Chrome split view or a floating window: which fits your work?
Two full pages side by side and a small floating reference need different amounts of screen space. Pick the layout for the work in front of you.
Updated 2026-10-26
Use Chrome split view when you want two websites open together in one browser window. Use Windows Snap when you need separate application windows side by side. Choose a floating webpage when one small reference should remain visible while most of the screen belongs to another task.
Start with how much of each page you need to read. If a narrow reference keeps turning into constant scrolling, give it more space instead of squeezing it into a smaller window.
Choose the arrangement before opening another tool
Consider a simple example: you are comparing two long documents. Both need room, so two full areas may suit the task. If you only need to glance at one short instruction while using an editor, a compact floating view may be enough.
| What you need | A useful starting point |
|---|---|
| Two websites in one Chrome window | Chrome split view |
| Chrome beside a separate desktop application | Your operating system's window layout; Windows Snap is one option |
| A compact webpage above the main work | Always on Top Window |
| Only a video while you work elsewhere | Check the site's picture-in-picture controls |
The last choice concerns the content of the floating view. The separate picture-in-picture comparison covers that distinction.
Use Chrome split view for two websites
Google's split view instructions describe displaying two sites within one Chrome window. To try it with two open tabs:
- Select the first page.
- Right-click the other, inactive tab.
- Choose New split view with current tab.
Check the result with the pages you actually use. One view is active; the address bar and navigation controls apply to it. Click the other view when you want those controls to act on that page.
This arrangement gives both pages a place inside Chrome. It does not make that browser window stay above a separate application you switch to.
If your Chrome menu does not show the documented option, use the window arrangement available on your computer rather than assuming the extension adds Chrome's built-in split view.
Use Windows Snap for separate application windows
On Windows, Microsoft documents Snap for arranging application windows. Select the first window and press Windows + Left Arrow. Then select the other application window and press Windows + Right Arrow to place it on the other side.
This is a useful route for a full webpage beside a desktop editor. Give each side enough width for its main controls and check the actual content after positioning it.
Snap arranges application windows on Windows. You can use it without installing the Chrome extension.
Float the reference when it needs less space
Always on Top Window documents opening a Chrome webpage in a movable, resizable floating view. Its store description gives two routes: click the extension icon for the current tab, or use its context-menu option on a link.
Position the view where it leaves your main task usable. Keep the original tab open, because closing it also closes the floating view. The extension works with web content from Chrome; it does not pin other desktop applications.
For detailed setup, use the reference webpage guide. Check the layout with the site you plan to use, and do not assume every website will fit or work the same way.
Check whether the layout still works after switching tasks
Open the document or application where you will do the work. Then check the reference at the size you intend to keep.
Can you read the sentence you need without repeatedly widening the view? Is the floating window covering a toolbar, save control or part of the text you are editing? Move it if it blocks something you need.
If the reference still needs more room, switch to a layout with two larger areas. Keep a floating view only while you can read the required content at its chosen size.
The arrangement can change during the task. A short instruction may fit in a corner; a wide table may need its own side of the screen.