How to Open Two Windows on Xiaomi Phone: All Ways to Launch Multi-Windows in MIUI

Multitasking on Xiaomi smartphones is no longer a luxury, a necessary tool for productive work: the ability to simultaneously browse Telegram chat and check email in Gmail, or keep open a Google Maps map in parallel with a taxi order, saves time and nerves, but not all users know how to properly activate the two-window mode on their devices.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to enable multi-windows on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, from standard gestures in MIUI 14/15 to hidden features for older models, pay special attention to typical errors that may cause the mode to fail, and give recommendations for optimizing performance while working simultaneously with several applications.

1. Standard method: gesture for multi-windows in MIUI

Since MIUI 12, Xiaomi has implemented a universal gesture to launch multi-windows that works on most modern models (Mi 11/12/13, Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO F4/F5 and later).

1. Open the first app you want to see at the top of the screen.
2. Swipe your finger from the bottom up on the bottom navigation bar and hold your finger on the screen for 1-2 seconds until the app thumbnail appears.
3. Without letting go of your finger, drag the thumbnail to the top or bottom of the screen – a black frame will appear, indicating the zone of the multi-window.
4. Release your finger – the application will be fixed in the selected area.
5. Open the second app from the recent menu or from the desktop – it will automatically take up the rest of the screen.

If the gesture doesn't work, check:

• 🔹 Version MIUI: function is available starting with MIUI 12. You can find the version in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI.
• 🔹 Gesture settings: go to Settings → Display. → Full-screen display → Navigation gestures and make sure Gestures are selected MIUI (Not navigation buttons).
• 🔹 Application support: Not all programs support multi-window mode (for example, some games or banking applications).

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If the multi-window opens but the apps are “hanging,” try to reduce the load: close the background processes in Settings → Apps → Clean up or restart the phone.

2. Alternative method: through the menu of recent applications

If the gesture seems uncomfortable, you can use an alternative method through the menu of recent apps, which works more stable on devices with MIUI 13/14:

1. Open the first appendix.
2. Click on the square button (or swipe from the bottom up and hold if you use gestures) to call the recent menu.
3. Find the desired application in the list and click on its icon (not on the preview!).
4. In the menu that appears, select Open in split screen.
5. Select the second application from the list or from the desktop.

This method is particularly useful for devices with physical navigation buttons (e.g., Redmi 9A or POCO M3), where gestures may conflict with other features.

3. Multi-windows on older versions of MIUI (up to 12th)

If your smartphone is running MIUI 11 or older (e.g. Mi 9, Redmi Note 8), the standard gesture may not work.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable the Multi-window option.
3. Now in the menu of recent applications with a long click on the application icon will appear the item "Share screen".

On some devices (such as the Mi A2 with pure Android One), the multi-window feature may not be available at all, in which case the third-party Split Screen Launcher app from Google Play will help.

4. Setting the size of windows and their positions

After activating the multi-windows, you can flexibly control the size and location of the windows:

• 🔄 Size change: Pull the dividing line between the windows up or down.
• 🔀 Exchange of seats: Click on the dividing line and select Change places.
• 🗑️ Closing the window: Pull the dividing line to the edge of the screen or click on the cross in the corner of the window.
• 📱 Return to full screen: Pull the dividing line outside the screen or double-click on it.

On devices with MIUI 14+, the floating window feature (for example, for YouTube or Google Maps) is available to activate it:

1. Open the app.
2. Swipe your finger from the top right corner of the screen down (as when folding into the background).
3. The app will fold into a small window that can be moved around the screen.

Update MIUI to the latest version |Close background apps |Check multi-window support in settings |Disable power saving for used apps-->

5. Solving multi-window problems

If the multi-windows are not working or are not working properly, use this instruction:

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi K40) post-update MIUI 13 may disappear item multi-windows in the menu of recent. In this case, resetting: Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Reset application settings.

6. Multi-windows on Xiaomi tablets (Pad 5/6)

On the Xiaomi Pad 5 and Pad 6 tablets, multi-windows work differently due to the larger screen.

• 🖥️ Dock Station mode: when you connect the keyboard (Xiaomi Smart Keyboard) automatically activates mode with support for up to 3 windows.
• 📲 Gesture from the corners: swipe from one of the top corners of the screen to the center to open the application in the multi-window.
• 🔄 Horizontal/Vertical Division: Click on the dividing line and select orientation.

Tablets also have a "Paired Apps" feature, which saves frequently used pairs (such as Word + Excel) to customize:

1. Open the multi-window with the desired applications.
2. Click on the dividing line and select Save the paired app.
3. The pair will now be available on the recent menu as a whole.

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On Xiaomi tablets, multi-windows are optimized for working with a stylus – you can draw in Notes in parallel with watching videos on YouTube without delay.

7. Optimization of performance when working in multi-windows

Multiple applications simultaneously load the processor and RAM to avoid the brakes:

• ⚡ Turn off background activity for unnecessary apps in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start.
• 🔋 Activate Performance Mode: Settings → Battery → Performance mode.
• 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Warehouse → Clean up.
• 🔄 Update apps, especially those you use in multi-windows.

On devices with a Snapdragon 7xx or Dimensity 900/1000 processor (for example, POCO F4 GT, Redmi K50), multi-windows work smoother if the developer settings enable the option to limit background processes (maximum 2-3 processes).

⚠️ Note: If after activation of multi-window phone starts to warm up, check the load on the processor in Settings → The phone. → Status of the system → Temperature, above 45.°C is recommended to close the background applications or use a cooling stand.

FAQ: Frequent questions about multi-windows on Xiaomi