Multitasking is one of the key advantages of a modern mobile operating system, and owners of powerful devices such as the Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC or the Pro version often strive to use the hardware capabilities of a smartphone to the maximum. The ability to run two applications simultaneously on the same display significantly speeds up the work with information, allows you to watch videos and chat in instant messengers or compare products in online stores without constantly switching between tabs. Split Screen is built into the MIUI shell, but its activation and fine-tuning may not be obvious to users who are first faced with the Xiaomi ecosystem.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can run window mode, from standard gestures to hidden developer menu capabilities. You will learn how to pin the right applications in the sidebar for instant access and what are the limitations for certain programs. Proper organization of the workspace on a screen diagonal of 6.67 inches makes a smartphone a full tool for productive work in any environment.
Standard methods for activating Split Screen through the menu of recent apps
The most common and versatile way to start splitting screens on MIUI shell devices is by using a running task menu, which works consistently across all firmware versions, including global and Chinese builds. First, you need to open two apps you plan to use simultaneously and roll them up so they stay in the background.
Then call the recent app menu. Depending on the type of navigation you choose (buttons or gestures), this action is done either by pressing the corresponding key or swiping from the bottom up with a pause. In the list that opens, find the card of the first application that should occupy the top of the screen.
Notice the top of the app card, which can have an icon that looks like two rectangles or three dots. If you see three dots, click on them, and in the drop-down list, select the option Split screen or Split screen. After that, the app will lock in the top half of the display, and at the bottom there will be a choice of a second window.
⚠️ Note: Some applications, especially video players or horizontally oriented games, may not support forced screen splitting and the system will issue a compatibility notice.
If the standard split icon doesn't show up right away, try swiping the app card down. On many versions of MIUI, this action opens a hidden menu with lock and split buttons, a nuance that is often overlooked by beginners, considering the feature unavailable, even though it's simply hidden behind an extra gesture.
Using a sidebar for quick access to windows
For users who are constantly multitasking, the most convenient tool will be the sidebar, which allows you to run applications in a floating window or split-screen mode literally in one touch, without interrupting current activities.
Go to the device settings and find the Additional Features section. This is where the key MIUI customization tools are hidden. Find the Sidebar and activate the switch. Once you turn on, you'll see a list of supported applications that are added to the Quick Access panel by default.
☑️ Setting up the sidebar
You can edit this list by adding some of the most commonly used messengers, browsers, or notes. To use the panel, just swipe from the edge of the screen to the area where the thin bar is located, and you'll see a menu with app icons.
When you click on the icon from the sidebar, the app will open over the current window. To put it into split-screen mode, tap the unfold icon in the floating window header and select the appropriate mode, which allows you to instantly turn any compatible application into a second screen.
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Add a calculator and voice recorder to the sidebar – these utilities are often needed on top of other applications, and access to them in one click saves time.
Set up hot keys and special features
MIUI offers an alternative method of controlling windows through a special feature menu, which may seem less intuitive, but it provides access to the feature even in situations where standard gestures fail or when you need to start splitting the screen on applications that do not appear correctly in the list of recent tasks.
To activate this method, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special. features. In the list of available services, find the option "Share-Sharp" and turn it on. Once activated, a floating button may appear on the screen or change the behavior (long press) on certain elements of the interface.
This method is especially relevant for Poco X3 models, where the screen diagonal allows you to comfortably place content, but standard gestures can conflict with actions within specific applications. You can assign the function to run on a long press of the menu button or use voice commands if they are configured in the system.
| Activation method | Difficulty | Speed of access | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu of recent | Low. | Medium | Tall. |
| Sidebar. | Medium | Tall. | Medium |
| Special opportunities | Tall. | Low. | Maximum |
It is important to understand that the use of special features can consume additional battery power, since the system constantly monitors the user's actions to process commands. If you rarely use split screen, it makes sense to turn this feature off after use.
Fine adjustment of proportions and behavior of windows
Once the split-screen mode is activated, the user can flexibly manage the space, the boundary between the two windows is not static, it can be moved up or down, changing the proportions of the content displayed, and this is especially useful when one application requires more space to display details, such as a table in Excel or a drawing.
To resize the windows, tap the gray dividing bar between the apps and drag it in the right direction. The top app can take up 30 to 70 percent of the screen, the rest of the space will go to the second window. The minimum window size is limited by Android system requirements to keep the interface readable.
The Developer's Secret Menu
Also worth noting is the size fixing feature, which is available in some versions of MIUI, which allows you to fix the proportions so that a random touch does not interfere with the settings, this is implemented through a long press on the dividing line, after which a menu with the fixing option appears.
When you're in Split Screen mode, the top app usually behaves like the main app, and the bottom app behaves like the auxiliary app. If you roll one of the windows, the second one automatically takes up the entire screen. To exit the mode, you just drag the dividing line to the very edge of the screen or close one of the applications in the standard way.
Application compatibility and known limitations
Despite the powerful Snapdragon CPU stuffing in Poco X3 models, not all software is adapted to work in split mode. App developers decide whether to support multiwindow, and many games or specific utilities block this feature to avoid interface errors.
Most often, problems arise with applications that require full-screen immersion, such as mobile banks, some DRM-protected video players or navigation maps. When you try to run them in Split Screen, you can see a black screen, an error message or the application will simply close.
- 📱 Social networks (Telegram, WhatsApp, VK) They work in a split mode stably and support text exchange between windows.
- 🎮 Horizontal-oriented games are often forced to unfold to the full screen, ignoring the second window.
- 📺 Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube) may limit video quality or show a black screen in a small window because of content protection.
- 🛒 Browsers and online stores usually have no restrictions and scale perfectly.
⚠️ Note: If the application does not support split screen, the system may suggest running it in a smaller floating window, but this is not a full-fledged Split Screen.
To check the compatibility of a particular application, just try to add it to the sidebar. If the program is not in the list of supported for the sidebar, most likely, and in split-screen mode it will not work properly.
Problem Solving and Optimizing Productivity
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the split screen function is unstable: windows may overlap, applications fly out or the interface freezes. On Xiaomi Poco X3 devices, this may be due to aggressive memory optimization MIUI, which tries to close the background processes to save energy.
To minimize the number of departures, it is recommended to add the frequently used apps in the pair to the power saving exception list. Go to the battery settings, find the desired application and select the No Limits mode. This will allow the system to not close the second window while you are working in the first one.
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Adding applications to power saving exceptions is a critical step for Split Screen to work smoothly on MIUI devices.
Also worth keeping an eye on the amount of free RAM. Screen split mode requires two active processes to work simultaneously, which doubles the load on RAM. If a device has many background tabs open, the system can forcefully unload one of the separation windows.
In case of system failures, when the function stops starting at all, cleaning the cache of the service Recent or restarting the device will help. Sometimes the problem is solved by updating system components through the application Update of components in settings.