How to Do Split Screen on iPad

July 7, 2026

To split the screen on your iPad, open your first app, tap the Multitasking button (three dots) at the top of the screen, tap Split View, and choose a layout. Next, tap the second app on your Home Screen, App Library, or Dock to open it side-by-side.

Alternative Methods

There are a few different, quick ways to launch Split View depending on your workflow:

Using the Multitasking Menu: Tap the Multitasking button (three dots) at the top of the first app, then tap the icon for Split View. Your current app will move aside, allowing you to choose your second app from the Home Screen or App Library.
Dragging from the Dock: Open the first app, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen just enough to reveal your Dock. Touch and hold the second app, then drag it to the far left or right edge of the screen.
Using Window Controls (iPadOS 26+): Tap the Multitasking button at the top of the app and press and hold the green traffic light button to easily snap your apps into position on the left or right.

Managing Split View

Once you have both apps running side-by-side, you can adjust and exit the view using these controls:

Resize apps: Drag the vertical divider in the middle of the screen to make one app larger or smaller. To give both apps equal screen space, drag the divider to the exact center.
Switch apps: Swipe down from the top of an app to swap it for a different one.
Return to full screen: Drag the divider over the app you want to close, pulling it all the way off the side of the screen. Alternatively, tap the Multitasking button (three dots) at the top of either app and select the Full Screen button.

Note: Some apps may not support Split Screen multitasking (for example, Instagram). If an app won’t snap to the side, it likely lacks multitasking support from the developer.

Pro Tip:

Pin Your Most-Used Apps to the Dock ,If you regularly use the same pair of apps together such as Safari and Notes, Mail and Calendar, or Files and Pages add them to your iPad’s Dock. Since Split View is easiest to launch from the Dock, keeping your most-used apps there lets you enter split screen in just a few seconds instead of searching through the Home Screen each time. This small change can make multitasking feel much faster and more natural.

To split screen on an iPad, open an app, swipe up slightly to reveal the Dock, then drag a second app from the Dock to the left or right edge of the screen until it snaps into place. Both apps now run side by side in Split View, and you can adjust how much space each one takes up by dragging the divider between them.

That single method covers most cases, but iPadOS actually offers three different multitasking approaches, and knowing when each one applies is what separates a smooth experience from a frustrating one.

Step 1: Check That Your iPad Supports Split View

Split View works on any iPad running iPadOS 9 or later, which covers the vast majority of iPads sold in the last several years. However, a few things affect the exact experience:

iPad mini models have a smaller screen, so Split View is available but the layout is more cramped between two apps.
iPad Pro and iPad Air models with M series chips also support Stage Manager, a separate windowing system that can be used instead of, or alongside, Split View.
Not every app supports Split View. Apps that were not updated for multitasking will open full screen even when you try to place them beside another app.

Step 2: Open Split View From the Dock

This is the most reliable method and works the same way across every supported iPad model.

Open the first app you want to use.
Swipe up slowly from the bottom edge of the screen just enough to reveal the Dock, without opening the App Switcher.
Touch and hold the icon of the second app in the Dock.
Drag it toward the left or right edge of the screen.
Release once you see a vertical divider appear, splitting the screen between both apps.

If the second app you want is not in the Dock, you can also drag it in directly from the Home Screen using the same touch and hold, then drag method.

Step 3: Open Split View From Inside an App

On iPadOS 16 and later, Apple added a multitasking menu at the top of most apps, giving you an alternative way to trigger Split View without touching the Dock.

Open an app.
Tap the three dot menu at the top center of the screen.
Select Split View.
Choose the second app from the Home Screen or App Library that appears.

This method is often faster once you are used to it, since it avoids the swipe gesture required to reveal the Dock.

Split View vs Slide Over: What Is the Difference

These two features get confused constantly because both let you use two apps at once, but they behave very differently. Split View places two apps permanently side by side, each with its own portion of the screen, and both remain fully interactive at the same time.

Slide Over places a single app in a small floating window that sits on top of whatever else is open. It can be moved to the left or right edge, swiped away temporarily, and swapped for a different Slide Over app, but the app underneath is not visible or usable while it is active.

To open Slide Over instead of Split View, drag the second app from the Dock only slightly onto the screen rather than all the way to the edge, or drop it in the middle of the current app instead of the side.

Step 4: Resize, Swap, or Close Split View Windows

Once two apps are running in Split View, you have three adjustments available:

Resize: drag the small grey divider line between the two apps left or right to change how much screen space each one uses.
Swap: swipe down on the divider bar at the top of either app to bring up a menu, then choose Swap to switch which side each app is on.
Close: drag the divider all the way to one edge of the screen until the second app disappears and the first app returns to full screen.

