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On a Samsung Galaxy phone, the fastest way to use two apps at once is Recents → tap the first app’s icon → Open in split screen view → choose the second app. Drag the divider to give either app more space. On other Android phones, the command, gesture, and even availability may differ by manufacturer, model, Android version, and app.
This guide explains the practical options on ordinary large-screen phones and Galaxy Z Fold models, including split screen, floating pop-up windows, saved app pairs, taskbar drag-and-drop, Android desktop windowing, and connected displays.
What multitasking mode should you use?
“Multitasking” on Android can mean several different layouts. Choose the one that matches what you are trying to do before opening menus:
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| Method | What it does | Best use | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split screen | Divides the phone display into two app areas. | Reading while taking notes, messaging while checking a calendar, or comparing information. | Both apps share the available screen; some apps or devices do not offer the option. |
| Pop-up view | Places one app in a movable, resizable floating window over another. | Briefly checking a calculator, message, or reference app without leaving the main app. | It is a floating window, not two fixed panes. |
| Android desktop windowing | Provides separate movable and resizable windows on supported large-screen devices. | A more desktop-like workflow with several visible apps. | Support and controls vary by device; it is not a universal phone feature. |
| External-display desktop mode | Uses a compatible monitor or television as a mirrored or separate desktop-style workspace. | Keyboard-and-mouse work or presentations on a larger screen. | The phone, cable or wireless connection, display, and software must all support the mode. |
A wide inner display on a foldable gives split screen more usable room than a conventional handset, but it does not guarantee that every app accepts every arrangement. An app can restrict resizing, rotate unexpectedly, or refuse to appear in a particular layout.
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Samsung Galaxy: open split screen from Recents
The Recents method is the most broadly documented Galaxy route and is usually the quickest temporary setup. The names below apply to Samsung’s current Galaxy interface, but individual models and software releases can show slightly different menus.
- Open the first app you want to use.
- Open Recents using the navigation button or gesture.
- At the top of that app’s Recents card, tap its app icon.
- Select Open in split screen view.
- Choose the second app from the Recents list or app picker.
- Drag the divider between the apps to allocate more or less space to either one.
If the icon menu shows Open in pop-up view instead, that command creates a floating window. Use it when you want to move or expand a small app over the current one; it does not create a fixed two-pane split.
The exact app list and available commands depend on what is open and whether the app supports Samsung’s multi-window behavior. If the split-screen command is missing, try another app, update the phone, or use the model-specific instructions in Samsung’s settings.
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Galaxy Z Fold: use the inner-screen taskbar
Supported Galaxy Z Fold models can start multitasking from the taskbar on the large inner display. Samsung documents this as a drag-and-drop workflow. The taskbar is not compatible with the cover screen, so open the phone to the inner display before trying these steps.
Turn on the taskbar
- Open Settings.
- Tap Display, then Taskbar.
- Enable the taskbar if it is off.
- Open an app on the inner screen so the taskbar is visible.
Drag an app into a second pane
- Touch and hold another app in the taskbar.
- Drag it toward the top, bottom, left, right, or center region shown on the inner display.
- Release it when the target region is highlighted.
- Repeat with another app if you are building a more complex layout supported by the model.
On a Z Fold inner screen, Samsung documents left-and-right as well as top-and-bottom placements. The cover screen does not provide this taskbar workflow. Whether a particular app can occupy the selected region still depends on the app and phone software.
Save a frequent combination as an app pair
- Open the two apps in Multi window.
- Tap the center divider or the Multi window controls between the panes.
- Choose the control to add the combination as an app pair.
- Save it to the taskbar when prompted.
- Later, tap the saved pair to reopen the two apps together.
App pairs are useful for repeat combinations such as a browser with notes or a calendar with messaging. They save the pairing, not a promise that every app will always support every orientation or window size. An app update, a changed screen orientation, or a device-specific restriction can alter the result.
Other Galaxy ways to start Multi window
Edge panel
Samsung’s Edge panel can launch apps without returning to the Home screen. Open the Edge panel, select the app grid or Apps panel, then drag an app to the desired screen region. On Z Fold inner screens, the documented choices include side-by-side placements as well as top and bottom. On Z Fold cover screens, Z Flip models, and non-foldable Galaxy phones, Samsung documents top-and-bottom placement rather than the wider inner-screen arrangements.
The Edge panel is Samsung-specific. If it is not present, use Recents or the controls supplied by your phone’s manufacturer.
Two-finger split-screen gesture
Samsung makes a gesture available on Galaxy devices running One UI 6 or later:
- Open Settings → Advanced features → Multi window.
- Turn on Swipe for split screen.
- With an app open, swipe upward from the bottom edge using two fingers.
The current app moves into split-screen mode, after which you select the second app. This setting is optional; an older One UI release or unsupported model may not show it. If the switch is absent, use Recents and check the instructions for your exact model rather than assuming the phone is defective.
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Android phones from other manufacturers
Android does not impose one identical split-screen menu on every phone. A manufacturer may put the command in Recents, an app-switcher icon menu, a quick-settings tile, a side panel, or a gesture setting. Some models use wording such as Split screen, Multi-window, or Open in split screen.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Start by opening Recents and tapping the app icon or three-dot menu on the app card. If no split option appears, look in Settings for “split screen,” “multi-window,” or “gestures.” Use the phone maker’s manual for the exact path because a step that works on one Android skin can be wrong on another.
