A key component of mastering the basics of using computers is using your mouse and your keyboard to navigate the computer interface. When you open a program or an application such as Microsoft Word or an Internet Browser, a window appears. Often, we are multi-tasking and working with multiple windows open at once.
Manually resizing the edges of a window to fill up the portion of the screen you want the window to be visible in can be a tedious timewaster, even for those with sharp eyesight and masterful control of their mouse.
Often the most efficient way to work is to have two windows positioned side-by-side taking up equal parts of the screen. Here’s an example of the result you will get:
Before:
After:
My go-to trick has been to use a keyboard shortcut to snap the windows into place so they are positioned side by side taking up equal parts of the screen.
How does that work?
- Using your mouse, click to select the first window.
- Press and hold the Windows Key then press and release the Right Arrow key to move the window to the right side of the screen.
- Now use your mouse to select the second window.
- Press and hold the Windows Key then press and release the Left Arrow key to move the window to the left side of the screen.
Not every user is a keyboard shortcut fan. Many prefer to use the mouse whenever possible. I recently learned a new trick that can allow you to get the same result using the mouse and even better with less clicks!
How does that work?
- Position your mouse in a part of the Task Bar that does not have an icon in it.
- Right click to open the menu.
- Select the “Show windows side by side” button.
- The windows that are open will snap at the same time to each side of the screen.
Pro Tip: Try the “Show windows stacked”. I’ve found stacking windows a much more useful option when I am working in Excel spreadsheets where horizontal width matters more than vertical height.
Give them a try and let me know if you have any questions!
– Kelly Marshall Microsoft MVP
