The modern pace of life requires us to constantly multitask, and the capabilities of mobile operating systems are steadily growing to meet these demands. The split-screen function, or Split Screen, turns your smartphone into a powerful tool for working with several apps simultaneously. Instead of endlessly switching between tabs, losing context and wasting precious time, you can see the chat in the messenger and browse the web page or watch a video while responding to messages. This is especially true for owners of devices with large diagonals, where the display area allows you to comfortably place two active windows without compromising the readability of the content.
However, despite the popularity of the function, many users still do not know exactly how to activate this mode on their specific device. The implementation of multi-windows may differ significantly depending on the gadget manufacturer and operating system version Android. While Google's "pure" process is intuitive and standardized, giants such as Google often implement their own shells with unique gestures and settings. Understanding these differences is critical to effectively using your smartphone at full performance. Android from Google the process is intuitive and standardized, giants such as Samsung, Xiaomi or Huawei, often implement their own shells with unique gestures and settings. Understanding these differences is critical to effectively using your smartphone at full performance.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the ways to activate split screen, from standard methods to advanced settings for developers. We'll also look at common problems that users encounter and explain why some apps simply refuse to work in this mode. Get ready to turn your phone into a real task management center, where everything you need is right in front of your eyes.
Standard activation method through the recent applications menu
The most common and universal way to launch two applications at the same time is using the recent tasks menu. This method works on the vast majority of devices running Android 7.0 Nougat and higher, regardless of the installed shell. To begin, open the first app you want to use from the top or left side of the screen. This could be a browser, an email client, or any other tool that requires your attention.
Once the application is launched, you need to go to the multitasking menu. On smartphones with classic navigation (three buttons at the bottom of the screen), to do this, you need to press the button with a square image located to the left of the “Home” button. If you are using a modern one, then you should swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold your finger in the center of the display for a split second until a list of open windows appears. gesture navigation, then you should swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold your finger in the center of the display for a split second until a list of open windows appears.
In the list that opens, find the card of the desired application. Depending on your device model, the next steps may vary. On many phones, you just need to press and hold the application icon at the top of the card. On other models, especially with custom skins, a special icon in the form of two rectangles or a logo of the application itself may appear next to the application name, which, when clicked, will open a context menu.
In the menu that appears, select the item Split Screen (or Split screen). After this, the selected application will “stick” to the upper half of the display, and the lower part will be free to select a second app. The system will prompt you to select a second application from the list of recently used ones or from the complete list of all installed apps. As soon as you click on the second application, the screen will split into two equal parts and both processes will begin to run in parallel.
⚠️ Note: Some applications, especially DRM-protected games and video players, may not support split screen mode. In this case, the system either will not show the corresponding button or will display a notification that the application does not support multi-windows.
Features of working in the Samsung One UI and Xiaomi MIUI shells
Large smartphone manufacturers often modify the standard behavior Android, adding their own features to improve the user experience. Owners of devices Samsung with a shell One UI have access to advanced multitasking capabilities. In addition to the standard split screen, there is a pop-up window feature that allows you to launch applications in floating mode on top of other apps. This gives even more flexibility in managing screen space.
You can use the gesture panel to activate split screen on Samsung . Swipe up and hold to open recent apps, then tap the app icon at the top of the card and select Open in split screen mode. There's also a handy shortcut in the notification bar called Pop-up viewthat instantly turns the active app into a floating window. You can resize this window by dragging its corners and place it on any part of the display.
Devices Xiaomi with shell MIUI or new HyperOS offer their own a unique approach to multitasking. This often uses a combination of gestures and additional buttons in the recent tasks interface. In some firmware versions, you need to swipe down on the application card in the recent tasks menu to see the window control buttons. Also in the settings MIUI you can activate the “Sidebar” function, which allows you to quickly drag and drop applications into split-screen mode directly from the running app.
It is important to note that on smartphones Xiaomi with a small screen, the split-screen function may be limited or not work correctly with some applications due to the lack of physical space to display the interface. In such cases, the system may force applications to launch one after another, ignoring the split request. Check the settings under Advanced settings → Multi-window modeto make sure the feature is active.
On Samsung devices, you can pin an app in split-screen mode by tapping the three dots between the windows and selecting the lock icon. This will prevent you from accidentally closing an important application, such as a navigator or video call.
Using gestures and the sidebar for quick access
For those who value speed and efficiency, manufacturers have provided alternative methods for launching multi-window mode that do not require a deep dive into the menu. One of these tools is the sidebar, which is often found on Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivodevices. This panel is a narrow strip on the edge of the screen, hidden in normal mode, but appears with a special swipe.
To use the side panel, you first need to configure it in the system settings. Typically the path looks like this: Settings → Display → Sidebar (names may vary depending on the model). In this menu, you can choose which applications will appear in quick access. After setting up, simply swipe from the edge of the screen to the panel area, select the desired application and drag it to a free space on the screen.
The system will automatically recognize the action and divide the display into two parts: in one the current application will remain, and in the other the selected one from the panel will open. This is an ideal scenario for situations where you need to quickly check a calculator, notes or instant messenger without interrupting your main activity. Some shells allow you to adjust the transparency of the panel and its position (left or right), which makes use even more comfortable.
In addition, on some devices with stylus support, such as the series Samsung Galaxy Note or Tab S, you can use functions S Pen to create pop-up windows. Selecting an area of the screen or using special Air Command menu commands allows you to instantly launch an application in floating mode. This creates the feeling of working on a full-fledged computer, where windows can be arranged in any order.
