The Xiaomi Redmi Note’s split-screen feature allows you to work with two apps at the same time — for example, chatting in the messenger and watching videos, or copying text from the browser into notes. Despite the obvious benefits, many owners of Redmi Note 8/9/10/11/12 smartphones do not know how to turn on this mode or face errors when activating it. In this article, we will discuss all working methods, including hidden MIUI settings, gestures and solutions for cases when the feature does not work.
It is important to understand that the split screen algorithm depends on the firmware version: in MIUI 12 and MIUI 13, the interface is different from MIUI 14 (based on Android 13/14). We will look at the universal methods that work on most Redmi Note models, and also focus on the nuances for old and new devices. If your smartphone does not support multi-window out of the box - no problem: at the end of the article you will find workarounds using third-party applications.
1. Standard way: split screen through multitasking
The easiest method is to use the built-in multi-window feature available in MIUI 12 and later, which works on all Redmi Notes starting with the Redmi Note 7 (2019) and up, and here's how to activate it:
- Open the first app you want to pin to half the screen (like YouTube or Telegram).
- Click on the square button Recent Apps (or swipe up from the bottom edge and hold if you have gesture navigation).
- In the list of open applications, find the card of the desired application and click on its icon (not on the window itself!).
- In the menu that appears, select Divide Screen (or Multiwindow in some versions).
- The screen will split into two parts. At the bottom, you'll see a panel with other open applications, choose the second.
If the option "Share the screen" is not in the menu, then the function is disabled in the settings of the system. On models Redmi Note 10 Pro and newer with MIUI 13+, this item can be hidden behind a long tap on the app icon (hold your finger 2-3 seconds).
Make sure both apps support multi-window (not all games and banking apps work in this mode)
Close unnecessary background processes (screen splitting consumes more RAM)
Turn off the energy-saving mode (it can block the background operation of applications)
Check that the function is not disabled in the special features settings-->
2.Gestural control: how to split the screen with a swipe
MIUI 14 (based on Android 13/14) has a handy gesture for fast split screen that works on the Redmi Note 11/12 and the flagships of the series.
- Open the first app (like Chrome).
- Swipe your finger from the bottom edge of the screen upwards and hold your finger for 1 second (as in multitasking), but don’t let go.
- Without letting go of your finger, pull the app window upwards – it will be fixed in the upper half of the screen.
- At the bottom, a panel with other applications will appear - select the second.
This gesture doesn’t work on all Redmi Note models. If you have a Redmi Note 8/9 with a MIUI 12, try the alternative:
- 📱 Open the first app and hold the Home button (if it is on the navigation bar) for 2 seconds.
- 🔄 In some firmware, you need to swipe two fingers from the bottom up at the same time.
- ⚙️ If gestures don't work, check the settings in Settings → Additionally. → Gestures.
Redmi Note 8/9 (MIUI 11-12)
Redmi Note 10 (MIUI 12-13)
Redmi Note 11/12 (MIUI 13-14)
Another Redmi/Poco
The flagship model (Mi) 11/12/13)-->
3. Developer settings: Enabling hidden features
If the standard methods don't work, maybe the multi-window function is disabled at the system level, and then activation through the developer settings will help.
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Find the MIUI version and click on it 7 times in a row, and the notification will appear "You became a developer."
- Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → for developers.
- Scroll down and find the option Multiwindow (or Force Resizeable Activities in English).
- Turn on the switch and restart the smartphone.
After the reboot, check if the Divide screen appears in the multitasking menu. If not, try the following method.
What to do if there is no “Multi-window” item in the developer settings?
4.Problems and Errors: Why Screen Split Doesn't Work
Even if you did everything right, the function might not start. Here are the most common reasons and solutions.
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| There is no "Separate Screen" item on the menu. | The function is disabled in the settings or not supported by firmware | Enable the developer settings (see Section 3) or update the MIUI |
| The application does not open in a multi-window | The application is not optimized for separate mode | Try another app or use the “floating window” mode. |
| The screen is split, but the second application does not start. | Lack of RAM | Close background processes through Settings → Applications → Clear |
| Gestures don't work. | Conflict with other gestures or launcher | Reset your gesture settings in Settings → Additional → Gestures |
⚠️ Attention: On the Redmi Note 8T Redmi Note 9S Android 10-based firmware may require a rollback to the factory version MIUI, If custom firmware blocks the multi-window. Before reset, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.
5. Alternative methods: third-party applications and launchers
If the built-in features don't work, you can use third-party solutions. Here are the proven options:
- 📱 Split Screen Launcher — multi-window launcher, even on older versions of Android.
- 🔧 Floating Apps -- creates floating windows for any application. 7/8 s MIUI 11.
- 🖥️ Taskbar – adds a taskbar as on Windows, from where you can run applications in separate mode.
Before installing, check compatibility with your Redmi Note model in the app description. Some solutions (such as Split Screen Launcher) may conflict with MIUI system gestures.
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If you use Nova Launcher, enable the option "Enable multi-window" in the gesture settings, which will allow you to swipe the screen from the edge even on older versions of MIUI.
6. Features for specific models of Redmi Note
Some Redmi Note models have unique nuances when working with multi-window, and we collected them in a table:
| Model | MIUI version | Features of screen splitting |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 7/8 | MIUI 10-11 | You need to keep the app icon multitasking for 3 seconds. Gestures are unstable. |
| Redmi Note 9/9 Pro | MIUI 12 | Supports gesture control, but can lay while running heavy games. |
| Redmi Note 10 Pro | MIUI 12.5-13 | It works well, but some banking apps block multi-windows for security reasons. |
| Redmi Note 11/12 | MIUI 13-14 | Support for horizontal split screen (for tablet mode) gestures work without delay. |
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with Android 13 has a feature called “Paired Apps” – it allows you to save frequently used pairs of applications (for example, YouTube + Telegram) for quick launch in separate mode.
- Split the screen in the standard way.
- Press the three-point in the center of the dividing line.
- Choose Save a couple.
- Now this pair can be run with one tap from the notification panel.
7. Optimization of work in multi-window
To make the screen split work smoothly, follow these tips:
- 🔋 Turn off power saving for both applications in Settings → Battery → Choice of applications.
- 📶 Use Wi-Fi instead of mobile Internet – this will reduce the load on the processor.
- 🗑️ Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Warehouse → Clean up.
- 🔄 Update apps – new versions are better optimized for multi-window.
If one of the applications in split mode starts to slow down, try:
- Close it and open it again (without leaving the multi-window).
- Reducing the brightness of the screen will reduce the load on the GPU.
- Restart the smartphone in performance mode (includes in Settings → Special features → Performance mode).
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On the Redmi Note 10S and later, when you split the screen, you automatically activate the "Distractless" mode, which blocks notifications. To turn it off, swipe down the dividing line and press the bell icon.