How to make a split screen on Xiaomi Redmi 8A: a guide

Multitasking in modern smartphones has become a necessity. Owners of budget but reliable devices such as the Xiaomi Redmi 8A often face the desire to simultaneously chat in the messenger and watch videos or compare prices in the browser without switching between tabs. The split screen feature in the MIUI shell allows you to effectively use the diagonal of the display, turning the phone into a powerful working tool.

However, unlike flagship models, Xiaomi sometimes hides the option in the budget segment or implements it in an unobvious way. Users may not find the usual menu or face system limitations, believing that their device does not support this mode. In fact, the Redmi 8A has enough performance to work comfortably with two applications, if you know how to activate this feature correctly.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to activate split screen, from standard system settings to hidden methods through special features. You will learn how to control windows, which applications work best in this mode and what to do if the system blocks the start of the second window.

Preparation of the device and compatibility check

Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that your software is up to date. Xiaomi regularly releases updates for the MIUI shell, which can change the logic of how system functions work. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for updates. If the version of the system is too old, the feature may not work correctly or not on the menu.

It is important to understand that not all applications are optimized for split-screen operation. Some programs, especially banking or horizontally oriented games, may be forced to unfold to the full screen or refuse to run in the second window.

⚠️ Note: When activating the split screen mode, the consumption of RAM (RAM) It almost doubles. 8A, which often comes with 2 or 3 GB of RAM, this can lead to accelerated battery drain and periodic offloading of background applications.

It's also worth checking the vacant storage space. Although splitting the screen doesn't require additional heavy files, the system needs a buffer to caching the data of both running applications. If the memory is crammed, the interface can start to slow down. It's recommended to have at least 1-2 GB of free storage for stable operation.

The standard way to activate through the menu of recent applications

The most common and quick method of enabling split screen on Xiaomi Redmi 8A is hidden in the menu of running tasks. This method does not require deep immersion in the settings and is available out of the box on most versions of MIUI. The algorithm of actions is simple, but requires a certain dexterity of fingers.

First, run the first app you plan to use. Then fold it and open the second. Now call the menu of recent apps by swiping from the bottom up and holding your finger in the center of the screen (or pressing the corresponding program button if three-button navigation is enabled).

Press and hold your finger on the first app card. In a second, a pop-up context menu will appear. If the feature is available for this program, you will see an icon that resembles two rectangles located above each other. Pressing this icon will activate the mode, and the screen will split in half: the top part will remain occupied by the selected application, and the bottom will open the selection menu of the second.

If you don’t see a split screen icon when you press it long, it means one of two things: either the app doesn’t support this mode, or the system settings have an option that hides this feature to save resources.

Configure through the section "Special opportunities"

If the standard method through the task menu is uncomfortable or doesn’t work, the MIUI shell offers an alternative path through the special features section, which is especially useful if you need to switch between windows often or if the sensory response to a long press is not working properly.

Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Special Features. Here you will need to find the "Screen Split" option. In some firmware versions, it may be called "Split screen." Inside this menu, you need to activate a switch that allows you to use the function. After that, an additional control interface may appear in the menu of recent applications.

You can also choose how the system will respond to the device's rotation: whether to keep the proportions of the windows or allow one of them to occupy the entire screen. For the Redmi 8A, with its 6.22-inch diagonal, vertical separation is optimal, since the horizontal one makes the windows too narrow for comfortable reading of text.

Using the special features section also allows you to set up the automatic launch of the second application, the system can remember your last pair of programs and the next time you turn on the mode immediately suggest running them together, which saves time if you constantly use the same set of applications, for example, the navigator and messenger.

Windows management and navigation in Split Screen mode

Once the screen is separated, you have new navigation options, the boundary between the two windows is not static, you can move it around, there's a thin stripe separator in the middle between the apps, and if you pull it up or down, you can change the proportions, give more space to the top window, or vice versa, to the bottom window.

Each window is managed independently. You can scrolle the news feed in the browser in the top window while the video is still playing in the bottom window. However, you should consider the limitations of the Android operating system: only the window you are currently interacting with is considered active. For example, a video player in an inactive window can pause the video if the developer has not provided background play.

• 🔄 Change apps in places: Click three dots in the middle of the dividing line and select “Change apps” to make the top one the bottom one.
• ❌ Close one of the windows: Drag the dividing line to the very edge of the screen (up or down) to completely close one of the applications.
• 📱 Turn into a floating window: in some versions MIUI You can fold one of the applications into a small floating widget, although on Redmi. 8A This function may not work smoothly.

To exit split-screen mode, simply drag the dividing line to the end, closing one of the windows, and you can also use the Home button or swipe to return to the desktop, in which case both applications will remain in memory, but will cease to display at the same time. The next time you enter the task menu, they can again suggest split mode.

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Use horizontal orientation only for watching videos. For typing and web surfing on a 6.22-inch screen, vertical separation is much more convenient, since lines of text are not cut.

Compatibility table of popular applications

Not all programs behave equally well in multi-window mode. Below is a table showing the typical behavior of popular applications on Xiaomi Redmi. 8A When you try to split the screen, the data is relevant to the current versions. MIUI Android-based.

As you can see from the table, social networks and instant messengers are often more likely to support split screens without problems. Problems arise with applications that require high security or specific orientation of the screen. If an application is deployed to the full screen despite your actions, it is almost impossible to get around this with standard means on Redmi 8A without obtaining root rights.

Solving and optimizing productivity

Owners of Redmi 8A may find themselves in a situation where, after activation of the second window, the smartphone begins to noticeably slow down, due to limited RAM. Android begins aggressively unloading background processes, which can lead to restarting applications. To minimize this effect, close all unnecessary tabs in the browser before starting split screen mode.

Another common problem is the black screen in the second window, which happens when an application doesn't have time to adapt its interface to the new area size, so try deploying the application to the full screen and then activating the split again, and if the problem persists, it's possible that the particular version of the application conflicts with the current version of MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Do not use split screen mode while charging the device from a weak power source (e.g, USB-Double loads on the processor and screen can cause the charge current to be less than the consumption current and the battery will continue to run out.

To extend the battery life in this mode, it is recommended to reduce the brightness of the screen and turn off the live wallpaper. You can also use the built-in Xiaomi optimizer: start the application "Security", press "Memory Cleanup" before starting heavy tasks, which will free up precious megabytes of RAM to work two applications simultaneously.

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Memory optimization is a key factor in the stable operation of Split Screen on Redmi 8A. Closing background tasks before starting the mode significantly reduces the risk of freezes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)