Windows 11 Snap Layouts: Split Screen With Windows + Z

Working with two documents side by side, a video call next to your notes, or four small windows on a large monitor: Windows 11 snap layouts arrange windows into neat zones with one click or one shortcut. It is the quickest way to split the screen without dragging window edges by hand. This guide covers every way to snap, the keyboard shortcuts, snap groups, the settings that control it, and what to do when the layouts do not appear.

The steps apply to Windows 11 version 24H2, 25H2 and 26H2.

Three ways to snap a window

1. The maximise button

Hover the pointer over a window’s maximise button (the square between minimise and close). A small panel shows the layouts available for your screen size, such as two halves, a large and a small column, three columns or four quarters. Click the zone you want; the window moves there.

2. Windows + Z

Press Windows logo key + Z with a window active. The same layouts appear with numbers. Press the number of a layout and then of a zone, or click. This works for apps whose title bar does not show the hover menu.

3. Drag to the top

Drag a window by its title bar towards the top of the screen. A snap bar with the layouts slides down; drop the window on a zone.

After the first window is placed, Snap Assist shows thumbnails of your other open windows in the remaining zones. Click one to fill each zone, or press Esc to skip.

Keyboard shortcuts

From Microsoft’s keyboard shortcuts page and the Snap article:

Shortcut	Result
Windows + Left arrow	Snap to the left half
Windows + Right arrow	Snap to the right half
Windows + Up arrow	Maximise, or move a snapped half to the top quarter
Windows + Down arrow	Restore or minimise, or move to the bottom quarter
Windows + Z	Open Snap layouts

For example, Windows + Left then Windows + Up puts a window in the top-left quarter.

Snap groups

When you fill a layout, Windows remembers the windows as a snap group. Hover over one of those apps on the taskbar and the preview shows the group; select it to bring every window back in the same arrangement. Groups are handy when you switch away to something else and want the whole set back. Our Alt+Tab settings checklist covers how groups appear when switching with the keyboard.

Snap settings

Open Settings > System > Multitasking and expand Snap windows. You can turn snapping off entirely or switch individual features:

• Show snap layouts when I hover over a window’s maximise button
• Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen
• When I snap a window, suggest what I can snap next to it (Snap Assist)
• Show my snapped windows when I hover over taskbar apps (snap groups)
• When I resize a snapped window, resize any adjacent snapped window

Exact wording varies between builds. If dragging to the top keeps triggering by accident, turn that one off and keep Windows + Z.

Multiple monitors and large screens

Each monitor has its own layouts, and larger or higher-resolution screens get more options, such as three columns. Windows + Shift + Left or Right arrow moves a window to the next monitor. Microsoft’s multiple-monitors page and our Windows 11 multiple monitors guide cover arranging displays. On a portrait screen, layouts stack vertically; see rotate screen in Windows 11.

Layouts not showing or not working

1. Check Settings. Snap windows must be on, with the hover and drag options you want ticked.
2. Try Windows + Z. Some apps draw their own title bars and do not show the hover menu, but still snap with the keyboard.
3. Some windows cannot resize. Fixed-size dialogs and some older apps will not snap.
4. Display scaling. Very high scaling on a small screen limits the layouts offered; see display scaling.
5. Restart Windows Explorer from Task Manager if snapping stops working after a long session.
6. Third-party window managers such as PowerToys FancyZones can take over the same gestures; check their settings. Our FancyZones checklist explains how the two work together.

Practical layouts to try

A few arrangements that work well day to day:

• Two halves on a laptop: a document on the left, a browser or reference on the right.
• Large plus small on a wide monitor: the main app in two thirds, chat or notes in the remaining third.
• Three columns on an ultrawide screen: email, main work, and a reference or video call.
• Four quarters on a large 4K screen: monitoring dashboards, File Explorer windows or a set of documents to compare.

Once a set is arranged, minimise everything with Windows + D when you need the desktop, and bring the whole group back from the taskbar preview. If you often rebuild the same arrangement, consider keeping it on its own virtual desktop so it stays in place while you work elsewhere.

Related guides

Snap layouts combine well with virtual desktops, one desktop per task, and File Explorer tabs, which you can drag out into separate windows and snap side by side. For more, see the Windows 11 productivity hub and our snap layout tweaks checklist.