How to Split Screen on a Chromebook (5 Methods)

Chrome OS received its 100th update earlier this year, and Google didn’t miss the opportunity to release fresh new features for its desktop operating system. Among them, a new Chrome OS Launcher and an integrated screen recording tool for Chrome OS were presented. Fast forward now, and Google has added a new Partial Split feature that works similar to Snap Layouts on Windows 11. You can quickly split the screen on your Chromebook and work with two windows side by side with just one click. Therefore, in this article, we have explained 5 different ways to split the screen on a Chromebook so that you can multitask effortlessly.

Split screen on a Chromebook (2022)

In this tutorial, we’ve included five different ways to snap windows and parts of the screen to different positions. One of them requires you to enable the new Partial Split Chrome flag along with the Always on top feature. With that in mind, let’s begin.

1. Split screen on a Chromebook with maximize button.

Besides maximizing and restoring window size, the maximize button also has other utilities. You can use it to share your Chromebook’s screen. Here’s how you can do it.

1. In an active window, click and Press and hold the maximize button in the title bar. An arrow indicator will then appear to the left and right of the maximize button. Just drag left and the window will jump to the left.

2. Repeat the same process for another window. Click and hold the maximize button and drag it to the right. And voila, you’ve successfully shared the screen on your Chromebook. Now you can see two windows at the same time.

2. Split screen on a Chromebook with keyboard shortcuts

Similar to Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts, you can also easily share the screen on a Chromebook using keyboard shortcuts. This is how it works:

1. If you are in an active window, just press “Shift + [” to snap the window to the left side.

2. To snap another window to the right side of your Chromebook screen, click on that window to make it active and press “Shift + ]“. This is a quick way to share your Chromebook’s screen.

3. To resize the window in split screen mode, they float mouse pointer in the middle where the two windows meet. A slider will appear there. Now hold the slider and move it to the side where you want the windows to auto resize.

3. Split screen on a Chromebook with touchpad gestures

Aside from keyboard shortcuts, you can use touchpad gestures to share the screen on your Chromebook. Yes, even Chrome OS supports a handful of intuitive touch gestures, and here’s how they work:

1. If you have multiple windows open, do a Swipe up with three fingers on the touchpad to open the overview menu.

2. Well, click and hold on one of the windows and drag it left or right as desired. The window immediately snaps to that position.

3. On the other hand, click the window of your choice to share the screen on your Chromebook. It’s effortless, isn’t it?

4. How to share the screen on a touchscreen Chromebook

If you’re using a Chrome OS tablet or a touchscreen Chromebook in tent or tablet mode, you can share the screen using touch gestures. It works similarly to touchpad gestures, but there are a few more features. Here’s how to use it.

1. Similar to Android phone gestures, perform a Swipe up with one finger and hold to open the overview menu. Here, hold down the window of your choice and drag it either left or right.

2. After that you can Tap on the second window on the other side, and the screen will be split into two windows.

3. You can too Swipe up from the shelf (taskbar) to open new apps in split-screen mode on your Chromebook.

4. Also, you can quickly switch windows on both sides. just do a Swipe up with one finger on both sides and select another window.

5. Snap Windows on Chromebook with Windows 11-like snap layouts

One of the best features of Windows 11 is snap layouts, which allow you to quickly align windows to different positions on your screen. Inspired by this, Google has also been working on a similar window snapping feature called “Partial Split”. The feature is already live on all Chrome OS channels – Stable, Beta and Dev (Chrome OS 105 or higher). However, it’s still hidden behind some Chrome flags, so you’ll need to manually enable partial split on your Chromebook. Here’s how to do it.

1. Make sure your Chromebook is updated to Chrome OS 105 or later. After that, open your Chrome browser and paste the following address. Now, activate the function from the drop down menu.

chrome://flags/#partial-split

2. Next, paste the following address and enable this feature as well. This enables the Stay On Top feature in the Partial Split menu. Now click on “Start anew‘ to accept the changes.

chrome://flags/#cros-labs-float-window

3. Once you’re logged in, easy Hover over the Maximize button., and the partial split menu appears almost immediately. You can split the screen on your Chromebook in half, partial, or full screen mode. There’s also a “Float on Top” feature that lets you pin a window on top of anything.

4. How the Partial Split feature works on Chromebook. The feature is still there locked behind a flagWe expect Google to add more split views, keyboard shortcuts, and features before a wider rollout.

Easily multitask with multiple Windows on Chromebooks

So, these are the five methods you can use to manage multiple windows at once on your Chromebook. Partial Split is another great multitasking split screen feature available on all Chromebooks. We await the general rollout of the feature to broader users. In the meantime, you can use keyboard shortcuts and touchpad gestures to snap your windows. For more Chromebook tips and tricks, check out our in-depth article. And if you’re wondering how to take a screenshot on a Chromebook, we have a guide for that too. If you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.