Split View

Split View lets you work with two notes open at the same time. Whether you’re referencing one note while writing another, comparing two versions of an idea, or copying content between files, split view keeps everything visible without constant tab switching.

Splitting the editor

There are two ways to split:

Split Right (side by side)

Shortcut: Cmd+\ (macOS) / Ctrl+\ (Windows/Linux)

Splits the editor horizontally, placing two panes side by side. This is the most common split orientation and works well on wide screens.

Split Down (top and bottom)

Shortcut: Cmd+Shift+\ (macOS) / Ctrl+Shift+\ (Windows/Linux)

Splits the editor vertically, stacking one pane above the other. This can be useful on narrower screens or when you want to see more of each note’s width.

Navigating between panes

Once you have a split view open, you can quickly switch focus between the two panes:

Action	macOS	Windows/Linux
Focus primary pane (left/top)	Cmd+1	Ctrl+1
Focus secondary pane (right/bottom)	Cmd+2	Ctrl+2

The focused pane is indicated visually, and any keyboard shortcuts you press (like opening a new file or running a search) apply to the focused pane.

Tip

Use Cmd+1 and Cmd+2 to bounce between panes without reaching for the mouse. Combined with Quick Search (Cmd+O) to open files, you can set up a two-pane workspace entirely from the keyboard.

Tab bars

Each pane has its own independent tab bar. You can have multiple notes open as tabs in each pane, just like you would in the single-pane editor. Drag tabs between panes or use Quick Search to open a file in the currently focused pane.

Resizing panes

Drag the divider between the two panes to adjust their relative size. Ariv remembers your preferred split ratio, so the next time you open a split view it returns to the same proportions.

Closing split view

To close the split view, close all tabs in one of the panes. When a pane has no open tabs, it collapses and the remaining pane takes over the full editor area.

Note

Closing the split view does not close the notes themselves. Any notes that were open in the closed pane are still available in your recent files and can be reopened with Quick Search.

Use cases

Split view shines in several common workflows:

• Reference while writing. Keep your research notes or outline in one pane while drafting in the other.
• Compare notes. Place two versions of a note side by side to spot differences or merge ideas.
• Copy and reorganize. Open a messy capture note on one side and a clean destination note on the other, then move content between them.
• Meeting notes + action items. Keep the meeting note open in one pane and your task list in the other, adding action items as they come up.

Quick reference

Action	macOS	Windows/Linux
Split Right	Cmd+\	Ctrl+\
Split Down	Cmd+Shift+\	Ctrl+Shift+\
Focus Primary Pane	Cmd+1	Ctrl+1
Focus Secondary Pane	Cmd+2	Ctrl+2

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Related: Search — Open notes quickly in either pane | Export & Zen Mode — Focus on a single note in distraction-free mode