other half. If you prefer the keyboard, press Alt + [ to dock a window left and Alt + ] to dock it right. Here are all three ways to do it.

Method 1: Drag a window to the edge

This is the easiest way and works on every Chromebook.

1. Click and hold the top bar of the window you want to move.
2. Drag it all the way to the left or right edge of the screen.
3. When you see a faint outline fill half the screen, let go. The window snaps to that half.
4. Pick another open window from the other side to fill the remaining space.

You now have two apps side by side. To change how much space each one gets, drag the divider in the middle.

Method 2: Use the keyboard shortcut

If you would rather not touch the trackpad, ChromeOS has dedicated shortcuts.

• Alt + [ snaps the active window to the left half.
• Alt + ] snaps the active window to the right half.

Click the window you want to move first so it is active, then press the shortcut. Press it again to return the window to its normal size.

Method 3: Press and hold the Maximize button

Every window has three dots or buttons in the top right corner. The middle one is Maximize.

1. Hover over the Maximize button (the square) in the top right of the window.
2. Press and hold it, or right-click it, until a small menu of arrows appears.
3. Click the left arrow or right arrow to send the window to that half.

Resize or swap the windows

Once two windows are sharing the screen, the gray divider in the middle controls the split. Drag it left or right to give one window more room. To swap a window out, just drag a different window to that edge, or close the one you are done with and the other expands.

Split screen in tablet mode

If your Chromebook is a 2-in-1 folded into tablet mode, the steps are touch-based. Open the apps you want, swipe up to see the overview, then drag one app thumbnail to the left or right side of the screen. Pick a second app for the other half.

Recap

The fastest way to split screen on a Chromebook is to drag a window to either edge, or press Alt + [ and Alt + ]. Drag the center divider to fine-tune the sizes. If two apps still feel cramped, it might be time to connect your Chromebook to a monitor for more room. For more shortcuts, browse the rest of our Chromebook guides.