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With two program windows in view at the same time, many tasks on the Windows computer become easier.
Large and small windows
Programs can open at different sizes, from full screen to very small on the Taskbar. Full-screen windows provide the best overview because there is as much information as possible on the screen. But sometimes it is more convenient to see several windows at the same time and to cut the screen, as it were. For example:
- to copy amounts from Excel to Word;
- to take notes about things that are on the Internet;
- to follow a debate while typing an email;
- to play a game but also read the latest news.
Move windows with the keyboard
Drag a program to one half of the screen with a handy mouse movement, and let another program fill the other half. This sometimes takes some practice. It works like this:
- Start the two programs that should appear side by side.
- In the first window, click on an empty spot in the bar at the top and hold down the left mouse button. It concerns the bar where the cross is on the far right of the screen.
- Drag the program window to the left or right edge of the screen. Make sure that you end up approximately in the middle of the edge with the mouse.
- If most of the window is out of view, the window shrinks. A contour now occupies half of the screen. Release the mouse button. The program is now on half of the screen.
- In the free area, click on the program you want to display on the other half.
You can now work in both windows. Do you want to make the windows full screen again? Click the square button at the top right of the window.
Help, the window is too small!
Does the dragged window only occupy the top or bottom half of the image? Then try again and make sure that the mouse pointer is actually on the center of the vertical edge of the screen. If you aim too high or too low, Windows thinks you only want to fill a quarter of the screen with the program window.
Divide windows with keyboard shortcuts
Shortcuts work even faster to move a program window to the left or right half of the screen. Press Windows key + left arrow to move an open window to the left half. Windows key + right arrow will bring up a program to the right. The arrow keys are located on most keyboards between the keys and the numeric keypad on the right.
You can now work in both windows. Do you want to make the windows full screen again? Click on the square button at the top right of the window.
watch the video
See how it works in our video.