When a screen display is set to its widest resolution, Microsoft Windows 8.1 enables you to view up to four apps per screen, and up to eight apps on two screens. Viewing multiple apps avoids the tedious task of searching for data hidden behind overlapping windows. For example, by adjusting the layout, you can watch your Outlook inbox for incoming messages, update an Excel chart to insert in your Word document and check the current temperature before your next meeting.
Access the Taskbar
The taskbar options help you manage your view of the open apps. Right-click the taskbar and then select "Show Windows Stacked" or "Show Windows Side by Side." The app windows will resize and share approximately the same amount of space on the screen. The stacked layout displays each window as a wide, narrow rectangle. The stacked view is useful for reading a row of worksheet data from left to right, for example. The side-by-side layout displays each window in a narrow width, such as three windows resized as three columns, or four windows as rectangles arranged around the center of the screen.
Adjust the App Windows
Resize an app window by mousing over the gutter between two windows to display a double-ended arrow and then clicking and dragging the border to change the dimensions. Click an empty space near the top border of the app window and drag to reposition the window on your screen for the best view.
- David Silverman/Getty Images News/Getty Images