Hey there! Have you ever wanted to watch a YouTube tutorial while following along in the demonstrated app? Or perhaps reference a webpage while typing notes about it in another window? Well soon you‘ll be doing both with ease using Android‘s split screen superpower.
Split screening allows you to multitask like a pro by displaying two active apps simultaneously side-by-side on your Android device. This versatile feature has become increasingly pivotal over the years as mobile users juggle more tasks across their personal and professional lives.
Let‘s discuss exactly why split view can be so useful and how you can enable it to boost your productivity or entertainment right from your phone or tablet. I‘ll even break down the simple taps to activate split screen on any Android version. By the end, utilizing two apps at once will feel like second nature!
The Rise of Split Screen Need
Split screen has become a heavily demanded and used Android capability over the past 5+ years. But what‘s driving adoption of this feature?
Several factors play a role:
- Multitasking necessity – With work and personal activities intertwined through mobile devices, the ability to reference multiple sources at once via split view has become pivotal.
- Productivity expectations – Employees and students are under increasing pressure to accomplish more in less time. Streamlining workflows with split screening helps speed up research and assignments.
- Ease of use developments – As Android continues evolving its interface and gestures, split screen activation has become more seamless across devices and OS versions.
Research on the effectiveness of app split view paints a compelling case as well.
- A 2019 research paper on multi window capabilities found a 32% faster completion time for tasks requiring data transfer between apps versus toggling full screen views.
- When watching a tutorial video, participants following along in a split screen view app correctly completed steps 16% faster than full screening as per a 2020 study.
With both user demand and measurable productivity improvements, split screen powers make sense for today‘s high-functioning mobile toys…I mean tools!
Now that you know why split screening rocks, let‘s get into how to start sliding those app windows side-by-side!
Android Version Support
Nearly all modern Android devices have split view baked in natively across the operating system. Specifically, you can split screen apps on:
- Android 7+ (Nougat) – released 2016
- Android 12
- Android 13
The little green Android dude keeps improving the feature too with each OS iteration. But even if your phone or tablet is a few years old running Android 7, you can still leverage split screen like a pro.
Let‘s break down exactly how to activate it on both the simplified latest Android 13 as well as older versions…
Split Screen on Android 13
Thanks to Android 13‘s increased automation, activating split screen mode only takes a few taps:
Step 1: Open Both Apps
First, open the two apps you want to use in split screen:
- Open 1st app – Scroll up to your Apps screen and tap the first desired app. Once open, exit back to your home screen.
- Open 2nd app – Repeat this process for the second app you want in split view.
This leaves both apps prepped in the background.
 | Open both target apps first to have ready for split screening |
Step 2: Locate Open Apps
Next access your recent apps menu by tapping the icon on the bottom toolbar that looks like 3 vertical lines.
| This handy menu displays thumbnail previews all your currently open apps! |  |
Locate the two apps you want to split screen in this view.
Step 3: Tap & Hold 1st App
Now simply press and hold your finger down on the first app‘s icon at the top of its preview. This will automatically pop it open into split screen view occupying the left half.
 | Tap and hold an app’s icon to split screen it |
See how the screen is already splitting itself? Love when technology pulls its own weight!
Step 4: Tap 2nd App
With your first app split screened on the left, just tap anywhere on second app‘s preview. Android will automatically snap it into the right half side-by-side with the first app!
 | Then select second app to auto fill split screen |
You now have two fully interactive apps for all your multitasking needs!
Step 5: Open More Screens
This same process allows you to split a third (or fourth 😜) app as well for triple multitasking power!
While already split screening, return to your recents menu. Then tap and hold another app icon to split it. Android 13 will create an additional split view segment for that third party app.
And that‘s all it takes – split screening on Android 13 is stupid simple thanks to the automation assist.
But what if you have an older Android version? Let‘s talk about how to split view on those next…
Split Screen Apps on Android 7 to 12
The split screen activation process remains straight-forward on Android 7 through 12 devices, it just involves a couple extra selection steps compared to newest Android.
Here is how you do it:
Step 1: Open & Hold 1st App
Open both your desired apps to have ready in the background. Then enter recents and long-press and hold on the first app you want split screened.
This summons a pop-up menu. Select Split screen to slap that app into split view.
| Older Android versions require manually selecting split view |  |
See how it loads visually showing the impending split?
Step 2: Select 2nd App
Unlike Android 13, opening just one app doesn‘t yet split view them. So from recents, tap your second target app. Now the split screening magic happens!
This automatically snaps your chosen apps side-by-side. Much like newer Androids but with an extra click or two.
Step 3. Close or Swap Apps
Want to return app to full screen? Select its half window, then tap Back button. This closes just that app while keeping the other split screened.
To replace closed app with a new one, tap the "Split screen apps" button that temporarily replaces standard Recents button during split view. Then select your third app to fill vacant split.
Step 4. Escape Split View
All finished multitasking? Select either remaining split app and Back out of it first. Then tap scram X icon above last app to close split view entirely.
And that‘s all it takes! Just a couple extra taps compared to Android 13.
Key Android 13 Split Screen Perks
While even earlier Androids can split screen apps with ease, Android 13 aims to streamline the process even further with bonus automations like:
|  |
These little automations really maximize efficiency allowing you to swiftly enter, utilize, and close split view with minimal effort.
Get Split Screening!
Hopefully this guide served as your trusty co-pilot to activate Android‘s awesome built-in split screen capabilities.
No matter which Android version your phone or tablet is running, you can now easily view two apps simultaneously. This unlocks way smarter mobile multitasking!
Feel free to hit me up in the comments if you have any other split screen questions. Until next time, happy streaming, researching, working, and playing in double time!
