How to Use the iPad's Split Screen Feature

By

Updated December 10, 2019

149

Sometimes one app just isn’t enough! The iPad Split View feature allows you to use two apps simultaneously, viewing them side-by-side on your iPad screen.

Multitasking can be a breeze when both apps are visible at the same time, letting you switch back and forth without having to minimize one or relegate it to the background. Take the steps below to utilize iPad Split View.

Split Screen functionality is only available on iPads running iOS 11 or later.

How to Toggle the ‘Allow Multiple Apps’ Setting on and Off

In order to utilize Split View or Slide Over functionality, the Allow Multiple Apps setting must be enabled. Active by default, this setting may have been disabled at some point either manually or by an app.

Take the following steps to ensure that multiple apps are allowed to be viewed simultaneously on your iPad.

Tap General, located on your iPad Home Screen.
The iOS General Settings interface should be displayed. Select Multitasking & Dock.
Locate the Allow Multiple Apps setting, found at the top of the screen. If the button accompanying it is green, then the setting is active. If it’s white, the setting is currently disabled and you’ll need to tap the button once to enable the ability to use Split View or Slide Over features.

How to Do Split Screen on iPad

Once the Multi Apps function is enabled, using the Split Screen view on the iPad is a matter of a few gestures.

At least one of the two apps needs to reside in your iPad Dock in order for Split View to work. If a shortcut to one of these apps is not currently in your Dock, you’ll want to add it there before continuing.

From your iPad Home screen, open the first app you wish to use in split-screen mode. A shortcut to this particular app does not have to be in your Dock.
Slowly swipe up from the bottom of your screen so that the Dock is displayed.
Tap and hold the icon for the second app.
Next, drag the app icon and release it anywhere outside of the Dock.
The second app will be displayed in Slide Over mode, overlaying part of the first app. You’ll notice a dark grey horizontal line at the top of the second app’s window. Tap and drag this line down, letting go when the app window transforms.
Both apps should be visible side-by-side in Split View mode. If you’d like to make both apps the same size on your iPad screen, tap and drag the vertical gray divider found between the two windows, letting go when they have equal screen space.

Not all iPad apps support this split-screen functionality, so your experience may vary if one or both of the apps you are using do not offer Split View mode.
If you’d like to stop working in split-screen at any point, tap and drag the divider until it covers the app you no longer want to see.