How to split the screen in two on Xiaomi: instructions for all models

Sharing the screen on Xiaomi devices is a useful feature that allows you to work with two apps at the same time. For example, you can watch YouTube videos and chat in instant messengers, compare prices in online stores or copy information between documents. Despite the fact that multi-window mode is available on most modern smartphones of the brand, many users do not know how to activate it correctly.

In this article, we will go into detail about all the ways to split the screen into Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark, including hidden settings and solutions for devices with different versions of the MIUI shell. You will learn how to enable the function through gestures, notification panel and even using third-party applications if the standard methods do not work. And we will also tell you what applications support multi-window, and how to fix typical errors when using it.

Method 1: Splitting the screen through the notification panel (MIUI 12–14)

The simplest and most versatile method is to use the Quick Settings Panel, which works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 shell and later, including the Redmi Note 11, POCO F4, Xiaomi 13 and others, the main condition is that the function is activated in the system settings.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

• 📱 Open the first app you want to use in multi-window mode (like Chrome or Telegram).
• 🔽 Swipe your finger down to open the notification bar.
• 🔧 Find the "Separate Screen" button** (an icon with two rectangles) and click on it. If there is no button, see "Setting up the function in system settings" section».
• 📲 Once activated, the top of the screen will remain occupied by the current application, and the bottom will open a list of recently used programs.

Now you can interact with two windows at the same time. To resize them, pull the dividing line up or down. To exit multi-window mode, just drag the line to the edge of the screen or click on the "Close" button» (✕) middle-split.

💡

If the “Separate Screen” button is missing after the MIUI update, try resetting the notification bar settings: Settings → Notification Panel → Restore by default

Method 2: Gesture control (for devices without a button in the curtain)

On some Xiaomi models, especially with AMOLED-With screens (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro or Black Shark 5), the split screen function can be hidden behind gestures.

How to split the screen with a gesture:

1. Open the first appendix.
2. Hold the recent button (the square at the bottom of the screen) for 1-2 seconds. On some devices, swipe up and hold the finger.
3. The screen will split into two parts. At the bottom, you'll see a list of apps, select the second.

If the gesture does not work, check the settings:

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Gestures.
• 📱 Make sure to include the option “Separate screen” or “Multi-window».
• 🔧 If necessary, activate the option “Share-screen gesture».

3. Configure the function in the system parameters

If the split-screen button is missing from the notification bar or the gestures are not working, it may be that the function is disabled in the settings. MIUI The path to options may vary. Below are the current instructions for MIUI 13 and MIUI 14.

For MIUI 13/14:

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Multi-window mode.
2. Activate the "Separate Screen" switch.
3. Enable the option “Show button in the notification panel”.

For MIUI 12:

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Laboratory.
2. Find the “Separate Screen” item and turn it on.

On devices with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi 10C or POCO M4 Pro), the multi-window function may be limited due to hardware features, in which case try using third-party applications from Section 5.

Method 3: Splitting the screen through the application menu

Some apps (e.g. YouTube Premium, Google Chrome, WPS Office) support their own multi-window mode, which means you can split the screen directly from the program interface without having to use system settings.

How it works:

• 🎵 YouTube Premium: Open the video → Click on the Multiwindow icon** (two squares) in the upper right corner → Select the second application.
• 🌐 In Chrome: Open the tab → press three points → «Split screen».
• 📄 V WPS Office: Open the document → Swipe from the bottom up to call the menu → Choose "Separate the screen».

Note that not all versions of apps support this feature, for example, in free YouTube, the multi-window option may be blocked, and some programs (for example, Instagram or TikTok) fundamentally do not support split screen due to security policies.

Alternative methods: third-party applications

If standard methods don’t work (for example, on older devices or after an update), you can use third-party utilities that allow you to split the screen even on those Xiaomi models where the function is disabled by default.

Top.-3 multi-window:

Warning: Some applications may require permission to display over other windows (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Display on top of other applications).

💡

Multi-window applications can slow down the device on weak processors (e.g., Snapdragon 4xx or Helio Gxx).

Typical problems and their solutions

When using split-screen mode, users often encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• ❌ The "Separate Screen" button is missing from the curtain 🔹 Solution: Check the settings in Settings → Special facilities → Multi-window mode or update the firmware.
• ❌ The application does not open in a multi-window 🔹 Solution: Some programs (like games or banking apps) block this feature.
• ❌ The screen is split, but one of the windows is black. 🔹 Solution: Restart the application or restart the device. If the problem persists, clear the app cache.
• ❌ Function is unstable (hangs, lags) 🔹 Solution: Close background applications or use Power Saving Mode (Settings) → Battery → Performance mode).

⚠️ Note: On devices with less than 3GB of RAM (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO C31) Multi-window mode can cause severe brakes, in which case it is recommended to use lightweight versions of applications (for example, Facebook Lite or Messenger Lite).

7. Comparison of multi-window on Xiaomi and other brands

The split screen feature is implemented differently on devices from different manufacturers. For example, on Samsung, the multi-window works more smoothly, but requires activation through Settings → Additional Features → Multi-window. On iPhone (starting with iOS 15), the feature is called “Split View”** and is only available on iPad tablets.

Advantages of multi-window on Xiaomi:

• ✅ It works on most models, including budget.
• ✅ Supports gesture control.
• ✅ You can change the proportions of windows (for example, 70/30 or 50/50).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Not all applications are supported.
• ❌ Lags are possible on weak devices.
• ❌ In some versions MIUI function is hidden in settings.

⚠️ Attention: On tablets Xiaomi Pad 5/6 Multi-window mode works differently – up to four windows are available at the same time (the “Multi-tasking” function in the screen settings).

FAQ: Frequent questions about splitting the screen on Xiaomi