How to Use Split View on a Mac: Two Apps Side by Side

Writing notes from a web page, comparing two documents, or watching figures in a spreadsheet while you answer email — real work constantly needs two windows at once. Split View is macOS’s built-in way to place two apps side by side in full screen, each taking exactly half (or a share you choose) of the display, with no fiddly dragging of window corners. This guide shows how to enter Split View every way it can be done, how to adjust and swap the windows, and the settings to check when the feature refuses to cooperate.

Quick Answer

To use Split View on a Mac, hover over the green button at the top left of a window until a small menu appears, then choose “Tile Window to Left of Screen” or “Tile Window to Right of Screen.” Click the second window you want to share the screen, and the two snap side by side. Drag the divider between them to resize each side, double-click the divider to swap emphasis, and press Escape or the green button again to exit. You can also enter Split View from Mission Control by dragging one full-screen app onto another.

How to Start Split View Step by Step

1. Open the two apps or windows you want to combine.
2. Move your pointer over the green button in the top-left corner of the first window — hover, do not click yet.
3. A small menu appears. Choose “Tile Window to Left of Screen” or “Tile Window to Right of Screen.”
4. The window snaps to that half, and the other half shows thumbnails of your remaining open windows.
5. Click the window you want on the other side.
6. Both windows now fill the screen as one Split View space. Move your pointer to the top of the screen to reveal the menu bar and window buttons when you need them.

An alternative: click and hold the green button instead of hovering — drag the window to the left or right edge of the screen, release, and then pick its partner the same way. Apple’s support page on using two Mac apps side by side in Split View notes that Split View works on macOS El Capitan and later, though the green-button menu arrived in Catalina, so older systems use the click-and-hold method only.

Working Comfortably Inside Split View

Resize the split: drag the vertical divider between the windows. One side can take up to about two-thirds of the screen; many apps have a minimum width and will stop the divider there.

Swap sides: drag a window’s title bar toward the other side, or double-click the divider — behaviour varies slightly by version, but moving the window by its top edge always works.

Replace one window: hover over the green button of the window you want to change and use “Replace Tiled Window,” then pick a different window.

Use the Dock and menus: the menu bar belongs to whichever window is active — click a window to focus it. The Dock can be summoned by pushing the pointer to its screen edge.

Move between spaces: swipe left or right with four fingers on a trackpad (or three, if you changed the gesture) to move between your desktop and the Split View space. Split View windows live in their own space, which keeps them grouped.

If you work this way often, pairing Split View with multiple desktops in Mission Control gives you a whole set of purpose-built workspaces — one for writing, one for research, one for communication.

How to Exit Split View

Move the pointer to the top of the screen to reveal the window buttons, then click the green button on either window — it returns to its normal size and the other window remains in full screen. Alternatively press the Escape key while a Split View window is active (some apps reserve Escape for their own use; the green button always works). To close one side entirely, click its red close button after exiting, or press Command-W while it is focused. Both windows keep their content either way — exiting Split View only changes how they are arranged, never what is in them.

When Split View Will Not Start

The usual culprit is a setting: open System Settings, go to Desktop & Dock, scroll to Mission Control, and make sure “Displays have separate Spaces” is turned on — Split View requires it. Next, check the app itself: a few apps (especially older ones and some games and video tools) do not support Split View or have fixed window sizes; if the green button shows no tiling options, that app is one of them. Very small screens also limit usefulness but not availability. If the second window never offers itself as a partner, make sure it is a separate window, not a tab — pull the tab out into its own window first. Finally, restart the app if its green-button menu has glitched; the menu is drawn by the system and a confused app can fail to present it.

Split View vs Stage Manager vs Manual Windows

Split View is the fastest choice for two apps, one task, maximum focus: no overlaps, no distractions, everything visible. Stage Manager suits juggling several groups of apps and shines when you switch between projects. Manual window dragging with the Option-green-button tiling shortcuts (or simple edge dragging on newer macOS) offers four-way corners and looser layouts. Many people live in Split View for focused work and keep everything else on separate desktops — the features combine freely, and a Split View pair simply becomes one of your spaces.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Clicking the green button instead of hovering. A straight click sends the window full screen. Hover (or click and hold) to reveal the tiling menu.
• Trying to tile an unsupported app. If no tiling options appear, the app does not support Split View — use manual resizing instead.
• Forgetting the separate-Spaces setting. With “Displays have separate Spaces” off, Split View silently refuses to work.
• Losing the menu bar. It hides in full screen by design. Move the pointer to the very top of the screen to bring it back.

Handy Keyboard and Trackpad Moves to Pair With Split View

Split View gets faster with a few companions. Learn Control-Left and Control-Right arrows to jump between your desktop and the Split View space without touching the mouse, and four-finger swipes if you prefer the trackpad. Command-Tab still switches apps, and switching to an app that lives in the Split View space carries you straight there. When one side needs a burst of full attention, drag the divider almost to the far edge rather than leaving Split View entirely — you keep the pairing and restore the balance with one drag back. Finally, remember that both windows remain normal windows underneath: files save, downloads continue, and nothing about the arrangement risks your work if you exit accidentally. The layout is a convenience, never a commitment.

Conclusion

Split View turns any two windows into one calm, full-screen workspace in about five seconds: hover the green button, tile, pick a partner. Adjust the divider to fit your task, swipe between spaces to keep projects separate, and exit with the green button when you are done. Once it becomes a habit, working with overlapping windows feels like a chore you used to accept for no reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put more than two windows in Split View?

No — Split View is strictly two windows. For more, use multiple desktops, Stage Manager, or manual tiling to arrange three or four windows on one screen.

Why does the green button only make the window full screen?

You are clicking it instead of hovering. Rest the pointer on the button for a moment, or click and hold, and the tiling options appear.

Can I use Split View with two windows from the same app?

Yes. Open a second window of the app first (for example, a second Finder or browser window), then tile them together like any other pair.

Does Split View work on an external monitor?

Yes, on each display independently. You can run a Split View pair on your external screen and another on the built-in screen at the same time.

How do I quickly swap which window is bigger?

Drag the divider between them. Some apps limit how narrow they can go, which sets the maximum share the other window can take.