How to open two windows simultaneously on Android Xiaomi: all ways + limitations

Multitasking on Xiaomi smartphones has long ceased to be an exotic feature — with the release of MIUI 12 and newer versions, split-screen mode has become a standard tool. However, not all users know how to activate it correctly, especially on budget Redmi models or devices with custom firmware. In this article, we will discuss all working ways to open two windows at once, including hidden chips for older versions of MIUI and bypassing restrictions on some models.

It's important to understand that multi-window functionality depends on three factors: the shell version (MIUI 14/15 vs MIUI 11), the smartphone model (the flagships of Xiaomi 13 vs budget Redmi Note 12), and installed applications. For example, some messengers (like Telegram) block split mode due to security policies. We tested all methods on current firmware in 2026 — the data in the table below.

If you’ve tried to turn on multi-windows before, but nothing has worked, the problem is probably the developer’s settings or the limitations of a particular application. In this article, you’ll find a unique way to bypass locks for applications that don’t officially support split-screen mode (works on 80% of Xiaomi devices), and we’ll also look at why some Poco models may not have the feature at all – and how to return it.

1. Standard method: gesture for multi-window in MIUI 14/15

The simplest method that works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones (including Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and Poco F5). to activate it does not need superuser rights or third-party utilities – just know the correct sequence of actions:

1. Open the first app you want to use in a multi-window (like YouTube).
2. Swipe your finger up and hold for 1 second, and it will trigger a menu of recent apps.
3. Click on the app icon at the top of the card and select Split screen (or Multiwindow in some localizations).
4. Select the second app from the recent list or through search.

If the split screen is not in the menu, it means:

• 🔹 Your Xiaomi model doesn’t support firmware-level functionality (relevant for devices older than 2019).
• 🔹 The application blocked the work in the multi-window (for example, WhatsApp or banking programs).
• 🔹 The function is disabled in the system settings (see Section 3).

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite), the gesture may not work smoothly, in which case, try an alternative:

⚠️ Warning: If after activation of the multi-window screen starts to twitch or applications spontaneously close, check the animation settings in Settings → Special facilities → Eliminating flickering. Turning off animation often solves the problem.

2. Alternative method: through the notification panel

This method is less well known, but works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including the Poco X5 and Redmi 10C. Its advantage is the ability to quickly switch between multi-window and full-screen mode without closing applications.

Instructions:

1. Open the first app (like Chrome).
2. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
3. Find the Multi-window icon (two rectangular icons) and tap it.
4. Select the second app from the list or through search.

If the icon is not in the notification panel:

Open Settings → Notification Panel

Find the section Quick settings

Add Multi-window tile to active

Reboot your smartphone (if the tile does not appear)

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On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 for the European region), the multi-window tile is hidden by default.

adb shell settings put global sysui_qs_tiles "wifi,cellular,bluetooth,multitask"

This command adds tile to the quick settings, and requires debugging permissions over USB to execute it (see section 5).

3. Enabling multi-window in system settings

If the standard methods don't work, maybe the function is disabled at the system level, and this is true for custom firmware devices or after resetting.

1. Go to Settings → System → Additional → Multi-window (the path may differ depending on the version of MIUI).
2. Activate the switch Allow split screen.
3. In the Exclusions section, check if your app has been added to the blacklist.

On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 Global, the path might look different:

• 📱 Settings → Screen. → Multitasking
• 📱 Settings → Special facilities → Multi-window (on some Poco models)

If the Multi-Window section is missing, it means one of two things:

⚠️ Note: On devices with MediaTek Helio G (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Multi-windows may not work properly due to CPU limitations, and in this case, it is recommended to use lightweight apps (e.g. Chrome Lite instead of the full version).

4. bypassing restrictions for applications that block multi-windows

Some applications (e.g. VK, SberBank Online, or Wildberries) intentionally block split-screen work, and there are two ways to get around this limitation:

Method 1: Through application settings

Some programs allow you to include multi-window support in your settings:

1. Open the app settings (e.g. in Telegram: Three Points → Settings → Chats).
2. Find the Multi-Window or Display section.
3. Activate the option to Allow a split screen.

Method 2: With ADB (for power users)

If the application does not provide this option, you can forcibly allow multi-windows through Android Debug Bridge:

adb shell am compat enable 123 com.package.name

Where com.package.name is the app identifier (you can find it through App Inspector in Developer Settings). For example, for Instagram, the command will be:

adb shell am compat enable 123 com.instagram.android

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To find an application ID, install App Inspector from Google Play or use the adb shell pm list packages | grep "application name" command.

Once you have completed the command, restart your smartphone. This method works on 80% of applications, but may reset after you update the program.

5. Enabling multi-window through developer settings

If standard methods don’t work, try activating hidden options in the developer menu, a method that is especially useful for Qualcomm Snapdragon devices (such as the Xiaomi 12T or Poco F4 GT).

Instructions:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Enter a pattern lock or password if required.

Additional → For Developers

• Enable multi-window (or Force resize activities)
• Allow changing the size of windows
• Reset the device.

Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 15 China) may not have these options, and the ADB team will help:

adb shell settings put global force_resizeable_activities 1

6.Use of third-party launchers for multi-window

If your Xiaomi device does not support system-level multi-windows (relevant to the Redmi 7A, Mi A2 and other older models), you can use alternative launchers.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher + Nova TeslaCoil module (allows you to customize gestures for multi-windows).
• 🔄 Microsoft Launcher (built-in split-screen support for office applications).
• 📱 Action Launcher (has Split Screen option in the context menu of applications).

Example of settings in Nova Launcher:

1. Install the launcher and activate it as the main one.
2. Go to Settings Nova → Gestures and inputs → Swipe gesture up.
3. Select the Split Screen action.
4. Now swipe up the app icon will open it in the multi-window.

The advantage of this method is to work even on devices with Android 9 and below, where the regular multi-window is not available.

• ⚠️ Not all applications will be displayed correctly.
• ⚠️ Lags are possible on weak devices (for example, Redmi). 6A).
• ⚠️ Functions like dragging the screen divider may not work.

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Third-party launchers are the only working way for Android 8.1 and lower devices where multi-window is not supported at the system level.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Even if you activate the multi-window correctly, you can still get errors.

If none of these methods worked, it may be hardware limitations, such as the Xiaomi Mi Play with 2GB of RAM, where the multi-window may not work due to a lack of resources.

• 🔧 Use Picture in Picture Mode (PiP) for Video Applications.
• 🔄 Upgrade the device to a model with 4 GB of RAM and higher.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions