How to split the screen in 2 parts on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7

Smartphone owners often face multiple tasks at once, and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is no exception. The split-screen feature known as Split Screen allows two apps to run side by side, which significantly improves productivity with the device. For example, you can text in the messenger while watching a video, or copy text from a single article, pasting it into notes.

While the MIUI shell provides a wide range of customization options, not all users know how to activate this mode correctly. In some cases, standard gestures may not work due to the specifics of the settings or version of the operating system. Understanding the mechanics of multitasking will help you unlock the full potential of your gadget.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the available ways to activate split screen on the Redmi Note 7. We will look at both standard methods through the menu of recent apps, and more advanced settings available from the engineering menu or through third-party launchers. You will learn how to manage windows and solve typical problems if the function stops responding.

The principles of multitasking in MIUI

The Android operating system that underpins MIUI initially supports multitasking, but implementations of this process may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, the system manages CPU and RAM resources by distributing them between active windows. When you launch split-screen mode, one application becomes active (top), and another goes into the background (bottom), continuing to play audio or update content.

It's important to understand that not all applications are optimized to run in this format. Some programs, especially games or specialized utilities, can be forced to unfold to the full screen, ignoring the separation command, because developers did not provide an adaptive interface for horizontal or reduced vertical display.

⚠️ Attention: In active split-screen mode, RAM consumption almost doubles. On models with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, this can lead to automatic offloading of background processes and a decrease in overall system performance.

The Android system on Xiaomi devices uses special tokens to determine app compatibility. If a program is marked as incompatible, you simply can’t drag it to the second area of the screen. However, there are a number of workarounds that allow you to run even unsupported applications in Split Screen mode, as we will discuss in the next sections.

Optimizing the graphics accelerator is critical to the stable operation of two windows at the same time. On the Redmi Note 7, equipped with a Snapdragon 660 processor, the load is distributed quite efficiently, but when you start heavy games with a video player, you can see micro-freezes. It is recommended to close unnecessary tabs in the browser before multitasking.

Standard way to activate through the task menu

The simplest and most common method of splitting the screen on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 does not require installing additional software or deep immersion in the settings. It is built into the standard menu for managing running applications and is available by default after the first activation.

Once the app is running, swipe from the bottom up (or click the menu button if classic navigation is used) to go to the list of recent apps. In this list, find the card of the application you want. At the top of the card, usually in the right corner, you will see a special icon that looks like two horizontal stripes or a rectangle divided in half.

Clicking on this icon will show you how the selected application is compressed and occupies the top half of the display. At the bottom of the screen will show a list of other running programs. Select from the list the second application that should be displayed at the bottom. The system will automatically adjust the resolution of both windows.

If the split screen icon is not on the app card, it means one of two things: either the app does not support this mode, or Split Screen is disabled in the system settings. MIUI sometimes requires manual support for certain categories of programs through the developer menu or special tweaks, but in most cases the standard method works immediately.

You can actually drag and drop the boundary between the windows, and you can change the proportions by moving the dividing line up or down to prioritize one of the apps, which is especially useful when you need to respond quickly to a message without interrupting the full-size movie.

Use of gestures and additional buttons

In addition to the standard menu, the MIUI shell offers alternative ways to quickly access multitasking features. Redmi Note 7 users can customize special gestures or use floating windows that are functionally close to splitting the screen. These methods allow you to switch between tasks faster without having to open the menu of running applications every time.

One effective way is to use the Floating Windows function. Once you start the application, click and hold the icon in the recent task menu (or triple tap if configured). In the context menu that appears, select the Floating Window option. The application will fold into a small movable unit that you can move around the screen, leaving the main space for another program.

• 📱 Triple press: In some firmware versions, triple tapping the Menu button or swipe area triggers the second app selection menu.
• 🖱️ Long press: Holding the app card in the task menu often opens an extended menu with a split button.
• ⚙️ Sidebar: Activation of the side menu allows you to drag and drop application icons directly onto the screen, launching them in window mode.

To activate the sidebar, go to Settings → Additional Features → App Side menu. Here you can add frequently used programs. When the sidebar is active, you can pull it off the edge of the screen at any time, select the desired application and run it on top of or near the current one.

⚠️ Note: The side menu function may conflict with Game Turbo. If you notice delays in games when the sidebar is activated, it is recommended to manually disable it before running heavy graphics applications.

