Two windows, side by side
Put two things on screen at once and copy between them, instead of flicking back and forth.
Copying a reference number from a bank statement into a form means reading four digits, switching windows, typing them, forgetting the last two, and switching back.
Nobody should be holding numbers in their head. The computer can put both things on the screen at the same time, each taking half, in one press.
Once you have done it a few times with the mouse, the keyboard is quicker.
Key points
- Put two windows on screen at once, each taking exactly half
- Let the computer offer you something for the second half rather than arranging it yourself
- Use Windows and the left or right arrow instead of the mouse
- Get back to one window in a single press when you have finished
What to remember
- Once one window has taken a half, the computer offers you the other half. That second step is the part people miss.
- Snapping is reversible in one movement: drag the window away from the edge, or press Windows and the down arrow.
- Anything a window does to its own size can be undone by the same button that did it.
Try this
Open two windows on your own computer and press Windows and the left arrow on one of them. Then press Windows and the down arrow twice to put everything back.
Practice: Two windows, side by side. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.