How Do I Put Four Windows in One Screen?

You can efficiently arrange four Windows applications on a single screen by utilizing Windows' built-in Snap Assist feature and keyboard shortcuts. This allows you to create a perfect 2x2 grid, maximizing your screen real estate for multitasking.

Mastering Windows Snap for a 2x2 Layout

Windows Snap allows you to quickly arrange windows by dragging them to the edges or corners of your screen, or by using simple keyboard shortcuts. To achieve a four-window, equally sized grid (2x2), follow these steps:

1. Prepare Your Applications: Open the four applications you wish to display simultaneously.
2. Snap the First Window (Top-Left):
   • Select your first application window.
   • Press Win + Left Arrow Key to snap it to the left half of the screen.
   • While this window is still selected, press Win + Up Arrow Key. This will move the window to occupy the top-left quadrant of your screen.
3. Snap the Second Window (Bottom-Left):
   • Once the first window is in the top-left, Snap Assist will automatically appear in the remaining bottom-left space, displaying thumbnails of your other open applications.
   • Click on the thumbnail for your second application to snap it into the bottom-left quadrant.
4. Snap the Third Window (Top-Right):
   • Select your third application window.
   • Press Win + Right Arrow Key to snap it to the right half of the screen.
   • While this window is still selected, press Win + Up Arrow Key. This will move the window to occupy the top-right quadrant.
5. Snap the Fourth Window (Bottom-Right):
   • Similar to step 3, Snap Assist will appear in the remaining bottom-right space.
   • Click on the thumbnail for your fourth application to snap it into the bottom-right quadrant.

You now have four windows neatly arranged in a 2x2 grid on your screen.

Utilizing Snap Assist for Quick Fills

Snap Assist is a crucial part of this process. Whenever you snap a window, Windows intelligently suggests other open applications to fill the adjacent empty spaces. This makes it incredibly fast to complete your multi-window layout. For instance, if you've already positioned three windows, and one side of your screen is still a single half-screen window, you can select that window, press Win + Up Arrow Key to move it to a quadrant (e.g., top-left). Snap Assist will then present options to fill the newly opened bottom-left space with your fourth desired application's thumbnail.

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for Window Snapping

These shortcuts are your best friends for quickly arranging windows:

Shortcut	Action	Result
Win + Left Arrow	Snap window to the left half	Occupies the left 50% of the screen
Win + Right Arrow	Snap window to the right half	Occupies the right 50% of the screen
Win + Up Arrow	Snap window to the top (or top-left/right)	Occupies top 50% or quadrant
Win + Down Arrow	Snap window to the bottom (or bottom-left/right)	Occupies bottom 50% or quadrant
Win + Home	Minimize all but the active window	Focuses on one window
Win + Z	Open Snap layouts	Shows predefined layout options (Windows 11)

Advanced Snapping with Windows 11 Snap Layouts

If you are using Windows 11, the process is even more streamlined with Snap Layouts.

1. Hover over the Maximize Button: Move your mouse cursor over the maximize button (the square icon) in the top-right corner of any open window.
2. Choose a Layout: A small pop-up grid will appear, showing various snap layouts. Select the 2x2 grid option (four equal squares).
3. Fill the Layout: Click on the area within the chosen layout where you want the current window to go. Then, Windows will prompt you to select other open applications to fill the remaining spaces in that layout, including the remaining three quadrants.

For more detailed information on maximizing your workspace, you can refer to the official Microsoft support page on Snap your windows.

Customizing Your Snapping Experience

You can adjust Snap Assist settings to suit your preferences:

1. Go to Settings > System > Multitasking.
2. Toggle Snap windows to On.
3. Under Snap windows, you can choose to enable or disable options like "Show snap layouts when I hover over a window's maximize button" (Windows 11) or "Show suggestions for what I can snap next."

By combining these methods, you can effortlessly manage multiple applications and maintain an organized desktop.