Using Split View in Big Sur DOES NOT WORK

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Using Split View in Big Sur DOES NOT WORK

I want to use Safari and my Notes app side by side in Split View but I cannot do so. I also cannot make Safari full screen (in its own Space) and drag the Notes app over the thumbnail in the Spaces bar: it simply will not allow me to do so

When I move the pointer to the green button in the top-left corner of the window, I see that I can Move the Safari window to the Left Side, as shown below.

However, in the (online) MacOS User Guide (see below) it is written Tile Window to Left of Screen and the effect is not the same since:

I cannot make one side bigger: all it does is make the dragged window wider over the other one. The separator bar does not have a simultaneous effect on both windows
It is not true Split View

How can this issue be resolved?

iMac 21.5″ 4K, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jun 16, 2021 1:22 AM

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Answer 1

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BernardMR Author

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101 points

Jun 16, 2021 6:36 AM in response to BernardMR

I found the solution. In Mission Control Preferences, I had to enable the "Displays have separate Spaces" (shown below); I logged out and logged back in. Split Screen now works and I have now "Tile Window... " only when I move the pointer to the green button, no more "Move Window... ".

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Answer 2

Jun 16, 2021 3:25 AM in response to BernardMR

Ok, I am back at my mac now.

I see that there are two different commands: "Move" and "Tile".

When I click and hold the green button I see "Tile".

When I click and hold the green button while pressing the Option key, I see "Move".

Maybe you were holding Option, or maybe yours has been reversed somehow.

If you were NOT holding Option, try doing it while holding down Option and see if that shows you "Tile" instead of "Move".

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Answer 3

Jun 16, 2021 3:06 AM in response to BernardMR

Did you actually try? I am thinking that there is just a change of wording (not at my mac to check now, but will do that in a few minutes).

What exactly happens when you choose “Move to left”, for example? There should appear thumbnails of all open windows so you can choose what to show on the right.

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Answer 4

BernardMR Author

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101 points

Jun 16, 2021 6:08 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I have read and understood your replies.

Something is amiss by me because I only have "Move", not "Tile", whether I press the Option key or not. No thumbnails appear on the right from which to select the partner window.

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Answer 5

Jun 16, 2021 6:40 AM in response to BernardMR

It's great that you solved it.

I have set this option since it became possible (I think it was in Mac OS X Mavericks!) and never looked back.

Furthermore I would not have guessed that this would have an effect on macs with only one display.

Thanks for sharing!

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Answer 6

BernardMR Author

Level 1

101 points

Jun 16, 2021 6:18 AM in response to BernardMR

I had 5 spaces in the Spaces Bar. I thought this might be an issue. I closed them all except one. I retried.

I still have the same issue: I cannot use Split View.

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Using Split View in Big Sur DOES NOT WORK

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