Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones today have powerful processors and large displays, making them ideal tools for multitasking. Users often want to chat in a messenger and watch a video at the same time, or copy text from a single article, pasting it into notes. The split-screen feature allows this scenario to be realized, effectively using the display area and increasing productivity.
In the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, this feature is implemented in depth, but not always obvious to the beginner. Standard gesture or button management can hide additional options that need to be activated manually. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to activate split mode, adjust hotkeys and solve typical application compatibility problems.
Sharing the screen into Xiaomi is not just a convenience, it's a full-fledged tool. You can run the navigator at the top of the screen, and leave the music player or chat open at the bottom. Understanding the mechanics of split screen will help you manage the device at the advanced user level, saving time switching between windows.
What is a split screen mode and why is it needed?
Split Screen mode, or Split Screen, divides the smartphone display into two independent areas, each running a separate application, retaining its functionality. This is different from the usual task switching, where you see only one active window and the rest are frozen in the background. Here, both apps work in real time.
Multitasking is especially important for owners of large Redmi Note smartphones or Xiaomi Mi flagships. On such screens, placing two windows does not cause discomfort, unlike compact models. You can watch a training video and simultaneously keep a notebook in Google Docs or Notebook.
However, it is worth considering that the simultaneous operation of two heavy applications increases the load on RAM and the processor. If your device has only 3-4 GB of RAM, the system can automatically unload background processes, which will lead to restarting one of the windows. For comfortable work, it is recommended to have at least 6 GB of free memory.
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Use split screen when working with documents: open from the top PDF-file or photo of the contract, and at the bottom - an application for notes to quickly transfer data.
It's important to understand that not all apps support this mode. Social media and browsers work great, but some games or specific utilities can be forced to unfold to the full screen. Android itself determines compatibility, but the MIUI shell has tools to bypass these restrictions.
Preparation of the device and compatibility check
Before you start setting up, make sure your device is ready to multitask. First, check the operating system version. The split screen feature is available on Android 7.0 and higher, but in MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS, it is more stable and has more settings.
The second important aspect is having enough free RAM: If you have a dozen heavy games and applications open, the system may not start a split screen or will run with delays, close unnecessary processes through the menu of recent applications before starting work.
☑️ Ready to split screen
Also, you should determine in advance which apps you plan to use most often, which can be created with special shortcuts or set hotkeys, and update WhatsApp, Telegram, YouTube and browsers to the latest versions, as older versions may have split-screen display errors.
Why aren’t some apps shared?
Method 1: Use the menu of recent applications
The most common and versatile method of activating split screen on Xiaomi is through the task menu, which works on all current versions of the firmware, regardless of whether you use gesture control or on-screen buttons.
To start, open the app that should occupy the top of the screen. Then swipe from the bottom up (or click the menu button) to go to the open windows view. Find the card of the desired application and click on the icon at the top of the card (usually an app icon or two strips).
In the context menu that opens, select Divide Screen (an icon with two rectangles), and then the screen splits in half: the top part will remain the selected application, and the bottom will open a list of other running programs, select the second application from the list or search for it.
- 📱 Open the first application and fold it in the task menu.
- 🔲 Click on the menu icon above the app card.
- ✂️ Select the option to split the screen in the drop-down list.
- 📲 Click on the second app that should open from below.
Once you activate the mode, you'll see a dividing line between the windows, which you can drag up or down, changing the proportions of the space you occupy, which is convenient when you need to make one preview window and the other one with the main working tool.
Method 2: Activation through gestures and sidebar
For users who value speed and prefer to manage without unnecessary clicks, Xiaomi offers more advanced methods, one of which is the use of a sidebar of tools, which is always available on top of any application.
To use this method, you first need to activate the panel itself. Go to Settings → Special Features → Application Sidebar and turn on this feature. Add to it commonly used programs: browser, calculator, notes or instant messengers.
Now, if you're in any app, swipe from the edge of the screen (where the bar is located) inwards, a floating menu with shortcuts will appear, click on the icon of the app you want to open, and hold your finger for a couple of seconds until the action menu appears. Select Divide screen.
