How to Use Two Apps Side by Side on iPad

iPad can show two apps at the same time using Split View — read an email while browsing the web, or take notes while watching a video.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Open the first app you want to use
2.Tap the three-dot menu at the top
3.Tap the Split View icon
4.Open the second app
5.Adjust the divider or close Split View

Open the first app you want to use

~15s

Open any app — for example, your email. It will open full screen as normal.

Tap the three-dot menu at the top

~20s

At the very top center of the screen, tap the three dots (•••). A small menu appears with three layout icons: full screen, Split View, and Slide Over.

Quick Tip

If you do not see the three dots, try scrolling to the very top of the app or tapping the top of the screen once to show the interface controls.

Tap the Split View icon

~15s

The Split View icon looks like two rectangles side by side. Tap it. Your current app will slide to one side and the Home Screen appears, waiting for you to choose the second app.

Open the second app

~15s

Tap the second app you want to use from the Home Screen or App Library. It opens on the other half of the screen.

Adjust the divider or close Split View

~15s

Drag the black divider bar between apps left or right to resize them. To exit Split View, drag the divider all the way to one edge, or tap the three dots on one app and choose full screen.

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One of the most useful features on iPad is the ability to show two apps at the same time, side by side. Apple calls this Split View. It lets you read an email while browsing, look up a recipe while writing a shopping list, or watch a video while taking notes — all without switching back and forth.

Split View works on iPad Air (2nd generation and later), iPad Pro, iPad mini (5th generation and later), and iPad (5th generation and later), running iPadOS 15 or newer.

You can also use Slide Over, which places a second app in a floating window on top of the first. This is useful for quick tasks like checking a message without fully switching apps.

Multitasking on iPad has a learning curve, but once you use it a few times it becomes second nature. The key tool is the three-dot menu at the top center of every app — tapping it reveals Split View, Slide Over, and full screen options.

Split View works well for tasks that benefit from seeing two things at once. Some people use it to compare documents, reference a website while writing, or keep a calendar visible while replying to emails.

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