What’s the key to increasing your productivity on Mac? Ok, it all comes down to your proficiency with time-saving hacks driven by automation and multitasking. When you want to do your tasks faster, the faster you switch from one app to another, the better. That’s why we recommend using the “Split View” feature on Mac, especially when working with multiple apps at the same time. So let’s not waste any more time and check out how to split the screen on a Mac computer or MacBook.
How to Use Split Screen Feature on Mac
So what are the requirements to use Split View on Mac? Although OS X supports El Capitan or later, the process of using split screen is different in macOS Catalina and later, including the latest macOS Monterey. There are multiple ways to use the split screen feature on macOS devices, so check them all out.
Using Split View on a Mac Running macOS Catalina or Later
- To start, Launch an app on your Mac. After that, leave the first app’s window open and launch another app on your Mac that you want to use side by side. I will use Apple Shortcuts and Apple Maps for the demonstration.
2. Next, look for the red (close), yellow (minimize) and green (full screen) buttons in the upper left corner of the window. Now, click and hold or mouse over the green button To see Split Screen options on your Mac
note: If the green button is grayed out, it means that a particular app doesn’t support Split View on Mac.
3. Then, ““Tile Window to Left of Screen” or “Tile Window to Right of Screen” option to move the application window left or right.
4. Next, select the other app you want to use next to the app you swipe right or left. macOS automatically shows other app windows to make your task of choosing an app and splitting the screen a little simpler.
5. After selecting the second app, you will have successfully enabled the split screen feature on Mac. You can do hold and drag the black separator line Left or right to adjust how much screen space each app takes up on your device.
note: If you see the message “No apps available” after selecting “Tile Window to Left/Right of Screen,” it means that the window of the second app you want to use in Split View is not open.
Enter Split View on Mac Running Legacy macOS Versions
Enabling Split View on macOS Mojave, macOS High Sierra, macOS Sierra, and OS X El Capitan is just as easy. However, the process is slightly different on older macOS versions, so let’s take a look at how it works:
- To get started, open the two apps you want to use side by side on your macOS device.
2. Now, click and hold the green fullscreen button in the upper left corner of the window. When you hold down the fullscreen button, the window will shrink, allowing you to drag it to the left or right of your Mac screen.
3. Next, release the button. After that, click on an application window on the other side of the screen to start using both windows side by side. That’s it, you can now successfully harness the productivity powers of split-screen mode.
Enable Split View on Mac Using Mission Control
Launching Split View using Mission Control on a Mac also feels smoother than ever. But it involves more steps than the methods described above. So, let’s take a look at how it works:
- First, open any app window in full-screen view on your macOS device. For this demo, I will open Google Chrome.
2. Now, launch Mission Control from: Three- or four-finger swipe up on your Mac. Alternatively, you can double-tap the Magic Mouse with two fingers or press the Control and Up arrows simultaneously to launch Mission Control on your Mac.
3. Now, drag an application window above the app thumbnail, which is in full-screen view.
4. And voila! Both apps instantly enter Split View mode on your Mac. Now you can click on the Split View thumbnail to start using the two apps side by side.
Access Other Apps in Split View on Mac
Mission Control and multitasking go hand in hand. You can use Mission Control to open other apps in split screen on Mac. You can do this like this:
- First, enable Mission Control. simply three/four finger swipe up on trackpad or double-tap the Magic Mouse with two fingers.
2. Now all you have to do is to switch between Split View and other windows by clicking on the thumbnail of the app you want to use. If there is no app open in the background, you can use the Dock or Launchpad to access the app you want to use.
Alternatively, you can also use a cool multi-touch gesture like four-finger swipe left/right on your trackpad to switch to other open apps.
Can’t Split Screen on Mac? Here’s the Fix!
If you can’t use Split View on your Mac, make sure you have this feature enabled. It’s hidden deep within Mission Control settings, so follow these steps:
1. Go to the Apple Menu in the upper left corner of the screen. Next, “System Preferences -> Mission Control” and tick the box next to it “Screens have separate Spaces”.
2. Also, make sure that the app you want to use supports Split View. If the full screen button is greyed out, the corresponding app is not compatible.
Tips for Making the Most of Split View on Mac
Depending on your needs, you can adjust the window width and change the window position to work comfortably when using apps in split-screen mode on Mac.
- Set the window width: Drag the vertical rear dividing line between application windows left and right.
- Change window positions: Grab a window and drag it to the other side.
- Access the Dock in Split View: Move the cursor to the bottom of the window to access the Dock.
- Show the menu bar: Move the pointer to the top of the screen.
How to Exit Split View on Mac
Now you have finished using two apps side by side and you want to exit Split View on Mac, but how do you do it? Well, it’s pretty simple and only requires one click.
- Move the cursor to the top of the screen to access the window buttons.
2. Now, click on green (full screen) button In any window to exit Split Screen mode on Mac.
Best Third-Party Split Screen Apps for Mac
If you want more functionality and customizability, macOS has many well-designed third-party split-screen apps. So, if you’re not impressed with the built-in split-screen feature or just want to try more powerful alternatives, check out these few key options.
1. Magnet
Magnet is one of the most featured split-screen apps for Mac and MacBook power users. Supports pasting left/right/top/bottom halves to enable you to multitask more conveniently with many applications. You can resize a window to half the screen with a simple drag to the edge of your Mac screen. This feels more seamless than the official method of clicking and holding the fullscreen button and selecting the option to enable Split View.
What’s more, Magnet also allows you to: split your windows into six, which can come in handy on an ultra-wide monitor. Specifically, it offers several fully customizable keyboard shortcuts to easily use apps in split-screen mode on your Mac. For compatibility, Magnet supports OS X Yosemite or later. While the $8 price tag makes it a little pricey, it’s well worth it for advanced users with its premium multitasking features.
Install magnet: $7.99
2. mother
moom one Complete split screen window manager for Mac devices. It offers five preset size/position options to let you move and zoom the windows on your Mac with the flexibility you want. You can even define custom controls to manage windows according to your workflow.
But the option that caught my attention, chain custom controls togethermakes window management much easier on macOS, especially when working with several applications at the same time. Moom also lets you save window layouts to recreate a preferred window layout. To speed up your task, automatically invokes saved window layouts so you can start working right away. And with a keyboard mode always at hand, you can close windows faster without using a mouse.
Just like Magnet, Moom (requires macOS 10.9 or later) is quite expensive at $10. But if you want a complete window manager for your Mac, it will meet your expectations.
To organise: $9.99
Use Two Mac Apps Side by Side in Split Screen Mode
This is how Split View works on Mac and MacBook. Now that you have a good grasp of this productivity-defining feature, you can make the most of it and speed up your tasks by using apps in split-screen. macOS has many other productivity-focused features, including Spotlight Search, newly introduced Apple Shortcuts, Automation, Quick Notes on Mac, and the super useful Tab Groups feature in Safari on macOS Monterey. Let us know your thoughts and questions about Split View in the comments below.