Another option for those who use button management is to press the menu button (square) after opening the application. If the function is activated in the settings, the second window selection menu will open, which is faster than searching in the general task list, since it does not require swipes.
Set up hot keys for quick access
If you use split screens all the time, standard methods can seem long. MIUI and HyperOS have a hidden but very useful feature — assigning an app to a long press of the back button or another navigation key.
To set up, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Button Management (or Navigation). Find Add App or Launch App. Here you can set an action to long-press the Back or Home button.
However, there is a more specific setup for splitting the screen. In the Special Features → Screen split, you can enable the option “Run a split screen with a button.” Once activated, a short click on the menu button will open the list to select the second application, rather than just fold the current one.
| Action. | Standard behavior | With option on |
|---|---|---|
| Click on the menu button | Deletion of the annex | Opening the list for division |
| Long press of the menu | Memory clearing (often) | Launching the latest application in split |
| Swipe on the menu button | Task shifting | No change. |
| Triple click | No action. | You can set it up for split screen. |
Hot keys make it much faster, you can instantly open a calculator on top of your browser or a notebook on top of a video, and the key is to get used to the new click algorithm so you don't accidentally close the applications.
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Setting the Back button to start a sidebar or a specific application is the fastest way to access the split screen tools without interrupting the current task.
Window management and resizing
Once the screen is divided, the user has full control of the space, there is a gray or transparent stripe separator between the two windows, and if you grab it with your finger, you can move the border up or down, giving priority to one of the applications.
At the top of each window (in the header area) there are usually three dots or special control icons.
- 🔄 Change windows: the top will become the bottom and vice versa.
- ❌ Close the window: One of the apps will close and the other will take up the entire screen.
- ⤡ Full screen: the selected application will go to full screen mode.
Some versions of MIUI allow you to save the configuration of windows. If you use the same bundle often (e.g. YouTube + Telegram), the system may suggest running them together next time, and in the menu of recent applications, such pairs may be grouped.
⚠️ Attention: When changing the orientation of the screen (turning the smartphone), the split screen may temporarily shut down or re-adjust. Not all applications support landscape mode in a bundle, so one of the windows may turn black.
To exit the separation mode, you just drag the separation line to the very edge of the screen (up or down), completely covering one of the windows, and you can simply close one of the applications with a standard cross or swipe.
Advanced Features: Floating Windows and Second Level
Xiaomi's shell offers not only classic splitting in half, but also floating window mode. This is the third layer of multitasking that can be combined with split screen, you can split the screen in half, and run a third app on top as a small window.
To activate a floating window, open the app through the sidebar and select the Floating Window (the icon with the window in the middle) mode, which will hang over all the other windows, and it can be moved, resized and folded into the sidebar.
The Secret of Three Windows
The combination of Split Screen and Floating Window turns a smartphone into a minicomputer, like the video conferencing on top (full screen or half), the browser on the bottom, and on top of all that, a floating calculator or notes, which is the maximum level of productivity available on mobile devices.
It's worth noting that three or more active windows are very battery-consuming, and a Snapdragon or Helio processor will run at higher frequencies to make animations smooth, and if you notice the case heating, it's best to close the extra floating windows.
Solution: Apps don't share or fly out
Despite the convenience, users often find themselves in a situation where the desired application refuses to split, usually due to the limitations of the software developer himself. For example, many games and applications of augmented reality require the entire screen.
If the application does not support partition, the system will simply not let you select it in the second window or will give an error message. In some cases, you can bypass this restriction through the Developer Mode, but this can lead to incorrect display of the interface (shifts, button overlays).
⚠️ Warning: Forced split-screen activation for incompatible applications via an engineering menu can cause the system to freeze or distort colors. Use this method only if you understand the risks.
Another common problem is that one of the windows is closed spontaneously, because there's a lack of RAM, and to prevent that, you need to lock important applications into memory, open the menu of recent tasks, press the lock next to the app, or pull the card down until the lock icon appears.
There may also be problems after a firmware update, and if partitioning used to work and now it doesn't, try clearing the cache of the system's Security application or resetting the interface settings, and factory resetting is a last resort.