Idea Transcript
How to snap Windows apps side by side and split the screen, on two monitors TUTORIAL
by Ciprian Adrian Rusen published on 10/24/2017
Snap is a great productivity feature of all modern versions of Windows. On a computer or device with a single monitor, you can use Snap both with the mouse and the keyboard, but on a setup with two displays or more, it does not seem to work the same way. How do you put two app windows side by side, when you have two monitors? Read this tutorial and find out:
How to use Snap on a single monitor For those of you who do not know, Snap (or Aero Snap) is a feature of Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, which enables you to resize and arrange open windows quickly. One of the ways people use it most is to snap two app windows side by side, each taking half of the display so that they can work with them in parallel. To do this, you can use the mouse to drag the title bar of the first window to the left or right side of the screen until an outline of the expanded window appears. Then, release the mouse to expand the window. Now, do the same (but change the side) for the second window. A complete guide on how to do this in Windows 10, can be found here: The ultimate guide to snapping windows side by side in Windows 10 . Most of the instructions in this guide are similar for older Windows versions too, so it is a good idea to read it even if you use Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
How to snap apps when you have two monitors or more If you try to do the same with the mouse when you have two or more monitors, it does not work. However, snap is available even when working with multiple screens. The trick is that you need to use the keyboard instead of the mouse: the shortcuts for snapping windows side by side are the Windows + Left/Right keys. Let’s see how they work on a dual monitor setup: I have a Microsoft Edge window, in Windows 10, opened on my primary display. You can see the second screen on the right.
Once I press Windows+Left, it snaps to the left half of the main display.
Pressing Windows+Right makes it get back to its original position.
Pressing Windows+Right again, makes it snap to the right half of the primary display.
Pushing the same keys one more time takes it to the left half of the secondary display.
Press Windows+Right again and it is shown in its original position but on the secondary display.
Press Windows+Right one last time, and it snaps to the right half of the secondary display.
To revert the process, use Windows+Left. Pretty cool isn’t it?
How to quickly switch the position of the active window between displays Another less known trick for using snap on a multi-monitor setup is the Windows+Shift+Left/Right keyboard combination. This makes Windows keep the position of the active window while switching it between displays. For example, here is the same Microsoft Edge window open on the main screen.
Pressing Windows+Shift+Right moves the window to the secondary display where it has the same position as on the main screen.
Pressing Windows+Shift+Left will make it go back to the main display, in the initial position.
Conclusion The steps shared in this tutorial work with any app, no matter if it is a desktop app or an app from the Store. We hope that you found these tips useful. If you want to know more about working with apps and app windows, read the tutorials recommended below.