Using Split View With an Apple Pencil and Keyboard

Split View is especially useful for note taking, research, or content creation, where you need a reference open on one side while working in another app on the other side. If your workflow involves handwriting notes or sketching alongside a reference document, a connect apple pencil ipad setup makes the second half of Split View far more useful for annotation. For anyone typing extensively in Split View, such as comparing a spreadsheet with an email, our guide on connect keyboard to ipad covers pairing both Apple and third party keyboards.

Why Split Screen Is Not Working on Your iPad

If dragging an app to the edge does nothing, or Split View simply will not activate, check these common causes.

Multitasking is turned off in Settings. Go to Settings > Home Screen & Dock, and confirm Allow Multiple Apps is switched on. If this is off, Split View and Slide Over are both disabled system wide.

The app itself does not support Split View. Some apps, particularly older or less frequently updated third party apps, are not built for multitasking and will always open full screen regardless of what you try.

Stage Manager is turned on. On supported iPad Pro and iPad Air models, Stage Manager replaces the standard Dock based multitasking with its own overlapping window system. If Stage Manager is enabled in Control Center, the classic drag from Dock method for Split View will not behave the way described above. Turn Stage Manager off in Control Center if you want to go back to standard Split View.

Your iPad has too little available storage or memory pressure. On rare occasions, very low storage can cause multitasking features to behave unreliably. Freeing up space usually resolves this.

If your iPad becomes unresponsive while trying to arrange Split View, a force restart ipad will not affect any saved documents and often clears up the freeze immediately.

Looking for more iPad information? Browse our related iPad articles for helpful advice, practical how-to guides, and answers to common questions.

Split Screen at Events and Presentations

Split View is commonly used at exhibitions and conferences to display a presentation on one side while running a live poll, registration form, or product catalog on the other, letting a single device serve two purposes at once without switching apps mid conversation. For teams running interactive booths, a giant ipad hire unit with Split View set up in advance allows visitors to browse a catalog on one side while a promotional video plays on the other, all on one large, attention grabbing display.

Final Thoughts

Split View turns an iPad from a single task device into something closer to a small laptop, and once you know the Dock drag method and the Split View versus Slide Over distinction, switching between the two becomes second nature within a few tries.

Need an iPad already configured for multitasking at your next event, complete with the apps and setup your booth requires? Browse our ipad rental range for devices delivered ready to use across Dubai and the UAE.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to do dual screen with iPad?

To use a dual screen on an iPad, open an app, tap the Multitasking button (three dots) at the top of the screen, and select Split View. Choose a second app from the Home Screen or Dock, and both apps will appear side by side. You can drag the divider to adjust how much space each app uses.

How to view 2 pages side by side on iPad?

You can view two pages side by side by using Split View. Open the first app or Safari window, tap the Multitasking button, choose Split View, then open a second app or another Safari window. This lets you compare documents, browse two websites, or work across apps simultaneously.

How to get half a screen on iPad?

To split your iPad screen in half, open an app, tap the Multitasking button at the top, and select Split View. Then choose a second compatible app. You can move the centre divider to create a 50/50 split or adjust the size of each window to suit your workflow.

How do I activate Split View?

To activate Split View, open a compatible app and tap the Multitasking button at the top of the screen. Select Split View, then choose a second app from the Dock or Home Screen. If Split View isn’t available, make sure your iPad supports multitasking and is running the latest version of iPadOS.

Why does split screen not work on my iPad?

Split screen may not work if Allow Multiple Apps is turned off in Settings under Home Screen & Dock, if the app itself does not support multitasking, or if Stage Manager is active on supported iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

What is the difference between Split View and Slide Over on iPad?

Split View places two apps permanently side by side, both fully usable at once. Slide Over places a single app in a small floating window on top of whatever else is open, and the app underneath cannot be used while it is active.

Can you split screen three apps on iPad?

Yes, on supported models you can combine Split View with Slide Over to have two apps side by side plus a third app floating on top, giving you limited access to three apps at the same time.

How do I turn off split screen on iPad?

Drag the divider between the two apps all the way to one edge of the screen until the second app disappears and the first app returns to full screen.

Does every iPad support split screen?

Split View works on any iPad running iPadOS 9 or later, which covers almost every model still in common use, though the exact experience varies slightly on smaller screens like the iPad mini.

Why is my Split View screen frozen or not responding?

If Split View becomes unresponsive, try a force restart for your iPad model, which resolves the freeze without affecting any documents or data in either app.