How to Make Two Screens on a Xiaomi Phone: All Ways to Split the Screen

The split screen feature on Xiaomi smartphones allows you to work with two apps simultaneously – for example, chatting in the messenger and watching videos, or copying text from the browser into notes. This feature is available on most devices with the MIUI 12 shell and later, but many users do not know how to turn it on correctly or why it does not work on their model.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to activate the two-screen mode, including hidden settings for older firmware versions, circumventing restrictions on some Redmi and POCO models, and solving typical problems (for example, when the split-screen button does not appear).

Important: multi-window capabilities depend not only on the version of MIUI, but also on the hardware characteristics of the smartphone. On budget models with a small amount of RAM (2/3 GB), the mode can work unstable or absent at all.

1. Standard Way: How to split the screen through multitasking

The simplest method of activating Split Screen works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.).

1. Open the first app you want to pin to the top of the screen.
2. Click on the square button (multi-tasking) in the navigation bar or swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold your finger to call the menu of recent apps.
3. At the top of the app card, find the "Separate Screen" icon (two horizontal lines or a split rectangle) hidden under the menu on some models. ⋮ (three-point).
4. Tap the icon, the screen splits into two, and the bottom one shows a list of recent apps. Select the second one for the bottom half.

If the separation icon is missing, this may mean:

• 🔹 The function is disabled in the system settings (see Section 3).
• 🔹 The app does not support Split Screen mode (such as some games or banking programs).
• 🔹 You have an outdated version. MIUI (below 12th).

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On some models (e.g. Redmi 10C), the split icon only appears after holding your finger on the app card in 2-3 seconds of multitasking.

2.Alternative method: gestures for splitting the screen

On smartphones with MIUI 13/14 appeared a hidden gesture to quickly launch Split Screen:

1. Open the first appendix.
2. Swipe your finger from the bottom edge of the screen upwards and hold it to open the menu of recent apps.
3. Without letting go of your finger, pull the app card up outside the screen – the screen will split automatically.
4. Select the second app from the list at the bottom.

This method doesn't work on all models, but it often helps when the standard split button is missing. If the gesture doesn't work, check:

• 📱 Are navigation gestures included in Settings → Display. → Navigation through the system.
• 🔄 Is the firmware updated to the latest version (see Section 6).

3. Incorporate Split Screen into system settings

If the split button doesn't show up, it might be disabled in the settings to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Special features → System functions.
2. Find the "Share Screen" item (or "Multiwindow" on some firmware) and turn on the slider.
3. In some versions of MIUI, the path is different: Settings → Display → Advanced Settings → Split screen.

On models with MIUI 12.5 and later, you may need to adjust:

• 🔧 Enable the “Show the split button” option in the multitasking menu.
• 🔄 Restart the device after changing the settings.

Make sure both apps support multi-window mode|

Check the MIUI version (should be at least 12)|

Enable the function in the settings of special features |

Reboot your phone after the changes-->

Screen splitting on older models (MIUI 11 and below)

On devices with MIUI 11 and earlier (e.g. Redmi 8, Xiaomi Mi A3), the standard Split Screen may not be available.

Method 1: Mode "Floating window"

Some firmware supports an alternative mode:

1. Open the app you want to make floating.
2. Click on the square button (multi-tasking) and hold the app icon.
3. From the menu, select “Floating window” – the application will be smaller and will appear on top of others.

Method 2: Hidden function through ADB

For advanced users, you can force Split Screen to be enabled via ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

adb shell settings put global multi_window_mode_enabled 1


adb shell settings put global force_multi_window_for_all_apps 1

⚠️ Warning: This method requires an unlocked bootloader and can cause unstable system operation!

5.Why screen splitting doesn't work: typical problems

If Split Screen is not activated, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🔋 Little RAM: On devices with 2GB of RAM, the function can be turned off automatically.
• 📵 Application restrictions: Some programs (e.g. TikTok, Netflix, banking apps) block multi-windows.
• 🔄 System failure: Try restarting your phone or resetting your multitasking settings in Settings → Annexes → Application settings → Reset.
• 🛠️ Castom firmware: on unofficial assemblies MIUI function may be removed.

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO F1) Split Screen only works in portrait orientation. If the screen doesn't turn, check the autorotation settings in the notification curtain.

If the problem persists, try:

1. Update the firmware to the latest version (see next section).
2. Clear the system cache in Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
3. Reset the settings to factory (pre-reverse!).

6. MIUI Update to Support Split Screen

If your Xiaomi model theoretically supports split screen but the feature is missing, a firmware update may be required to check and install the update:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click "Check Updates" and wait for the search to be completed.
3. If a new version of MIUI is available, download and install it.

For devices that don’t receive official updates (such as the Redmi 5 or Mi 8 Lite), try:

• 🔄 Install custom firmware on the base MIUI 12/13 (For example, Xiaomi.EU).
• 📲 Use third-party applications for multi-window (see next section).

⚠️ Note: Installing unofficial firmware may result in loss of warranty and unstable operation of the device.Before firmware, back up the data via Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

7. Third-party screen split applications

If the built-in Split Screen feature is not available, you can use third-party utilities.

• 📱 Split Screen Launcher – creates shortcuts for fast application launch in multi-window.
• 🔧 Floating Apps – Emulates floating windows for any program.
• 🖥️ Multi Window – Supports splitting the screen into 2-4 Parts (requires root rights).

To install one of these applications:

1. Download APK from the official website or from Google Play (if available).
2. Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install unknown applications.
3. Launch the app and follow the instructions on the screen.

Please note:

• ⚠️ Some apps require root rights to work properly.
• 🔒 Third-party utilities can collect data – only use verified sources.
• 🔄 After installation, restart the device.

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Split Screen app side can slow down your smartphone, especially on low-end models with low RAM. The built-in MIUI function is optimized better.

8. Optimization of the two screens

To make Split Screen work consistently, follow these tips:

• 🧹 Close background applications before activating the multi-window – this will reduce the load on the processor.
• 🔋 Connect charging for long-term use: two simultaneous applications consume battery faster.
• 📶 Turn off automatic application updates in the background (Settings) → Annexes → Auto-update).
• 🎚️ Adjust the brightness to the average level – this will reduce the heating of the device.

If the screen is "slowing" when splitting:

1. Try using lighter apps (e.g. Chrome instead of Firefox).
2. Turn off animation in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then Settings → Additional → Developers → Animation).
3. Reduce the screen resolution in Settings → Display → Screen resolution.

On Xiaomi smartphones with a Snapdragon 7xx processor and higher (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5), Split Screen runs smoother thanks to MIUI optimization for multi-core chips.

FAQ: Frequent questions about split screen on Xiaomi