16.2 Splitting Windows

C-x 2

Split the selected window into two windows, one above the other (split-window-vertically).

C-x 3

Split the selected window into two windows positioned side by side (split-window-horizontally).

C-x 6

Save the current window configuration in register reg (a letter).

C-x 7

Restore (make current) the window configuration in register reg (a letter). Use with a register previously set with C-x 6.

The command C-x 2 (split-window-vertically) breaks the selected window into two windows, one above the other. Both windows start out displaying the same buffer, with the same value of point. By default each of the two windows gets half the height of the window that was split. A numeric argument specifies how many lines to give to the top window.

C-x 3 (split-window-horizontally) breaks the selected window into two side-by-side windows. A numeric argument specifies how many columns to give the one on the left. A line of vertical bars separates the two windows. Windows that are not the full width of the frame have truncated mode lines which do not always appear in inverse video, because Emacs display routines cannot display a region of inverse video that is only part of a line on the screen.

When a window is less than the full width, many text lines are too long to fit. Continuing all those lines might be confusing. Set the variable truncate-partial-width-windows to non-nil to force truncation in all windows less than the full width of the frame, independent of the buffer and its value for truncate-lines. See Continuation Lines.

Horizontal scrolling is often used in side-by-side windows. See Display.

You can resize a window and store that configuration in a register by supplying a register argument to window-configuration-to-register (C-x 6). To return to the window configuration established with window-configuration-to-register, use jump-to-register (C-x j).