How to View Two Pages Side By Side in Google Docs?

Viewing Google Docs side by side can be useful in many situations (such as while comparing two Google Docs files or referring to one file while working on the other).

Although Google Docs does not have this functionality to show two files side by side, there are workarounds to get this done.

If you are writing a document and would like to see another one as a reference, it is quite cumbersome to switch back and forth between the two.

If only they were placed side by side, it would be really easy to simply write in one document while having the other one displayed on the side.

So in this tutorial, I will show you different methods by which you can view two pages side by side in Google Docs. One of these methods makes use of an add-on/extension while the other ones will simply require some window manipulation.

Table of Contents

Method 1: View Two Google Docs Pages Side by Side Using Multiple Browser Windows

In this method, we will use multiple browser windows to view our Google Docs side by side.

This method is not limited to the use of any single browser in particular (and works for any browser). In this case, however, I will be using the Google Chrome web browser.

Open your web browser. (In my case, it is Google Chrome)

In the window bar at the top, click on the Restore Down button as shown.

This will bring the window out of fullscreen as shown below. (Note: If instead of the restore down button you see a maximize button, then skip the above step.)

On the browser toolbar, click on the customize button as shown. (This is indicated by the three little dots.)

The following menu will appear.

Click on the New Window button.

A new browser window will appear on top of the previous one as shown.

Now drag both windows using the window bar, till they are side by side as shown.

Move your mouse to the edge of a window till the cursor changes to the resize cursor.
Click and drag to resize the window from the sides (or the bottom if you want).
The final result will look like this.

Now you can open your Google Docs in each window separately and view them side by side.

So in this method, we have seen how to open two browser windows side by side and open our Google Docs on each separately to view them side by side.

This method is not limited to the use of any particular browser. I have used the Google Chrome web browser. You may use others like Opera, Safari etc.

Note: You can also open the same Google Docs files in both browsers. This could be useful when you want to see different pages of the same Google Docs file next to each other

Method 2: Using Multiple Browser Windows and Keyboard Shortcuts

If you are on a Windows PC, this step is perhaps the most convenient to use.

You don’t have to fiddle around with the two windows after opening them.

You can simply use keyboard shortcuts to snap the windows side by side. In this case, I am on a Windows 10 PC and using the Google Chrome web browser.

Open your web browser. (In my case it is Google Chrome)

Press the following keys on your keyboard: (Windows Key) + (Right Arrow)
This will snap the window to the right of the screen as shown.

On the browser toolbar, click on the customize button as shown. (This is indicated by the three little dots.)

The following menu will appear.

Click on the New Window button.

A new browser window will appear on top of the previous one as shown.

Press the following keys on you keyboard: (Windows Key) + (Left Arrow)
This will snap the window to the left of the screen as shown.

Window left arrow to align browser window to left

Now you can open your Google Docs in each window separately and view them side by side.

This method is more convenient than the previous method that we covered earlier.

Not only is it faster, it also saves the hassle of having to manipulate the individual windows and have them resize to your liking.

Please note however that this technique works well on a Windows PC and may not work if you are using a Mac or Linux operating system.

Method 3: View Two Google Docs Pages Side by Side Using a Browser Extension

This method makes use of a browser extension called Tab Resize.

It is available on the Chrome Web Store for the Google Chrome Browser. Follow the steps below to install and use the extension for viewing two pages side by side.