Using gestures requires a certain habit, but it speeds up work. For example, swiping three fingers down is often set up as a trigger to create a screenshot, but in advanced gesture settings, you can reassign this action to start splitting the screen. This allows you to instantly split the display by simply swiping your fingers across the center of the screen.

Separation parameters in the system

To ensure that the split screen function works correctly and is available for the maximum number of programs, you need to check the system settings of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7. In some regions or versions of MIUI, individual options may be hidden or require manual activation.

First, check the navigation button settings. If you use on-screen buttons, make sure that the button type is selected from the Settings → Screen → Navigation menu. In this mode, a long press on the Menu button (square) is often the standard trigger for activating Split Screen for the current application. If you have Full-screen gestures enabled, this method will not work.

Also worth paying attention to battery settings. Aggressive energy saving can close the second application if it consumes a lot of resources in the background. Go to Settings → Battery and performance and find the problem application. Set No Limits mode for the programs you plan to use in a split screen all the time.

Special features can also hide useful features. Some versions of MIUI allow you to assign actions to volume buttons when the screen is off or in other modes. While direct split-screen communication is rare here, general availability settings affect how the system responds to complex multi-touch gestures.

Remember to update system components through the Security app. The accelerator module and system components often receive patches that fix window display bugs. If the splitting of the screen is not working properly (for example, black bars or incorrect zoom), cleaning the system interface cache can help.

Forced launch of unsupported applications

Often, users are faced with a situation where the desired application refuses to work in Split Screen mode. The system marks it as incompatible and standard methods do not work. However, using the hidden capabilities of Android, you can bypass this restriction on the Redmi Note 7. This method requires the inclusion of the developer mode.

First, activate the developer menu. Go to Settings. → About the phone and find the line "Version" MIUI". Quickly press it. 7-10 Once in a row, until the notification "You became a developer" appears, and then a new section "Additional" (or "Advanced Settings") will appear in the main settings menu, where you need to select "For developers".

Inside the developer menu, scroll down to the Apps section. Find the item called Force activities to be resizable. Activate this switch. After that, you need to fully restart the device to make the changes effective.

Settings -> Additional Settings -> Developer Options -> Force activities to be resizable

After the reboot, try to re-start the split screen with the previously unsupported app. Now the system will ignore the incompatibility flag and try to stretch the program interface into the available area. The result can vary: some applications will work perfectly, others may display with distortions or have non-working controls.

Comparison of display modes and compatibility

Not all apps perform equally well in split-screen mode. Understanding the differences between software types will help avoid frustration. Below is a table showing how different categories of apps on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 behave when Split Screen is activated.

As you can see from the table, multimedia content and instant messengers work best. Games and banking software often have limitations. Banking applications can block screenshots and split-screen work due to Android's security policy, which prevents malware from intercepting keyboard data or screen content.

For video services like YouTube, split-screen mode is a great alternative to a paid Premium subscription that allows you to watch videos in a floating window.However, it is worth remembering that in some regions or application versions, video may stop if the application goes into the background, although in Split Screen mode it usually continues to work.

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Use Do Not Disturb when working in a split screen, and incoming calls may temporarily block one of the windows, disrupting your work or watching videos.

Solving problems and closing windows

Even on stable MIUI firmware, there can be failures, such as the dividing line disappearing or one of the applications will stop responding to touch, and in such cases, you shouldn't panic, and most often, simply closing both applications through the task menu and restarting them helps.

If the problem is systemic, try clearing the Security app cache or resetting the interface. Sometimes design themes conflict, downloaded from third-party sources. Returning to the standard Classic theme can eliminate visual bugs associated with rendering window boundaries.

To close the split screen mode, you just drag the central dividing line up or down, completely closing one of the windows, and you can also press the Home button to roll both applications, or use the Close All button in the task menu to unload them from memory.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to heat up in two windows, immediately close heavy applications. Prolonged running of the Snapdragon 660 processor at the limit of capabilities can lead to trotting (reduced frequency) and discomfort when holding the device.

If the system freezes completely, when no window is responding, use a forced reboot. On the Redmi Note 7, this is done by holding the power button for a long time (about 10-15 seconds), a secure procedure that does not delete your data, but restarts the operating system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 is a powerful multitasking tool that turns a smartphone into a mini-office, allowing you to simultaneously work with documents, communicate and consume content without losing time to switch.