How to Split Screen on Chromebook [3 Easy Ways]

Chromebooks are increasingly becoming the computing device of choice for many people. That’s partly because they are affordable and easy to use but also because they offer some great features that make work and entertainment easier to manage.

ChromeOS is a versatile operating system that comes with a number of useful features. The Split screen mode is one of them. ChromeOS makes it relatively easy to multitask by using multiple applications at the same time.

In this article, we will explain the different methods to trigger split-screen mode on ChromeOS. Let us get started.

3 Ways to use Split Screen Mode on Chromebook

There are several ways to enable Split Screen mode on ChromeOS. Touch shortcuts, keyboard shortcuts, and even the mouse pointer can be used to activate Split Screen mode.

Activate Split Screen Mode With the Restore Button

One of the easiest ways to activate Split Screen mode is to use the Restore button at the top of each window.

1. Open any app of your choice.
2. Click and hold the restore button, you will find it between the close and minimize buttons on the top right corner of your screen.
3. Once you complete the above step, you will see an arrow on each side of the button.
4. Now, drag the desired tab or window to either the left or right side of your screen and let go of the mouse/trackpad. This will snap the chosen window to the side of your choice.

Repeat the same process for the other windows you want to add.

How to Split Your Screen Using Drag and Drop on Chromebook

Dragging and dropping windows is a very popular way of using multiple applications on the same screen. You can achieve this quite easily on your Chromebook.

1. Open any application of your choice.
2. Take your cursor to the top of the window, then click and hold the menu bar.
3. Now, drag the window to either the left or right side of the screen.                    
4. Once you release the cursor, the window should snap to the desired side of the screen.

Repeat the above steps for other applications to use them in Split Screen mode.

Enable Split Screen Mode on Cheomebook Using Keyboard Shortcuts

The quickest method to activate Split Screen mode on your Chromebook is by using keyboard shortcuts. Just a few clicks, and you are done.

1. Open the application of your choice.
2. Press Alt+[ to snap the window to the left or Alt+] to snap the window to the right.

Repeat the above process after selecting another app.

Now that you have learned different ways to enable split screen on Chromebook, you will be able to multitask more efficiently.

How to Exit Split Screen Mode on Chromebooks

It’s also good to know how to exit Split Screen mode if you need more screen real estate. In the next part, we will show you how to maximize your windows and exit split screen on ChromeOS.

Maximize a Window in ChromeOS Using the Maximize Button

1. Select the app window you want to maximize.
2. Take your cursor to the top right corner of the window and click on the maximize button that is located between the close and minimize buttons.

Repeat the same for any other application windows that you want to maximize.

Maximize a Window in ChromeOS Using Drag and Drop

1. Make sure the window that you want to maximize is selected.
2. Take your cursor to the top of the selected window, then click and hold on to the menu bar.
3. Now, just drag the window to the Top-Center of the screen, and it will be maximized. Just remove the mouse.

Repeat the above steps for other windows that you want to maximize.

Maximize Windows in ChromeOS Using Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Make sure you have selected the window that you want to maximize.
2. Now, press the Alt+= together in order to maximize the window.                      

You can repeat the above steps every time you want to maximize a window.

Use Split Screen Mode for Multitasking on Chromebooks

You can easily get more tasks done by taking advantage of ChromeOS’ multitasking features. Split screen is just one of the many options available. I hope this article has been helpful. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them below in the comments.

FAQs about Split Screen on Chromebbok

What is the shortcut for split screen on Chromebook?

The fastest way to use split screen on a Chromebook is to use keyboard shortcuts. Here's how it works. By pressing ALT + [ on your keyboard, a window can be snapped to the left side of the screen, or ALT + ] on your keyboard, a window can be snapped to the right side of the screen.

How do I open two apps at once on a Chromebook?

You can put apps in split-screen mode when your Chromebook is in laptop mode by dragging the window to one side. The second window can be placed with the same gesture. Alternatively use the ALT+[ and ALT+] keyboard shortcuts to open two apps at once on a Chromebook.