How to Use Split View in Chrome

Split view in Chrome places two websites side by side inside one browser window. It is handy when you need a source next to your notes, a product page next to a review, or a dashboard next to the document you are updating. Both pages remain separate browser views, but you stop bouncing between two tabs for every small check.

The feature is built into current desktop versions of Chrome. Update your browser if the split-view menu does not appear.

Open two tabs in split view

Start with the two pages already open as normal tabs.

1. Right-click one of the tabs.

2. Select "Add tab to new split view."

3. Choose the second open tab that you want beside it.

Chrome also lets you right-click a link and open it directly in split view. If you prefer dragging, pull a tab toward the left or right edge of the target window. Hold it there until the split-view target appears, then release it.

The official Chrome split-view guide lists a keyboard shortcut too:

• Windows and Linux: Shift + Alt + N

• Mac: Command + Option + N

• Chromebook: Ctrl + Alt + N

That shortcut opens split view for the active tab. You can then pick the page for the other side.

Understand the active side

Only one side is active at a time. Chrome marks it with a stronger border. Toolbar controls such as Back, Forward, and the address bar apply to that active view.

You can scroll the inactive page without making it active. Clicking inside it switches the active side. This takes a few minutes to get used to, especially if you expect the address bar to control both pages.

The split-view icon near the address bar gives you the main controls. You can swap the two sides, close one side, or separate the pair back into regular tabs. If you use the feature often, Chrome lets you pin that icon to the toolbar.

Chrome's regular tab management controls still matter around the pair. You can keep other tabs in the same window, put them into groups, or move them to another window.

Pick work that benefits from two pages

Split view is best when two pages need to stay visible at the same time. A few good fits are:

• Read a source while writing notes in another app.

• Compare product specifications from two sellers.

• Follow written instructions while changing a setting.

• Review a design beside the brief that describes it.

It is less useful when you need five references at once. Squeezing more work into the surrounding tab strip does not make the pair more focused. In that case, choose the two pages you need now and group or save the rest.

The Chrome side panel can remain open while you move between split views. Some page-specific panels, such as Reading mode, may collapse when you change the active side. That is normal behavior, not a lost tab.

Keep the supporting tabs under control

A split pair often sits inside a larger task. You may have the brief, two source pages, an inbox thread, and a spreadsheet nearby. The pair helps with the current comparison, but those supporting tabs can still crowd the window.

Use one tab group for the active task. Put the split pair and its immediate references inside it. Put unrelated work in another group, then collapse that group. If you will not touch the unrelated project today, saving it is cleaner than leaving it collapsed.

Tabox can save the tabs and groups in the window as a Collection. It keeps each saved tab's title and URL, plus group names, group colors, and tab order. This lets you close the broader session and reopen it later. The Chrome session management guide explains where saved sessions fit beside native browser tools.

There is one limit worth stating clearly: Tabox saves tabs and tab-group structure, but it does not save Chrome's split-view pairing. When you reopen the Collection, the pages return as tabs and groups. Pair the two pages again if you still need the side-by-side layout.

Use split view across a larger project

Suppose you are preparing a report. Keep the draft and the source you are checking in split view. Put the other report sources in a named group. Save unrelated client windows as Tabox Collections before you start.

When you finish checking one source, replace that side of the pair with the next one. You avoid a long cycle of opening, reading, losing your place, and searching the tab strip again. At the end of the session, decide whether the report group should stay open or become a saved Collection.

If your work is already spread across separate windows, read how to save tabs from multiple windows. Tabox can save those windows as Collections inside a folder, which is more useful than forcing every project into one packed window.

Avoid two common mistakes

First, do not treat split view as a permanent project folder. It is a viewing layout for two pages. Your other tabs still need names, groups, or a saved home.

Second, check which side is active before using the address bar or browser controls. If Back seems to affect the wrong page, click the page you intend to control and try again.

A project tab organization system can handle the larger question: which pages stay open, which belong together, and which should be saved for another day.

FAQ

What is Chrome split view?

It is a desktop Chrome feature that displays two websites at once inside a single browser window. One view is active at a time, though you can scroll either page.

What is the shortcut for split view in Chrome?

Use Shift + Alt + N on Windows or Linux, Command + Option + N on Mac, or Ctrl + Alt + N on Chromebook. The shortcut applies to the active tab.

How do I leave split view?

Open the split-view control near the address bar. Choose to separate the views into normal tabs, or close one side if you no longer need it.

Will Tabox restore my split-view layout?

Tabox restores saved tabs and Chrome tab groups. It does not restore the pairing between the two sides of split view. You can recreate the pair after opening the Collection.

Save the session around the split pair

Split view makes two-page work calmer. Tabox handles the rest of the project when you are ready to close it. Install Tabox, save the supporting tabs as a Collection, and rebuild only the split pair you need next time.