Multiple Word windows open at the same time on my macbook?
January 11, 2023 12:46 PM Subscribe
I asked a similar question here some time ago, but the issue wasn't solved, and I just let it go. But now this situation is bugging me again, so I'm trying again.
I used to be able to have multiple windows open on my macbook at the same time -- an open internet window, several Word documents, all stacked on top of each other, overlapping. Then at some point, this stopped being possible. I can have multiple internet windows on my desktop, but I can't have the internet AND a Word doc on my desktop at the same time. Nor can I have multiple Word docs on the desktop at the same time. Instead, one is whisked away if I click on another that's down in the dock. Did something just change in Word and the old way is simply no longer possible?
I used to be able to have multiple windows open on my macbook at the same time -- an open internet window, several Word documents, all stacked on top of each other, overlapping. Then at some point, this stopped being possible. I can have multiple internet windows on my desktop, but I can't have the internet AND a Word doc on my desktop at the same time. Nor can I have multiple Word docs on the desktop at the same time. Instead, one is whisked away if I click on another that's down in the dock. Did something just change in Word and the old way is simply no longer possible?
Seconding that this is likely due to Stage Manager. You can view a second window on your screen by dragging it from the stage manager dock next to your current window. Or you can turn off Stage Manager altogether from the toolbar. It is rather opinionated.
posted by jknx at 2:39 PM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by jknx at 2:39 PM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the replies. It sounds like you know what I'm talking about, and "stage manage" sounds exactly like what this is. But I'm not seeing "stage manager" anywhere, and I don't see an option to "group windows by application" either. I'm working in Mojave and I haven't updated in quite some time because I don't have disc space (for opaque reasons I don't understand) so maybe I don't HAVE stage manager. Might it be called something else?
posted by swheatie at 7:16 AM on January 12, 2023
posted by swheatie at 7:16 AM on January 12, 2023
Okay, on my computer it's called Mission Control. I unchecked some boxes, and this seems to have solved the problem. Thank you!
posted by swheatie at 7:20 AM on January 12, 2023
posted by swheatie at 7:20 AM on January 12, 2023
Are you running the applications in full screen mode, by clicking the the green button in the top left corner? If so, you won't be able to overlap windows in the way you are describing.
To turn off full screen mode, move your mouse cursor to the top of the screen and you'll see the top bar appear. Click the green button in the top left corner again and the application will switch out from full screen mode, allowing you to have overlapping windows.
posted by kaefer at 10:21 AM on January 12, 2023
To turn off full screen mode, move your mouse cursor to the top of the screen and you'll see the top bar appear. Click the green button in the top left corner again and the application will switch out from full screen mode, allowing you to have overlapping windows.
posted by kaefer at 10:21 AM on January 12, 2023
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NB: I haven't messed with this myself recently, and I got the idea for that setting from this Macworld article.
posted by implied_otter at 12:57 PM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]