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    How to Use iPad Multitasking: Split View and Slide Over

    iPads can run two apps side by side — great for referencing a recipe while watching a video, or reading email while on a call.

    4 min read 5 stepsApril 20, 2026Verified April 2026
    1

    Open your first app

    ~15s
    Open any app you want to use as your primary app. For example, open Safari to browse a website or Mail to read your email. This will be the app that fills one half of the screen.
    2

    Drag a second app from the Dock

    ~30s
    Swipe up slowly from the bottom of the screen to reveal the Dock. Tap and hold an app icon in the Dock until it lifts slightly. Without releasing, drag it to the far left or right edge of the screen. When a dark shaded panel appears on that side, let go. The second app opens in Split View.

    Quick Tip

    If the app you want isn't in your Dock, first add it to the Dock: open the Home Screen, press and hold the app icon, drag it down to the Dock, then release.

    3

    Resize the split between the two apps

    ~17s
    A thin vertical divider appears between the two apps. Drag this divider left or right to give more screen space to either app. Most people prefer a roughly 50/50 split, but a 30/70 split works well when one app (like a map or video) needs more space.
    4

    Try Slide Over for a floating app panel

    ~21s
    Slide Over works similarly to Split View, but instead of dividing the screen evenly, the second app appears as a floating narrow panel. To activate Slide Over, drag an app from the Dock to the middle of the screen — it lands as a hovering panel instead of splitting the screen. Swipe the panel to the edge to hide it temporarily.
    5

    Close Split View

    ~17s
    To return to a single app, drag the center divider all the way to one edge of the screen. The app on that side disappears and the remaining app expands to fill the full screen. Alternatively, swipe up from the bottom to go to the Home Screen, then reopen just one app.

    You Did It!

    You've completed: How to Use iPad Multitasking: Split View and Slide Over

    Need more help? Get Expert Help from a TekSure Tech

    One of the biggest advantages an iPad has over a phone is the ability to run two apps side by side on the same screen. Instead of switching back and forth between an app and a recipe, or jumping between a map and a messages app, you can see both at the same time. Apple calls these features Split View and Slide Over.

    Split View divides the iPad screen into two panels, each showing a different app. You can resize the split by dragging the divider in the middle — giving one app more screen space than the other. Both apps remain fully active, so you can interact with either one at any time.

    To set up Split View, start with one app open. Swipe up slowly from the bottom of the screen to reveal the Dock (the row of app icons at the bottom). Tap and hold an app icon in the Dock, then drag it toward the left or right edge of the screen without releasing. When a dark panel appears on that side, release the icon. Both apps are now visible simultaneously.

    Slide Over is similar but the second app appears as a floating panel on top of the main app, rather than splitting the screen equally. You can slide this panel to either side of the screen and it stays out of the way until you need it. This is useful for quick tasks like checking a message or looking up a word without fully leaving what you're doing.

    Some iPads also support Stage Manager, introduced in iPadOS 16. Stage Manager allows up to four apps to be arranged on screen simultaneously in overlapping windows, more like a Mac. This feature is available on iPad Pro models with M1 chip or later, and iPad Air M1 and later.

    A practical example of using Split View: open the Notes app and Safari side by side. Browse a recipe in Safari and type your shopping list into Notes simultaneously. Or open Mail on one side and Calendar on the other to schedule a meeting while reading the relevant email.

    To close Split View, drag the divider all the way to the left or right edge — the app on that side closes and the remaining app fills the screen.

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    Official Resources

    Apple Support — iPhoneGoogle Help — AndroidSamsung Support

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    How to Use iPad Multitasking: Split View and Slide Over — Step-by-Step Guide | TekSure