How to disable split screen in windows 8/8.1

I get you, but there's no distinction in the system: it treats those just the same as regular windows and lets the user arrange them, and there's no setting that's ever existed to disable movement of windows.  It may look a little different (no border), but it treats it the same: as far as operating system is concerned it's still just a window, free to be moved or positioned. I 'm not defending it, just saying that's how it is built.  The best I can offer is, "if you don't want to split, don't do it."  You should never see the split you show above unless you intentionally do it.  Sorry I don't have any better advice.

If you're curious about what functions you can control via policy, here's a full list of all possibility controls. If you are controlling a PC without GPEDIT, this also includes the registry location of the setting.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/F/B/8FBD2E85-8852-45EC-8465-92756EBD9365/WindowsServer2012R2andWindows8.1GroupPolicySettings.xlsx

Thank you for your thorough and prompt response. I accept that this functionality cannot be disabled.

I still recommend you be clearer in your response considering Windows 8 does NOT treat the split screen windows the same as regular desktop applications. You can only resize them horizontally and in proportion to one another. They cannot be moved in any way, or re-sized vertically. Nor can you switch between them in the traditional sense. Nor can they overlap.

In fact the interface is nothing like working with applications on your desktop. So what you are saying makes no sense and is confusing to anyone who owns a windows 8 machine. How can you even compare the split screen to working with regular applications? That's like saying the split screen functionality on an Android phone is exactlylike working with applications on your desktop. When it obviously isn't..

Anyways....

Thanks for getting back to me.

I just read this whole thread, and am more confused now than ever.  I am a personal user, with a Surface RT that has been upgraded to 8.1.  I would like to know how to shut off the darn thing going to a split screen when I am going from one page to another.  The only way to get the full screen back is to restart.  For example, I was in my NetFlix app and had forgotten my password.  I clicked forgot password, and it splits the screen to open IE.  That is fine and I understand that, but then how do I go back to full screen to view my app?  

Also, how do I change IE from being the default to Chrome?

Thank you!

Alicia

You can drag the divider to change the size of the split screen programs, or drag it all the way to the edge to get rid of one side entirely.

Setting Chrome to default can be done in the PC Settings app. Easy way to get there: Press +W, type "default" into the search box and choose the Default Apps search result and pick Chrome from the list:

OK guys now HOW TO GET WINDOWS FOR WINDOWS 8.1 ?

Bypassing metro modern ui doesn't fix the split screen and for sure cannot be used with any apps but microsoft metro so what is usefull to get an half screen when using 2 displays huh ?

To split a 5 inchs mobile maybe ?

(tried split with desktop + notepad = useless)

Did you mention to install a virtual machine and get a serial for windows 7 or xp ^^