Window layouts
How to split your Mac screen without going full screen
Put two Mac windows side by side on your desktop. Use built-in tiling in macOS Sequoia and later, and learn how it differs from Split View.
ι θ―»δΈζηOn macOS Sequoia 15 and later, use Window β Move & Resize to put windows on the left and right of your desktop. You can work side by side without entering full screen or moving into a separate space.
Put two windows side by side
- Click the window you want on the left.
- In the menu bar, open Window β Move & Resize and choose the left half under Halves.
- Click your second window and choose the right half from the same menu.
You can also hover over the green window button and choose a half under Move & Resize. If edge tiling is enabled, dragging each window to its side of the screen works too. Wait for the highlighted area before letting go.
For a first attempt, try a browser beside a document. It is easy to check that both windows have enough room to be useful.
How this differs from Split View
Split View pairs two windows in a separate full-screen space. Desktop tiling keeps ordinary windows on your current desktop. Choose it when you also need to open a folder, check a message, or bring a third window forward.
The green button offers both choices. Pick a layout under Move & Resize for desktop tiling. The Full Screen options lead to a different result.
If wallpaper shows between the windows, you can turn off the tiling margins. If finding the right window is the slow part, try these Dock window shortcuts.
When you arrange windows all day
On an older macOS version, you can still resize and position two windows by hand. For an occasional comparison, that may be enough.
If you repeatedly arrange an editor, browser, and reference window, Wins adds Snap Island and custom layout shortcuts. Start with a layout you actually use; there is no need to configure your whole desktop at once.
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