How to use split view multitasking on your iPad
- nov
- 04
Want to use two apps on your iPad, side-by-side, at the same time? With split view, you can!
Split view lets you keep two apps visible and active, side-by-side, at the same time. It's not full-on multi-window multitasking like the Mac, but it's twice what was possible previously with full-screen apps. It's a huge boost to productivity, and it's easy to use.
Split view compatibility
Because split view needs to run two apps at the same time, it requires twice as much memory in to run them properly. That means it requires:
- iPad Pro
- iPad Air 2
- iPad mini 4
How to enter split view mode
Before you can enter split view mode, you need to enter slide over mode. Once you're in slide over, you're only a tap away from split view.
- Touch one finger down on the bezel just past the right edge of your screen.
- Swipe your finger to the left to pull out the slide over sidebar.
- Tap the grabber on the left edge of the slide over sidebar to switch to split view.
The secondary app will pin down and the primary app will reactivate and resize to fit beside it.
How to resize the split view
In portrait orientation you only have one option for split view—60/40. In landscape orientation, however, you can switch from 70/30 to an even 50/50.
- Touch the grabber button at the left edge of the secondary app.
- Drag it the grabber to the left until it reaches the middle of the screen.
- Let go of the grabber.
You can't go to 30/70, but you can return to 70/30 by touch the grabber and dragging back.
How to switch the primary (left) app
To change the primary app—the app on the left—you use the typical iPad app-switching methods.
- Click the Home button to return to the Home screen and select another app
- Double-click the Home button to bring up the fast app switcher and select another app
- Use the four-finger gesture navigation to swipe back or forth between apps
- Tap on a link that opens another app.
Whatever the method, the newly launched app will replace the primary app—the left app—in the split screen setup.
How to switch the secondary (right) app
To change the secondary app—the app on the right—you use the same method as slide over mode.
- Touch one finger down on the gripper at the very top of the secondary app.
- Swipe down to bring down the app switcher.
- Swipe to scroll through the list of available apps.
- Tap on the app you want to use as the secondary app.
How to exit split view mode
You can exit split screen mode at any time by making either the primary or secondary app full-screen.
- Touch the grabber button at the left edge of the secondary app.
- Drag it the grabber all the way to the right to take the primary app full-screen.
- Or, drag the grabber all the way to the left to take the secondary app full-screen.
You can then pull a new app into slide over and tap it to return to split view whenever you want.
