Next: Change Window, Previous: Other Window, Up: Windows [Contents][Index]

### 20.4 Displaying in Another Window

`C-x 4` is a prefix key for a variety of commands that switch to a buffer in a different window—either another existing window, or a new window created by splitting the selected window. See Window Choice, for how Emacs picks or creates the window to use.

`C-x 4 b bufname RET`

  Select buffer bufname in another window (`switch-to-buffer-other-window`).

`C-x 4 C-o bufname RET`

  Display buffer bufname in some window, without trying to select it (`display-buffer`). See Displaying Buffers, for details about how the window is chosen.

`C-x 4 f filename RET`

  Visit file filename and select its buffer in another window (`find-file-other-window`). See Visiting.

`C-x 4 d directory RET`

  Select a Dired buffer for directory directory in another window (`dired-other-window`). See Dired.

`C-x 4 m`

  Start composing a mail message, similar to `C-x m` (see Sending Mail), but in another window (`compose-mail-other-window`).

`C-x 4 .`

  Find the definition of an identifier, similar to `M-.` (see Xref), but in another window (`xref-find-definitions-other-window`).

`C-x 4 r filename RET`

  Visit file filename read-only, and select its buffer in another window (`find-file-read-only-other-window`). See Visiting.