How to open a second window of the same app on a Mac

⌘ N opens a new window in most apps, but not all. Other ways in from the Dock and menus, apps that only allow one window, and keeping both windows in view.

Guide · Updated 13 October 2026

In most apps, ⌘ N opens a new window. In browsers it is a new browser window; in Finder, a new Finder window; in Pages or Word, a new document.

Other ways

  • File menu: look for New Window. Some apps put it under Window instead.
  • The Dock: right click the app's icon. Many apps show New Window there, even when the app is in the background.
  • A second view of the same document: Window, New Window in apps that support it (Excel and Word, for example) opens the same file twice, so you can see two parts of it.
  • Tabs into windows: drag a tab out of the tab bar to make it its own window.

Some apps, such as System Settings, only ever have one window. ⌘ N does nothing there.

Switching between them

⌘ ` (the key above Tab) cycles through the windows of the front app. See switching between windows for more.

Keeping both in view

Two windows of one app tend to land on top of each other. ClutterFreeMac puts each new window in its own column beside the last, so the second window is never hiding the first; swipe or press ⌃ ⌥ ← and → to move between them.

Questions

How do I open two windows of the same app on Mac?

Press ⌘ N in the app, choose File or Window, New Window, or right click the app in the Dock and choose New Window.

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