Windows Keyboard Shortcuts


Alt+Ctrl+S: Split the screen in Microsoft Word

Posted in general, Microsoft Word by estephen on September 29th, 2008

This morning I was working with a long document in Microsoft Word, and I wanted to compare something I’d written on page 43 with something that written back on page 2. I was frequently jumping back and forth.
The easiest way to handle such tasks is to split the screen so that you can display page 2 on the top half, and page 43 on the bottom half, and then work with whatever half you want.

It’s not 100% keyboard only, but try this:

  1. Press Alt+Ctrl+S, and a split cursor appears.
  2. Press Up Arrow or Down Arrow until the split is where you want it, then press Enter. The screen is split.
  3. Now, scroll to wherever you want (and remember the Ctrl+G or F5 shortcut that lets you go to whatever page you want right away). You scroll in one half, while the other half of the split displays the other portion of the document.
  4. I don’t know of a keyboard method to change which part of the split you work with, so you’ll need to use the mouse to click in the top portion or bottom portion as needed if you want to make edits.
  5. When you’re all done with the split, press Alt+Shift+C, and the split is removed.

Note that a split is really just a different way of viewing the same document — you only have one copy. Any changes you make in the top portion are immediately reflected in the bottom portion, and vice versa.

3 Responses to 'Alt+Ctrl+S: Split the screen in Microsoft Word'

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  1. mhs said,

    on October 25th, 2010 at 4:47 am

    this is very helpfull

  2. Dr. Moreau said,

    on February 7th, 2011 at 7:18 pm

    Is there a way to split it left-right, or is it only top and bottom? Thanks though, this is neat.

  3. Navia said,

    on August 13th, 2012 at 4:24 am

    I just found the key to move between the split parts: shift+f6

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