Chrome’s Split View lets you display two websites inside a single tab. It’s simple, powerful, and one of the most effective productivity features Google has released in years — yet many users still don’t know it exists.
These days, almost every Google announcement seems to revolve around artificial intelligence. Chrome is no exception. But while AI features grab the headlines, one of the browser’s most useful upgrades has quietly flown under the radar.
It’s called Split View — and if you regularly jump between tabs to copy information, compare pages, or multitask, it might be the productivity upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
What is Chrome Split View?
The concept is simple but surprisingly powerful: display two different web pages inside a single tab.
Instead of constantly switching back and forth, you can work with both pages side by side, within the same Chrome window.
Here are a few everyday use cases:
- Watch a YouTube video while taking notes in Google Docs
- Compare prices for a product across two websites
- Write an email while checking your calendar
- Analyze two versions of a document or article at once
For anyone who works online, the time savings add up quickly.
How to activate Split View in Chrome?
Method 1: Drag and drop
This is the most intuitive option if you’re using a mouse or trackpad.
- Click and hold an open tab
- Drag it to the left or right edge of your Chrome window
- Release it — the screen will split instantly
You can also drag a link from a webpage to the edge of the window to open it directly in split mode.
If nothing happens, the feature may be disabled. To check:
- Open Chrome Settings (three dots in the top-right corner)
- Go to Appearance
- Make sure the option allowing drag-and-drop Split View is enabled
Method 2: Right-click menu
If you prefer not to drag tabs across the screen:
- Right-click a link and select Open link in split view
- Or right-click an existing tab and choose Create split view with this tab
Method 3: Keyboard shortcuts
For keyboard-focused users, Chrome also supports shortcuts:
| System | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Windows / Linux | Shift + Alt + N |
| macOS | Cmd + Option + N |
| ChromeOS | Ctrl + Alt + N |
One of Chrome’s most underrated features
Split View first rolled out in late 2025 and is now being highlighted more prominently in browser updates. Yet many users still haven’t discovered it — or haven’t taken the time to integrate it into their workflow.
That’s surprising, because this feature solves one of the most common productivity problems: constant tab switching.
Sometimes the most valuable upgrades aren’t powered by AI. Sometimes they’re just simple tools that remove friction from your daily work.
If you spend hours inside Chrome every day, Split View might be the easiest productivity boost you’ll get this year.
