How to divide the screen into 2 parts: Instructions

Multitasking is one of the key features that modern smartphone users value: splitting the screen allows you to simultaneously watch YouTube videos and chat in the messenger or copy text from the browser into notes. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often wonder how to activate this mode, since standard methods may not be obvious.

MIUI and the new HyperOS have a built-in display splitting mechanism, but implementations may vary depending on the firmware version and the gadget model. In some cases, the user has to enable hidden functions through an engineering menu or use special gestures. Understanding these nuances will help you maximize the potential of your device.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways to activate Split Screen mode, learn how to use standard system tools, how to circumvent restrictions on applications that do not officially support separation, and what alternative solutions exist for older versions of Android.

The standard way through the menu of recent applications

The simplest and most common method of activating split screen on Xiaomi smartphones is to use the menu of running apps, which works on most devices with the MIUI 12 shell and later, as well as on HyperOS. First, you need to open the application you want to see at the top of the screen, and then fold it.

Then, call the recent app menu by swiping from bottom to top and holding your finger in the center of the screen (or pressing the corresponding software button). Find the card of the desired app and click on the three-dot icon or menu icon located above the window preview.

In the action list that opens, select Split screen (or an icon that depicts two rectangles) and split the screen in half instantly, with the app selected at the top and the second window selecting menu at the bottom, depending on the application’s support for multitasking.

💡

If the option “Share screen” is not on the menu, try updating the application through Google Play or the App Store – developers often add support for multitasking in new versions.

Not all programs are properly displayed in a smaller format, for example, some games or applications with a vertical orientation may force the entire display to be occupied, ignoring the system's request, in which case the system may issue a warning of incompatibility.

• 📱 Open the first application and fold it.
• 📱 Go to the recent task menu (swipe up with a delay).
• 📱 Click on the menu icon above the app window.
• 📱 Select the option "Share screen".

Using the sidebar for quick access

The MIUI shell offers a more advanced window management tool, the Sidebar, which allows applications to run in a floating window or in split-screen mode without closing the current task, especially when you need to respond quickly to a message without interrupting the movie.

To activate the sidebar, go to the system settings along the Settings path → Additional settings → Sidebar. Here you need to turn on the activation switch and select the applications that will appear in the Quick Access list. Once you set up when using any application, you can call the swipe panel from the edge of the screen.

When you drag and drop an app icon from the sidebar to the screen, it offers options for placement: a floating window or split screen. The interface allows you to flexibly adjust the size of each window, moving the dividing line up or down, which gives you an advantage over the standard method, where the screen is divided exactly in half.

⚠️ Note: On some global firmware versions, the sidebar may be called "Floating Windows" or not in the standard feature set, in which case it can be activated via the hidden menu described below.

It’s important to understand that the sidebar consumes additional RAM resources. If your device has less than 4 GB of RAM, running two heavy applications simultaneously can cause them to periodically reboot in the background.

Activation of hidden functions through special opportunities

In some versions of MIUI (especially older Redmi models), the standard split-screen button can be hidden, and it needs to be activated in the disabled section, which does not affect accessibility, but adds the desired button to the interface.

Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. Find the “Split screen” option and activate it. After that, an additional icon will appear in the menu of recent applications or in the control panel to start the mode without unnecessary manipulation.

You can also adjust gesture sensitivity and how you call the function in this section, and some users prefer to use triple tap or a specific swipe to instantly multitask, and customize the interface to fit their individual usage habits.

Once this feature is enabled, the recent app menu interface will change, and when you click on the app icon, you will see a new window lock or forced split option, especially for devices released before 2020, where the interface logic was different from the current one.

Forced Separable Applications

Often, you have to share a screen with an app that doesn’t officially support this feature (such as Instagram or bank clients), and there is a hidden developer mode in Android and MIUI to ignore compatibility limitations.

To access these settings, you first need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI or HyperOS seven times. Once the "You're a developer" notification appears, go back to the main settings menu.

In the section Additional → For developers, scroll down to the "Force resize activities" section, which activates the setting for the system to display any applications in split mode, even if they are not intended to.

Forced mode can lead to incorrect display of interface elements: buttons can go beyond the screen, and text can become unreadable. Forced resizing does not guarantee stable application operation, departures are possible. Use this method only when absolutely necessary.

Alternative methods and third-party applications

If the built-in tools don’t meet your needs or aren’t working properly, you can use third-party developers. There are many utilities in the Google Play store that implement Split Screen more flexibly than the standard Xiaomi shell.

One popular solution is Split Screen Shortcut, which creates a desktop widget that opens two selected applications at the same time, eliminating the need to manually configure windows through the task menu each time.

Another option is to use launchers or specialized shells, such as Parallel Space (in cloning mode) or special window managers, but it is worth considering that third-party programs require additional permissions and can consume more battery power.

⚠️ Note: Installing applications from unknown sources or using modified launchers may reduce the security of your data. Check ratings and reviews before installing window software.

Some users also use the Floating Windows feature, which is an alternative to split screen, in which the second app is displayed in a small window over the main one, allowing you to see the content of both programs simultaneously, but at different scales.

Solving and eliminating errors

Despite the system’s fine-tuning, Xiaomi users may have trouble splitting the screen, most often due to a lack of RAM or conflicting application versions. If the screen isn’t splitting or one of the windows closes immediately, try closing background tasks.

A common mistake is to try to share the screen with system applications that do not allow this for security reasons or architectural limitations, such programs may include settings, a camera in some modes or secure video players.

Also, the problem can be in a crowded cache system: Clearing temporary files through the built-in Security app or resetting display settings often helps restore the operation of the separation function. If nothing helps, check for system updates.

• 🔄 Restart the device to clean up RAM.
• 🔄 Update the problem app to the latest version.
• 🔄 Check if the "Energy Savings" mode is turned on, blocking background processes.
• 🔄 Reset the special features settings to defaults.

In conclusion, splitting the screen into Xiaomi is a powerful productivity tool. Whether you use standard gestures, sidebar or hidden developer settings, setting up the right setup will allow you to work with multiple tasks at once without losing comfort.

💡

For stable split screen on Xiaomi, it is desirable to have at least 4 GB of free RAM and an up-to-date firmware version.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions