Work with document tabs

Open documents from the sidebar to work with them in tabs. Switch between tabs to return to a document without navigating the library again.

On desktop, you can split the editor into two panes. Each pane has its own tabs. Sidebar selections and editing commands apply to the focused pane.

Split is not available on phone layouts. Focus writing is available when you are using a single pane.

1. Open at least one document in a tab.
2. Right-click the tab for the document you want to open beside the current one.
3. Choose Open beside.
4. Drag the divider between panes to resize them.

Drag a document tab from one pane to the other, or open the tab’s context menu and choose Move to other pane.

A document can only be open in one pane at a time. Selecting a document that is already open in the other pane focuses that pane instead of opening a second copy.

Use the close control on the secondary pane to collapse the split. Those tabs return to the primary working set. Closing the last tab in the secondary pane also collapses the split.

Closing a tab still only removes it from your working set. It does not delete, archive, or move the document in your library.

Closing a tab only removes it from your working set. It does not delete, archive, or move the document. Open the document from your library when you need it again.

1. Find the tab for the document you want to close.
2. Choose its close button.
3. To return to it, open the document from the sidebar or search.

Each library has its own working set, including any split panes and divider position on this device. Switching libraries changes the documents available in the sidebar and the tabs associated with that library.

Open Settings → Documents and use Restore tabs on launch to choose whether Ligature reopens your working set when it starts. Restored tabs and split panes only include documents that still exist in the active library.