How to do split screen on a Mac

Asya Karapetyan
Content marketer, who specializes in Mac how-to guides
September 22, 2023

Mac computers (since macOS El Capitan) provide a Split View option, which allows you to split your Mac screen into two parts to view two apps simultaneously. It means that you don’t need to switch between windows. You can work on your documents as if you have two monitors. This article provides a guide about how to navigate to the Split View option on your Mac.

split screen mac

Contents:

  1. How to split screen on a Mac
  2. How to split screen using Mission Control
  3. How to fix it when split View is not working
  4. Tips for working with split screen
  5. How to exit Split View mode on a Mac
  6. FAQs

Before we start

Below, you will learn how to do a split screen on your Mac. But before, we want to share a must-have application for every Mac user called MacCleaner Pro.

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Please note that regular Mac system cleanup will help you optimize your Mac and protect it from system issues, including issues with your Mac screen modes.

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How to split screen on a Mac

To split screen on your Mac and arrange two apps side by side in Split View, follow these steps:

  1. Open two apps that you want to place side by side on your screen.
  2. Hover your mouse over the green circle icon on the top left side of the window.
  3. In the drop menu, click Tile Window to Left of Screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen. split mac screen
  4. Your screen will automatically be divided into two parts, and the application will occupy one side of the screen. On the other side, you will see other active windows.
  5. Click the app window that you want to fill the second part of your screen with. split screen view

The Mac Split Screen option has a limit of two open windows, but depending on the application, you can adjust the area each will occupy using the slider in the center.

To exit Split View on your desktop, click the green circle icon on one of the windows.


How to do a split screen on a Mac using Mission Control

Using Mission Control on a Mac to run Split View is not as handy as using the Full Screen button. However, let’s see how it works:

  1. Open any application window on your Mac.
  2. Launch Mission Control by swiping up with your three fingers on your MacBook’s trackpad or double-click on Apple magic mouse. You can also run Mission Control from the Launchpad or the Applications folder.
  3. Drag the application window onto the application thumbnail of the full screen mode.
  4. Both application windows will enter Split View on your Mac. You can now click the Split View thumbnail to start using the two apps.
mission control dektop

Split screen is not working on Mac. How to fix it?

If you follow the guide above to split your screen, but nothing happens on your desktop, check whether this option is activated on your Mac. Follow these steps:

  1. Open System Settings.
  2. Go to the Desktop & Dock section.
  3. Scroll down and find the Mission Control section.
  4. Enable the option Displays have separate Spaces. mission control
  5. Ensure that the app you want to open Split View, supports this option. If the full screen button is greyed out, you can’t open this application in Split Screen mode.


Tips for working with split screen

Depending on your needs, you can adjust the window width and rearrange the window to make it convenient to work with applications in split screen mode on your Mac.

  1. Adjust window width by moving the vertical separator line between screen windows to the left or right.
  2. Swap windows by simply dragging a window from one side to another.
  3. Accessing the Dock in Split View by moving your mouse cursor to the bottom of the desktop, and the dock panel will appear.
  4. Showing Menu Bar, by moving your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, and the Menu Bar will appear.

How to exit the Split View mode on a Mac

Closing the Split View mode is as simple as running it. Here is how:

  1. Move your mouse cursor to the top of the desktop screen.
  2. The Menu bar and windows’ top panels will appear.
  3. Click the green circle button in any window to exit split screen mode on your Mac.
split view



FAQs

How to Full Screen on a Mac?
How do I maximize a window in Mac without the Full Screen?
How do I exit Full Screen mode on a Mac?
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