How to split an ultrawide monitor into separate sections on Windows

An ultrawide monitor is really several monitors’ worth of space that Windows treats as one screen. Left alone, apps sprawl across the whole panel and fullscreen anything swallows all of it. Here are four ways to split an ultrawide into sections on Windows, from simplest to most capable.

1. Windows Snap Layouts (built in)

On Windows 11, hover the mouse over any window’s maximize button and wait half a second — a grid of layout options appears. Pick a two-, three-, or four-pane layout and the window snaps into that region. You can also drag a window’s title bar to a screen edge, or use Win + arrow keys.

Good for: quick, occasional tiling with no install. Limitation: fixed layouts, and it won’t keep a fullscreen app in a section.

2. PowerToys FancyZones

Microsoft’s free PowerToys includes FancyZones, which lets you draw custom zones — three columns across an ultrawide is a common starting point. Hold Shift while dragging a window to drop it into a zone.

Good for: custom windowed layouts. Limitation: FancyZones ignores native-fullscreen apps and games by design — they still cover the whole monitor.

3. Virtual-monitor / display software

Tools like DisplayFusion or a virtual-display driver can make your ultrawide behave like two or more monitors that Windows recognizes individually, so even fullscreen apps land on a “section.” Some monitors also offer hardware Picture-by-Picture (PbP).

Good for: true separate-monitor behavior. Limitation: heavier tools, and driver-based options add software to your graphics stack.

4. VirtualZones (zones + fullscreen confinement, no driver)

VirtualZones splits the panel into zones that behave like separate monitors, and — crucially — keeps fullscreen and maximized apps inside their zone instead of taking over the whole display. It’s a single ~180 KB native exe with no driver, no runtime, and no install.

On a 49″ 32:9 panel (5120×1440), the default 25% / 50% / 25% layout gives you three real monitors: a 1280×1440 left column, a clean 2560×1440 “2K” center, and a 1280×1440 right column. Fullscreen a call in the center and it fills exactly the center.

Which should you use?

For most people who want their ultrawide to feel like a triple-monitor setup — including for fullscreen video calls and presentations — the zone approach is the sweet spot. Download VirtualZones free for 7 days and try the 25/50/25 layout, or read getting started.