There are multiple occasions when you need to view two applications simultaneously on your cell phone. Like when you have to copy a phone number that is in a photograph and you do not trust your memory or if you want to comment with your friends on WhatsApp a live transmission , without missing details. But did you know that it is possible to split the screen on an Android phone? In Digital Trends in Spanish we explain how to do it.
Can I use a split screen?
Officially Android offers the option of split screen mode for smartphones since Google released Android 7.0 Nougat in 2016. And although some manufacturers offered this alternative before Google , the truth is that most of its methods were not as successful, since they had many imperfections. With Android Nougat , the split-screen feature came standard and improved as it works perfectly on most smartphones and tablets.
Some third-party themes and interfaces may interfere with split screen mode. But be calm: in this tutorial we show you the standard ways to use the split screen on any Android device, regardless of its origin.
If you have problems, the first thing you should check is that your phone has Android 7.0 or later and then check if the manufacturer of your smartphone has created a different method to open the split screen mode.
Please note that split screen mode does not work with all applications. When you open an application that does not support split screen mode and try to do so, you will see a message at the top of the screen saying that it cannot.
How to activate the split screen mode?
There are two ways to activate split screen mode on your Android phone . And although both methods produce the same results, it is possible that one of them is your favorite.
Drag and drop
To use the drag and drop method, simply open the applications you want to use in split screen mode. Tap the app picker icon (it’s usually a square on the right side of the navigation bar) and select the first app.
Drag the app to the top of the screen to snap it into place. Once your first app is in place, just tap on the second app and it will appear in the lower half of the screen. And that’s how easy you will have your applications in split screen mode.
Best of all, when you have the apps you’ve chosen on the screen, you can make some size adjustments as you see fit. To adjust the size, simply drag the dividing line between the two applications.
Long tap
Without a doubt, this second way to enable split screen mode is easier if you are already inside an application and want to open another without leaving the first one. If you’re in an app, just tap on the app switch icon. After there you will see how the main application will be minimized to fill the upper half of the screen and you will perceive the other open applications at the bottom of the screen. Tap the second app you want to use and it will automatically resize to fill the bottom half of the screen.
Like the first option, this method also allows you to adjust the size of each application in split screen mode, just by dragging the dividing line between the two applications to the desired location.
How to end your session in split screen mode?
Although the split screen mode is quite useful, it is not a tool that you will want to use all the time. Probably the simplest way to end split screen mode is by long-tapping the split screen app switch icon. With this simple step, the secondary application will automatically close at the bottom of the screen.
Another way to end the split screen mode session is by dragging the divider line to the top or bottom of the screen. The most interesting thing about this method is that it will allow you to select which application you prefer to keep open, instead of automatically selecting the application at the top of the screen.