How to use slide over multitasking on your iPad

Ever wish your could quickly access another app without having to switch away from the app you're already using? With slide over, you can!

Slide over is part of the new multi-app multitasking features for iPad in iOS 9. With slide over you can briefly access a secondary app to jot down a few notes, reply to a few messages, or check a few references, all without having to switch away from what you're doing in your primary app.

Slide over compatibility

Because picture-in-picture needs to run the video on top of another app, it requires the a 64-bit Apple A7 processor or better. That means:

  • iPad Pro
  • iPad Air 2
  • iPad Air
  • iPad mini 4
  • iPad mini 3
  • iPad mini 2

How to enter slide over mode

Entering slide over mode is as easy as bringing up notification center or control center, you just need to know where to swipe.

  1. Touch one finger down on the bezel just past the right edge of your screen.
  2. Swipe your finger to the left to pull out the slide over sidebar.


If you've never used slide over before, or if its been long enough since someone else used slide over that it doesn't have a recent app already loaded, you'll need to choose which app you want to fill the sidebar.

  1. Swipe down to scroll through the list of available apps. They're presented as tiles with app icons in the center.
  2. Tap on the app you want to use in slide over.


The primary (full screen) app you were using will dim and the slide over sidebar will overlay on top of it. You won't be able to use both apps at the same time—that's what split view is for—or use the primary app again until you dismiss the slide over.

How to switch the slide over app

Not all apps work in slide over; developers have to add support for it. If, like the vast majority of Apple's apps, the app you want to use does work in slide over, it's easy to switch to.

  1. Touch one finger down on the gripper at the very top of the slide over sidebar.
  2. Swipe down to bring back the app switcher.
  3. Swipe down to scroll through the list of available apps.
  4. Tap on the app you want to use in slide over.


How to exit slide over mode

Getting out of slide over mode is even easier than getting in.

  1. Touch one finger down on the slide over sidebar and swipe it away to the right.
  2. Or, tap anywhere outside the slide over sidebar and it'll swipe itself away.











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