Are you interested in learning a simple trick to help organize your online workspace and become a productivity whiz? If so, read on to learn all about how the split screen feature on your device can help you do just that! Using a split screen, which is a tool that allows you to view more than one window or application at a time, can help you manage it all more quickly and efficiently. It’s a display technique that typically involves the display of 2 or 4 rectangular areas at the same time.
Still wondering why you should learn to use split screen?
You may be thinking that you already know how to resize your windows on your computer, there’s no need to make it more complicated. But resizing your windows is time-consuming, and your time is valuable! Using split screen automates the process and helps cut down on switching between tabs and applications, which can be confusing and lead to mistakes.
Here are a few more scenarios where split screen can come in handy:
- Students can take notes on a note-taking application on one side of the screen while their virtual class takes place on the other side
- Teachers or professionals working with clients can see their client on one side of the screen and their notes or activities on the other side
- Compare and contrast or copy information between two documents while they are right next to each other
How can you use split screen on your device?
The good news is, most devices have some kind of split screen feature! And if they don’t, there are many third party apps available that achieve a similar effect. Find your device below to learn how to split your screen:
Android Devices
- Open “Recent Apps”
- Tap and hold the app you want to use
- Tap “Open in split screen view”
- Choose the other app you want to use
Windows 10
- Open up to four windows
- Left-click and drag one window all the way to the side of the screen and let go
- Drag the black bar in the middle to change sizes
Mac
- Open two apps
- Click and hold the green “full screen” button in the top left corner of one window
- Choose or drag the window to either side of the screen
- Click on another app to fill the rest of the space
iPad
- Open an app
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Dock
- Touch and hold the second app and drag it to the screen
Chromebook
- Open a browser window
- Open a second window
- Click on the box icon on the top right of the window
- Click on one of the arrows to move the window to that side
- Repeat for the other window, but click the opposite arrow
Third-party apps
If the split screen feature on your device isn’t a good fit for your needs, there are some apps that may be able to help you. These apps provide extra features, such as allowing more than two windows to be viewed at a time.
Split Screen Multitasking View – $8.99
Available for iPhone and iPad. This is a great choice for iPhone users, as the iPhone does not have a built-in split screen feature. Split Screen Multitasking View allows the user to open two applications or browser windows at once, eliminating the need to switch back and forth between apps or tabs.
Split It – Free, with premium option
Available for iPhone and iPad, compatible with web browsers only. Split It allows users to browse two websites simultaneously. This is another good option for iPhone users.
Magnet – $2.99
Available for Mac OS. Magnet is a great tool that allows users to snap their windows into different parts of the screen (top and bottom, left and right, or corners) just by dragging them there.
Divvy – $13.99
Available for Microsoft and Mac OS. Divvy allows users to choose the ideal layout for their screen, then drag and drop their windows into that layout.
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