Dividing the screen on Xiaomi 8 Pro: a complete guide with photos and videos

Xiaomi 8 Pro is a flagship smartphone with powerful hardware and flexible firmware MIUI that supports split-screen mode, which allows you to work with two applications simultaneously – for example, chat in the messenger and watch videos, or copy text from the browser into notes. However, many users do not know how to properly activate multi-window mode, especially after system updates.

In this article, we’ll break down all the available ways to split the screen on Xiaomi 8 Pro (including hidden chips). MIUI), We'll explain why the function might not work, and we'll give you tips on how to optimize performance in multitasking mode. MIUI 10. MIUI 14 (including HyperOS).

Method 1: Splitting the screen through gestures (fastest)

Modern versions of MIUI support split screen activation with swipes, which is the most convenient method if you need to switch between applications quickly.

• 📱 Open the first app (like YouTube) you want to pin to the top of the screen.
• 👆 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 menu of recent apps appears.
• 🔄 Click on the app icon at the top of the card (not the preview itself!) and select Split Screen (or Split Screen in English firmware).
• 📲 The bottom of the screen will automatically open the menu of recent apps – select a second app (like Telegram) to occupy the bottom half.

If the gestures don't work, check the settings:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Full-screen gestures.
2. Make sure that MIUI Gestures (not Android gestures!) are enabled.
3. In the same menu, find the option to Split the screen with swipe up and activate it.

💡

If you have custom firmware installed (e.g. Pixel Experience), gestures may work differently, in which case use the button method (see next section).

2. Method 2: Classic method with the "Recent" button

If you use navigation buttons (three virtual keys at the bottom of the screen), the algorithm is slightly different, and this method works more stable on older versions of MIUI and after resetting:

• 🎯 Open the first app (like Google Chrome).
• 🔘 Click on the “Recent” button (the square icon to the right of the Home button»).
• 📌 Hold your finger on the app icon at the top of the card and select Split screen.
• 🔄 At the bottom of the screen, a list of recent apps will appear – select the second one.

Important: Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 12.5 Enhanced) may open a context menu with the options “Accumulate”, “Information” and “Separate screen” when holding the application icon. If there is no option, update the firmware or use an alternative method.

Make sure both apps support multiwindow |Close background processes (to save RAM) |Disable power saving mode |Check that the function is not locked in the developer settings-->

3. Method 3: Through Developer Settings (for experienced)

If the standard methods don't work, maybe the function is disabled at the system level, and then the developer menu will help. Here's how to activate and configure it:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 7 times in a row on the MIUI version until the notification appears You became a developer!
3. Return to the main settings menu and open a new section → For developers.
4. Find the option to Enable Freeform Windows and activate it.
5. Also check to enable the item Allow resizing of multi-window.

After that, try splitting the screen again through gestures or buttons. If the feature still doesn't work, it may be the limitations of a particular app (e.g. Instagram or TikTok block multi-window mode).

4.Why doesn't split screen on Xiaomi 8 Pro work?

If you follow the instructions but the function persists, the reasons may be as follows:

Another common reason is manufacturer restrictions: some applications (such as banking or games) block multi-window performance for security reasons, leaving only alternative methods, such as floating windows (about them in the next section).

5.Shaded screen alternatives: floating windows and gestures

If the standard split-screen doesn’t suit you (for example, due to application limitations), MIUI has alternative multitasking options:

• 🖼️ Floating windows (MIUI Floating Windows: allows you to open applications in small windows on top of the main screen. Activated by long retention of the application icon in the menu of recent and selecting the Windows.
• 🔄 Quick switching: swipe on the bottom panel left / right allows you to instantly jump between the last two applications (not a full multi-window, but convenient for quick action).
• 📱 Double Apps: Clones instant messengers (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) allowing two accounts to be used simultaneously in different windows.

Floating windows are particularly convenient for:

• 📝 Simultaneous video and correspondence.
• 📊 Copy data between applications (e.g., from Excel to Google Sheets).
• 🎮 Run minigames (e.g., 2048) over the main desktop.

💡

Floating windows consume less resources than a full split screen, but not all applications support resizing windows.

6. Performance optimization in multi-window mode

Splitting the screen overloads the processor and RAM, which can lead to lags or overheating. To avoid problems, follow these tips:

⚠️ Note: If the processor temperature exceeds 50°C in multi-window mode, activated trottling (forced performance decline). To avoid this, turn off background data synchronization in Settings → Accounts and synchronization.

• 🔋 Close all unnecessary apps through Settings → Annexes → Clean before activating split-screen.
• ⚡ Turn off autobrightness and set a fixed value (e.g. 70%) to reduce the processor load.
• 📶 Switch to the switch. 4G instead 5G (If you don’t need high-speed internet, as the Snapdragon 845 modem in the Xiaomi 8 Pro warms up when working with new networks.
• 🔄 Include Adaptive Performance in Battery Settings – This Optimizes Resource Allocation.

For advanced users: If the lags are critical, you can manually limit background processes through ADB:

adb shell settings put global settings_enable_monitor_phy_activity 0

This command disables physical activity monitoring (used for pedometer), which frees up to 5-10% of RAM.

7. Comparison with other Xiaomi flagships: who better handles multi-window?

Xiaomi 8 Pro is equipped with a Snapdragon 845 processor and 6/8 GB of RAM, which by modern standards is not always enough for smooth multi-window mode.

If you use split screens frequently, consider upgrading to a newer model (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro or POCO F5), where multitasking is implemented at the Android 12+ level with improved optimization.

FAQ: Frequent questions about splitting the screen on Xiaomi 8 Pro

If none of these methods worked, check if you have third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) on your phone, which may conflict with MIUI system gestures. In this case, temporarily return the standard launcher or upgrade it to the latest version.