CollinsWindows 10 has always been a great multitasking environment, allowing you to run multiple applications at the same time and switch between them with relative ease.
In Windows 10, Microsoft tightened up the snapping mechanism and expanded its functionality. With improved support for higher-resolution displays and multiple monitors, the latest version of Windows 10 provides a variety of options for splitting your screen into multiple windows and getting real work done.
Assist with Snap
Snap Assist, which makes it easier to select an open application window when deciding which applications to arrange on your screen, is one of Windows 10’s most significant contributions to split-screen multitasking. Here’s how to put it to use:
Step 1: Select the window to be snapped to one half of the screen and drag it to the edge.
Step 2: A translucent outline of the area where it will snap appears. If you’re satisfied, let go, and your window will snap into place.
To snap the last selected window to one side of the screen, press and hold the Windows key and the Left or Right Arrow keys at the same time.
Step 3: If you have other windows or applications open when you snap your selected window, you’ll see a number of options for filling the second half. When you click on one, it will automatically snap into position opposite the first window. If you don’t, the selection grid will vanish. To fix this, drag your second window to the edge of the empty space.
Step 4: To resize the two windows, move your cursor over the dividing line until it turns into two arrows. To adjust the two windows, click and hold on the divider. There is, however, a limit to how narrow a window can be.
Is Snap Assist acting strangely or refusing to work? Examine your startup programs, which are the programs that start automatically when you log into Windows. These can occasionally interfere with Snap Assist, and disabling them will resolve the issue. Our guide to managing startup programs is an excellent place to begin.
Make use of the keyboard shortcut
Want to do this on your keyboard more quickly? There is a very useful shortcut for splitting windows. In an open window, hold down the Windows key and then press the Left or Right arrow key. The active window should be snapped to the left or right automatically. To fill the second empty space, choose another window.
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To return a window to full-screen mode, press the Windows key and the Up arrow key simultaneously. If you accidentally create a quarter window instead of a half window, you can expand it with the Windows and Up or Down arrow keys.
Snapping more than two windows
If you have a large or high-resolution display, you can take advantage of all of that extra screen real estate by using Corner Snap to snap up to four windows on a single screen.
Step 1: Place your first window in any corner.
To use the keyboard shortcut, press and hold the Windows key followed by the Left or Right Arrow keys to move the active window to the left or right. Then, hold down the Windows key while pressing the Up or Down Arrow keys to move the snapped window to the top or bottom corner.
Step 2: With the first active window in a corner, drag and drop your second window into any other corner that is available. It is not necessary for you to select a specific corner.
Step 3: If necessary, repeat Step 2 to fill in the other two corners.
It’s worth noting that a 2020 update to Windows 10 updated this four-window design, making all the snapped windows act as a single window. This may not seem significant, but it is extremely useful when you need to do something else, such as open another app or file while working with your snapped windows — they will now remain together, waiting for you to return.
Turning off Snap Assist and adjusting settings
Snap Assist is simple to disable if it becomes a nuisance. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Launch the Settings application. On the Start Menu, it’s the gear icon.
Step 2: Choose System.
Step 3: From the list on the left, select Multitasking.
Step 4: Toggle off the Snap Windows feature by clicking the Toggle button.
If you’d rather disable specific Snap Assist features rather than turning it completely off, there are three options. Simply disregard Step 4 and uncheck the boxes next to each setting as necessary:
When I snap a window, it will automatically resize to fill the available space.
Show me what I can snap next to a window when I snap it.
When I resize a snapped window, any adjacent snapped windows are also resized.
Customize grids with a third-party app
We’ll be the first to admit that the native Windows 10 option is excellent; however, there are a number of third-party apps that provide a bit more. You can enjoy more definitive, grid-like changes to your windows with these apps, allowing you to obtain all of the tools you love (in the perfect size) and place them wherever you want.
AquaSnap allows its users to create and modify as many split windows as they need using a handy snap function that works similarly to Windows 10. However, it is slightly more flexible and includes a few cool extra tools, such as snapping small windows together and other cool gimmicks.
The Personal version of AquaSnap is free to download and use. It gives you access to basic features such as docking, snapping, stretching, various keyboard shortcuts, and much more. If you’re ready to take the next step, you can choose the Professional edition, which comes in two flavors: Standard and Site. The Standard version costs $18 and the Site version costs $600. These special editions enable you to purchase licenses, add convenient mouse shortcuts, enjoy multi-monitor support, and enjoy three other premium features.
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