Master Multitasking: How to Split Screen in Windows 11 for Efficient Work

Using the split screen feature in Windows 11 can greatly enhance your productivity by allowing you to work on multiple tasks simultaneously. This feature is particularly useful when you need to compare documents, drag content between applications, or keep an eye on communication while working on a project. Here’s how you can split the screen in Windows 11 for efficient multitasking:

How to Use Split Screen in Windows 11

Snap Layouts:

Hover Over Maximise Button: Move your cursor to the maximise button (the square icon) at the top right of any open window. When you hover over this button, a small popup will appear showing different layout options for splitting the screen.

Choose Your Layout: Click on one of the layout sections where you want to place your current window. Windows 11 offers several options, typically including halves, thirds, or quarters of the screen.

Select Other Windows: Once you snap the first window into place, other open windows will appear as thumbnails in the remaining sections of the layout. Click on each thumbnail to fill the other parts of the screen layout.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts:

Snap Window Left or Right: Press `Windows key + Left arrow` or `Windows key + Right arrow` to snap the active window to the left or right half of the screen, respectively.

Quarter Snap: After snapping a window to one half, press `Windows key + Up arrow` or `Windows key + Down arrow` to move it into the top or bottom quarter of the screen.

Fill Remaining Space: Once a window is snapped to one side or corner, you can snap additional windows into the other sections using the same shortcuts. Windows 11 will suggest open windows to fill these spaces automatically.

Adjusting Window Size:

After snapping the windows into place, you can adjust the size of each window by dragging the dividing lines that separate them. This lets you customise how much screen space each application uses.

Multi-Monitor Setup:

If you have multiple monitors, you can extend these features across all your screens, allowing for even more extensive multitasking capabilities.

Tips for Efficient Multitasking

Organise Frequently Used Apps: Position apps you frequently use side by side for quick access.

Use Virtual Desktops: For extensive multitasking, use Windows 11’s Virtual Desktops feature to create separate desktops for different tasks or projects. This can help keep unrelated applications from interfering with each other.

Keyboard Mastery: Familiarise yourself with keyboard shortcuts, as they can significantly speed up the process of arranging windows and switching between them.

Focus Assist: Utilise Windows 11’s Focus Assist settings to minimise distractions by limiting notifications when you need to concentrate.

Using split screen and mastering these multitasking features in Windows 11 can significantly improve your workflow, making it easier to manage multiple tasks and increase your overall productivity.