How to Use Split View on Mac to Work With Two Apps Side by Side

Mac Split View lets you fill your entire screen with two apps side by side — great for comparing documents, following instructions while you work, or multitasking.

In this guide (4 steps):

1.Enter Split View from the green button
2.Adjust the size of each app in Split View
3.Switch which apps are in Split View
4.Exit Split View

Enter Split View from the green button

~41s

Move your cursor to the top left corner of any app window — you will see three colored dots: red, yellow, and green. Hover over (do not click) the green dot. A small menu appears showing: "Enter Full Screen," "Tile Window to Left of Screen," and "Tile Window to Right of Screen." Click "Tile Window to Left of Screen." The window fills the left half of your screen. macOS then shows all your other windows on the right — click any window to fill the right half.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: If the hover menu doesn't appear, click and hold the green dot for a moment — the menu should pop up. Alternatively, you may need to enable Tiled windows in System SettingsDesktop & Dock → "Windows."

Adjust the size of each app in Split View

~22s

In Split View, a thin vertical divider line appears between the two apps. Click and drag that divider left or right to give more space to one app or the other. One app can be wider than the other — useful if one app needs more space to display properly (like a spreadsheet) while the other is just showing reference material.

Switch which apps are in Split View

~29s

To swap one of the Split View apps for a different one: move your cursor to the very top of the screen — the menu bar appears briefly. Click the Mission Control button (two overlapping rectangles at the top right, or press the Mission Control keyboard key) to see all your open windows. Drag any other open window into the Split View space to replace the current app there. Or click the green button on either app to exit Split View and return to regular windows.

Exit Split View

~32s

To exit Split View: move your cursor to the top of the screen → click the green dot on either app → click "Exit Full Screen" or "Move window to desktop." Both apps return to regular resizable windows on the desktop. Alternatively, press Escape on the app you want to pull out — though this may depend on the app.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Stage Manager (available on macOS Ventura and later) is an alternative multitasking approach that shows multiple app groupings in a sidebar. Try both Split View and Stage Manager to see which feels more natural for how you work.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Use Split View on Mac to Work With Two Apps Side by Side

Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

Split View on Mac fills your entire screen with two apps displayed side by side. This is different from simply resizing windows — in Split View, both apps take up exactly half the screen (or any proportion you choose) and there are no overlapping windows or desktop distractions visible. It is ideal for working from a document while writing notes, comparing two spreadsheets, or following instructions in Safari while working in an app.

Split View has been available on Mac since macOS El Capitan (2015). It works best on a large display but is useful on any Mac screen size.

Rate this guide

How helpful was this guide?

mac split view

multitasking

side by side

macos

full screen

productivity