On a standard narrow handset, split screen may be technically available but uncomfortable because each pane is small. A wide phone or foldable makes the same function more practical, especially in landscape orientation, but screen size does not remove app compatibility limits.
Resize, rotate, swap, and close panes
Change the amount of space
In split screen, drag the divider toward the app that needs less room. Move it back when the second app needs more. The allowed positions are constrained by the device and each app’s minimum usable width; the divider may stop before the exact center or refuse extreme sizes.
Change orientation
Rotate the phone only if auto-rotate is enabled and both apps support the new orientation. A foldable may provide a different arrangement on its inner and cover screens. If one app remains portrait or reloads, that behavior comes from the app or device policy rather than the divider itself.
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Drag the divider all the way toward one edge, or use the split-screen control to close one app. The remaining app returns to a normal full-screen view. The exact close icon can vary by One UI version and manufacturer skin.
Replace one app
Open the app switcher or use the split-screen controls to select a replacement for one pane. If the replacement is unavailable, the app may not support multi-window, may require a particular orientation, or may be blocked by the phone’s software.
Pop-up windows: when a floating app is better
Use pop-up view when one app should remain available but does not need half of the display. On Galaxy phones, choose Open in pop-up view from the app icon menu in Recents when that command is offered. The resulting window can be moved and expanded over the underlying app.
A floating calculator over a document, a message window over a map, or a small reference page over a form are good examples. Because the window overlaps content, it is less suitable when you must read both apps continuously. If you need two stable, non-overlapping work areas, choose split screen instead.
Android desktop windowing on supported large screens
Google describes desktop windowing as a mode for supported large-screen devices that lets multiple apps run in separate movable and resizable windows. It is an advanced option, not a control every Android phone exposes.
Move an app into a window
- Open the app in full-screen or split-screen mode.
- Press and drag the app’s top handle downward.
- Release it when the system changes the app to a window.
- Drag the window to move it, and drag its edges or corners to resize it.
The top handle, resize behavior, and available commands can differ by device. If dragging does nothing, the phone may not support desktop windowing, the app may not be resizable, or the feature may not be enabled in that software build.
Desktop windowing is distinct from Samsung’s pop-up view. Both can float an app, but Google’s desktop mode is a broader system windowing environment with its own support requirements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Using an external display
Supported Android devices can connect to an external display in different ways. Google documents both screen mirroring and a separate desktop session with a taskbar and window controls. Samsung also documents DeX workflows on supported Galaxy phones, including an external display and optional keyboard and mouse.
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Do not assume that a USB-C port alone provides video output. Compatibility can depend on the phone model, Android or One UI version, adapter or dock, display input, cable, and whether the phone supports the required desktop mode.
Before connecting
- Confirm that the phone model supports wired or wireless display output and the desktop mode you intend to use.
- Use a compatible cable, adapter, or wireless receiver rated for the connection method.
- Set the display to the correct input.
- Pair a keyboard or mouse only if the workflow benefits from them; neither accessory is required for ordinary on-phone split screen.
- Expect the phone maker’s desktop interface, not a universal Android layout.
Once connected, choose mirroring if the external screen should show the phone exactly, or desktop mode if you want independent windows. The available choice is controlled by the device and connection.
Why split screen is missing or stops working
The split-screen command is not shown
- The current app may not support multi-window.
- The phone may use a different menu location or label.
- The model or software build may disable the feature.
- You may be looking at a cover screen or mode with fewer placement options.
Try a second app, check Recents, search Settings for multi-window, and verify the phone’s software version. Do not treat the absence of Samsung’s labels as proof that Android itself lacks multitasking.
The second app will not launch in the other pane
Some apps restrict resizing, require a minimum width, or opt out of multi-window. Try a different app pair and rotate the phone. If only one app fails, its compatibility is the likely cause; if every app fails, check the device settings or manufacturer documentation.
The taskbar is missing on a Z Fold
Confirm that the phone is open to the inner display and that Settings → Display → Taskbar is enabled. Samsung states that the taskbar does not work on the cover screen. A model outside the supported Z Fold family or a different software version may also present different controls.
The two-finger gesture does nothing
Open Settings → Advanced features → Multi window and verify that Swipe for split screen is enabled. Samsung documents this option for One UI 6 or later. If the setting is unavailable, use Recents or the phone maker’s instructions.
An external monitor shows only a mirror or no picture
Check phone-model support, the adapter, cable, display input, and connection type. A supported phone may offer mirroring without offering an independent desktop session. A USB-C connector by itself is not sufficient evidence of video-output support.
A practical workflow for a wide phone
- Decide whether you need two fixed panes, a floating reference window, or several desktop-style windows.
- Use Recents first unless you regularly repeat the same pair on a supported Galaxy Z Fold.
- On a Z Fold inner screen, use the taskbar and save an app pair when the combination is recurring.
- Adjust the divider so the app requiring reading or typing gets the larger area.
- Rotate only when both apps remain usable in the new orientation.
- Switch to pop-up view when one app is needed briefly rather than continuously.
- Use desktop windowing or an external display only after confirming device support.
This approach avoids treating every multitasking feature as interchangeable. The right choice is determined by the phone and software first, then by whether your workflow needs stable panes, a movable overlay, a saved pair, or a full desktop-style workspace.
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