☑️ Setting up the sidebar
Adjusting window size and switching between applications
Once you have successfully launched two applications, you have full control over the distribution of screen space. Between the two windows is a dividing strip, often with a small dot or handle in the center. By dragging this bar up or down (or left and right in landscape mode), you can change the proportions of the area occupied. This is useful when one application requires more attention, such as when reading a document, while the second serves only as a reference.
If you want to temporarily hide one of the applications without closing it, you can use the minimize function. On many devices, when you press the center splitter button, a menu appears with the option to minimize the application to a floating window or hide it completely, leaving only one app on the screen. A minimized application can be easily restored by clicking on its icon, which usually appears at the bottom of the screen or in a special dock.
Switching between viewing modes is also available through system settings. In landscape orientation, some phones offer to place applications not on top of each other, but next to each other, which is especially convenient on tablets and devices with wide screens, such as Samsung Galaxy Fold or Pixel Fold. In this case, the dividing line becomes vertical, and you can adjust the width of each window independently.
To exit split-screen mode, simply drag the dividing line to the very edge of the display. The active window to which you moved the line will take up the entire screen, and the second application will be closed or minimized to the background. You can also simply close one of the applications in the standard way by clicking on the cross in its title (if available) or through the recent tasks menu.
| Action | Result | Control device |
|---|---|---|
| Drag the separator | Change window size | Finger / Stylus |
| Click on the separator | Control menu (collapse/close) | Short press |
| Swipe the separator to the edge | Exit mode (single application) | Long dragging |
| Click on the icon of a minimized application | Restoring the window | Touching the icon |
Advanced settings through the developer menu
If standard methods do not give the desired result or you want to force applications that do not officially support this function to work in split-screen mode, you can turn to the hidden system settings. The developer menu Android provides access to options that are usually hidden from the average user. However, it is worth remembering that changing these settings may affect the stability of some apps.
First, you need to activate developer mode. Go to Settings → About phone and find the item Build number. Quickly click on it 7 times in a row until a notification appears indicating that you have become a developer. After this, a new section will appear in the main settings menu For developers.
Inside this section, find a category related to multitasking or displaying applications. We are interested in the option called Force multi-window mode (Force activities to be resizable). Enabling this switch causes the system to attempt to run any application in split-screen mode, even if the application developer has not declared such support. This may be useful for older apps or specific utilities.
You can also find settings for the minimum screen width (Smallest width) in the developers menu. Changing this value can trick the application into thinking it is running on a tablet, which often automatically enables multi-window support. Be careful when changing these parameters: too large values can make the interface unreadable, and too small values can break the application layout.
Risks of using the developer menu
Enabling the forced mode can lead to incorrect display of the application interface, crashes or unstable operation of the system. If an app behaves strangely, disable this feature and restart your device.
Resolving common compatibility issues and limitations
Despite best efforts, users may encounter a situation where split screen does not work or does not work as expected. One of the most common reasons is lack of support from the application itself. app developers can explicitly prohibit running in multi-window mode if their interface is not adapted for small screen areas or if this contradicts the logic of the service (for example, some banking applications or games with full immersion).
Another common problem is related to the lack of RAM. Split screen mode requires the simultaneous operation of two active processes, which significantly increases the load on RAM. On budget smartphones with 2-3 GB of RAM, the system can automatically close one of the applications when switching or prevent the second window from launching at all to avoid the device freezing. In such cases, it is recommended to close unnecessary background apps before activating multitasking.
It is also worth considering the screen orientation. Some apps are locked into portrait or landscape mode. If you try to split the screen with such an application, the system may block the rotation of the second window or require you to change the orientation of the entire device. This may create inconvenience when watching videos or working with documents that require a certain screen position.
⚠️ Attention: Interfaces and names of settings may differ depending on the version of Android and the specific smartphone model. If you do not find the described option, use the search inside the settings menu for “split screen” or “multi-window”.
Sometimes the problem lies in system errors or the launcher cache. If a feature suddenly stops working on a device where it was previously functioning properly, try clearing the Settings app cache or restarting your smartphone. In rare cases, resetting the interface settings helps, but this is an extreme measure that should be resorted to only after checking all other options.
If the application does not support split screen using standard methods, using the developer menu can help, but does not guarantee stable operation and correct display of the interface.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to run more than two applications at the same time?
The standard split-screen mode allows you to work with only two applications at the same time, located on top of each other or next to each other. However, on some devices (like Samsung), you can combine split screen with floating windows, which theoretically allows you to run a third or even a fourth app as small windows on top of the main two. But usually only two main windows remain active for entering data.
Why does the split-screen button not appear in the recent tasks menu?
This can happen for several reasons: the application does not support multi-window mode, the device has this function blocked in the settings, or there is insufficient RAM. Also check to see if Do Not Disturb mode or special power saving modes are activated, which may limit background activity.
Does split screen affect battery consumption?
Yes, running two active applications at the same time significantly increases the load on the processor and screen, which leads to faster battery drain. Screen brightness also plays an important role, as the backlight works at full power to ensure readability of content in smaller windows.
Is it possible to drag files between applications in this mode?
In the standard version of Android, this function is limited. However, some devices with advanced shells (for example, Samsung DeX or tablets) provide the ability to drag images and text between windows. To fully work with files, the use of third-party file managers or cloud services is most often required.