Split screen is a dream feature for people who like multitasking. Most desktop operating systems support it now including Windows, Mac, Linux, and even ChromeOS. However, the native feature can be finicky sometimes, especially on macOS (no keyboard shortcuts). Google Chrome’s native Windows manager should come as a relief.
Google is working on a new split-screen feature on Chrome to simplify this. Currently available in the Chrome Canary beta version 134. This feature lets you place two tabs next to each other in the same window, allowing for better multitasking and easier browsing. No more manually dragging windows around or constantly switching between tabs.
This feature was first discovered by Leopeva64, a known tech enthusiast who explores browser updates. Initially, it appeared in Chrome’s menu as “Split tab with active tab” but was later renamed to “Show side-by-side.” The name may have changed, but the functionality remains the same. With just a right-click on a tab, you can split it with another tab, and both will appear in a single window with a divider in the middle. You can move the divider to adjust how much space each tab takes.
Imagine researching a topic on one side while writing notes on the other, or comparing two products without flipping back and forth between tabs. Laptop users, in particular, will benefit from this as it makes multitasking easier on smaller screens.
This isn’t the first time a browser getting a split-screen feature. Microsoft Edge, Opera, Arc, and Vivaldi already have a similar feature. Some rumors even suggest Brave is also working on a similar split-screen feature. In fact, this has been the major reason for me to use the Arc browser for research purposes. Now I am glad that Chrome itself will be able to compensate.
However, there is one notable difference between the browser vs OS split screen feature. Chrome’s split screen will work only in Chrome browser while Windows or macOS split screen works for all apps.
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While it’s still in development, Google has already updated the feature twice, adding improvements to how tabs are resized. Right now, the resizing handle is not fully functional, but the plan is to make it work seamlessly so users can fine-tune their split view. Since it’s part of Chrome Canary, the feature is not yet available to regular users, but given the frequent updates, it could roll out in a future Chrome release soon.
Chrome has been focusing on improving productivity with new features like tab grouping, reading mode, and now, split-screen functionality, and this split-screen tool fits right in.
While there’s no official release date yet, the fact that Google is actively improving it suggests it won’t be long before everyone can use it. Until then, if you’re curious, you can try it out in Chrome Canary, though keep in mind that experimental features may not always work perfectly.
