Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Arranging Document Windows.

Arranging Document Windows

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 7, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

If you have more than one document open at a time, Word allows you to view all the documents at the same time and to arrange each document window as you desire. The easiest method of arranging document windows is as follows:

Display the View tab of the ribbon.
Click the Arrange All tool, in the Window group. This divides the screen space evenly between all your windows. The main benefit is that all your document windows get at least a piece of the screen.
Click on the window whose size you wish to adjust. It becomes active.
Move the mouse cursor near the border of the active window. When the cursor turns into a set of arrows, press the mouse button and drag the window edge to the desired size. Release the mouse button.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each window you want to adjust.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9505) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Arranging Document Windows.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

End-of-Month Calculations

Don't want to use the EOMONTH function to figure out the end of a given month? Here are some other ideas for discovering ...

Discover More

Documents Opening in the Wrong Program

Double-click a Word document on your desktop, and you expect Word to spring into action and load the document. What if ...

Discover More

Estimating Battery Life

The battery in your laptop provides the power you need to even use the system. As you use your laptop, you may notice ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Mouse Stops Working in Word

Could you use Word without the assistance of your mouse? For most people the answer would be a resounding "no." What are ...

Discover More

Shortcut Keys for Scrolling Window Left and Right

If the content in the Word program window is wider than what can be displayed, you may want to press a key and have the ...

Discover More

Keeping Word Open after Closing Documents

Usually when you are done working on a document, you want to close Word completely and move on to something else. There ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is six more than 9?

2021-08-07 14:27:44

David Cohen

re "Arranging Document Windows": a very useful tip!. I didn't know about this. In the Macintosh version of Word, from the Home Tab, you can go directly to "Window". i.e., you don't need to start from the "View" tab.

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.