How to Use Split Screen on iPad or Android Tablet

Use two apps side by side on your iPad or Android tablet — perfect for reading while taking notes or watching a video while browsing.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.On iPad: open the first app
2.On iPad: choose Split View
3.On Android: open Recent Apps
4.On Android: pick the second app
5.Adjust the divider or exit split screen

On iPad: open the first app

~15s

Open the first app you want to use — for example, Safari. Tap the three-dot button at the top center of the screen to see multitasking options.

On iPad: choose Split View

~15s

Tap the "Split View" icon (it looks like two rectangles side by side). The app will slide to one side of the screen. The Home Screen or App Library will appear — tap the second app you want to open.

On Android: open Recent Apps

~16s

On your Android tablet, tap the Recent Apps button — usually a square icon at the bottom of the screen. Find the app you want in split screen, then tap the icon at the top of that app card and select "Open in split screen view."

On Android: pick the second app

~15s

After the first app moves to the top half of the screen, your recent apps or home screen appears in the bottom half. Tap the second app you want to use. Both apps are now visible at the same time.

Adjust the divider or exit split screen

~17s

Drag the divider bar (the line between the two apps) left or right to give one app more space. To exit split screen on iPad, drag the divider all the way to one edge. On Android, drag it all the way to the top or bottom.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Use Split Screen on iPad or Android Tablet

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Split screen lets you see two apps at the same time on your tablet — one on the left half and one on the right. This is useful when you want to look something up in a browser while writing notes, or when you want to watch a video while keeping an email open. The exact steps are different on iPad versus Android tablets.

On an iPad (iPadOS 16 and newer), Apple calls this feature "Split View." On Android tablets, the feature is usually called "Split Screen" and works through the Recent Apps button. Not every app supports split screen, but most built-in apps and popular apps like Chrome, Gmail, and Netflix do.

Tablet screens are wide enough that split screen actually feels comfortable — both apps have enough room to be readable, especially if you hold the tablet sideways in landscape mode.

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