How to enable screen splitting on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Multitasking is a key feature of modern mobile devices, allowing users to perform multiple actions simultaneously without the need to constantly switch between applications. On Xiaomi smartphones, including the sub-brands Redmi and POCO, this ability is implemented through the native Split Screen feature, known in the Russian interface as “Share screen”, This option is especially useful when watching training videos while chatting in instant messengers or comparing products in online stores.

This mode can be activated in a variety of ways, depending on the version of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system, and the type of navigation the user chooses. Some methods require pre-activation of hidden settings in the Developer Menu, while others are available immediately after the first unpacking of the device. Understanding all the nuances of the interface will allow you to significantly improve the productivity of the gadget.

In this guide, we will take a detailed look at all the available ways to activate split screen mode, look at the features of working with floating windows and solve common problems when applications refuse to work in this mode. You will learn how to properly scale windows and fix their position for maximum comfort.

Basic ways to activate through the application menu

The simplest and most affordable way to enable splitting is to use the standard menu of running applications, which is universal for most versions of the MIUI shell and does not require deep immersion in the system settings. First, you need to open a list of recently used programs by swiping from the bottom up and holding your finger in the center of the screen or pressing the appropriate navigation button.

In the list that opens, find the app card you want to place at the top of the display. Press and hold your finger on this card until the context menu pops up. In the option list that appears, select Split screen (sometimes marked with the icon of two rectangles).

⚠️ Note: If the context menu does not include the “Share screen” option, this means that the specific application does not support this mode of operation or the function is disabled in system restrictions.

An alternative activation method is available to users who prefer classic navigation with three buttons, in which case you need to launch the first application, and then press and hold the Menu button (square or three bars), which is usually located to the right or left of the central Home button.

• 📱 The standard way through long-click on the card in the menu of recent tasks.
• 🔲 Use the menu button in classic navigation mode with three buttons.
• 🖱️ Use the Toolbar to quickly start the second window.

It is worth noting that once the first window is activated, the system will automatically prompt you to select the second application from the list of frequently used or all installed programs. You can change the separation proportions by dragging the separation line, but the minimum size of each window is limited by system requirements.

Use of side panel and floating windows

The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer a more advanced multi-task tool, the Sidebar, which allows you to quickly call a second app over the current one, creating a floating window effect that can be transformed into a full split screen.

Go to Settings → Special features → Sidebar and activate the switch. Here you can add the necessary applications to the favorites list. After setting up when working in any compatible application (for example, a browser or gallery), a translucent marker will be visible from the side of the screen.

When you start an application from the sidebar, it will open as a floating window. To put it into split-screen mode, you need to click on the top of the floating window (header) and select the unfold option or drag the window to the edge of the display. This gives flexibility in managing space, allowing you to temporarily hide the second application or change its size arbitrarily.

An important feature is the ability to run multiple floating windows at once, although only two are active to enter data.The system intelligently allocates the CPU resources, but when opening too many heavy applications in the background, there can be delays in the interface.

• 🚀 Quick access to frequently used applications without leaving the current task.
• 🪟 The possibility of creating floating windows of arbitrary size.
• 🔄 Flexible switching between over windows and full screen split.

Users often underestimate the potential of a sidebar, considering it only a list of quick shortcuts, but it provides the most convenient interface for scripts when you need to respond briefly to a message without interrupting the video or game that supports this mode.

Configure hidden parameters through the engineering menu

Not all apps are split-screen by default, as developers may not optimize their interfaces to work on the halves of the display. However, the Android system on which MIUI is built, there is a hidden setting that allows you to force any applications to run in Split Screen mode.

To activate the developer menu, go to Settings → About Phone and find the MIUI Version (or OS Version). You need to quickly click on this item 7-10 times in a row until you notice that you have become a developer. Then a new section Additional or Advanced Settings will appear in the main settings menu, where you need to select For Developers.

Inside the developer menu, scroll down to the application section. Find Force activities to be resizable. Activating this switch will cause the system to ignore the constraints set by the application developers and allow them to run in split mode.

Once enabled, it is recommended to restart the device so that the changes take effect correctly. Now, when you try to split the screen through the menu of recent tasks, the list will display even those applications that were previously unavailable for this feature, such as some social networks or banking customers.

⚠️ Warning: Forced window resize may cause interface elements to be incorrectly displayed in some applications, such as buttons that may “go” outside the visible area or text that becomes unreadable.

Use of this feature requires caution. If after activation you notice that a critical application (for example, a banking one) has started to work unstable, it is better to return the setting to its original position or use this application only in full screen mode.

Controlling windows and changing proportions

Once the screen is split in two, the user has full control over the distribution of space, and the boundary between the two active windows is not fixed, but has a special slider or dividing line that can be grabbed by your finger and moved up or down.

Drag and drop the separator allows you to change the proportions of the content to be displayed. For example, if you watch a video at the top and type text at the bottom, you can push the boundary down so that the video occupies 70% of the screen, leaving the keyboard with less space. The system has limits on the minimum window size, so you can't squeeze the application to a narrow bar.

For more accurate control, the following gestures can be used:

• 👆 Double pressing the dividing line returns windows to standard proportions 50/50.
• ✋ Swipe separator to the end in the direction of one of the applications will deploy it to the full screen.
• 🔒 In some versions MIUI Available fixing proportions so that a casual touch does not knock the settings.

Special attention should be paid to the work with the keyboard. When activating the virtual keyboard in the bottom window, the top application can be automatically compressed or hidden. The behavior of the system depends on the version of Android and the settings of a particular keyboard (Gboard, SwiftKey or system).

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If the keyboard covers too much space in split screen mode, try in the keyboard settings to turn on the “getting stuck keyboard” mode or reduce its height manually by pulling over the top edge.

For example, games rarely support full control when the finger simultaneously touches different areas of the screen separated by the system boundary.

Compatibility table of functions in Split Screen mode

Not all smartphone features work equally well when splitting the screen is activated, and here is a table showing the behavior of the main system modules and popular applications in this mode.

As you can see from the table, messengers and media players are the most stable. 3D-games and applications tied to a gyroscope or accelerometer, as in split mode, sensors can transmit incorrect touch coordinates.

Simultaneous operation of two active applications, especially if one of them plays video and the second loads heavy scripts (for example, a social network), leads to increased battery consumption and heating of the case.

Solving problems and closing applications

Despite the system’s fine-tuning, users may encounter situations where splitting screens don’t work, freeze or behave unpredictably. Often the problem lies in crowded RAM. If a device with 4 GB of RAM or less runs many background processes, the system can automatically close one of the Split Screen windows.

To close the split screen, drag the central dividing line all the way to the top or bottom of the screen, and this action will spread the remaining application to the entire display and completely close the second one. The alternative is to swipe the app card in the recent task menu, which will close both windows at once.

⚠️ Note: When split screen is closed abruptly through the task menu, unsaved data in both applications can be lost if they do not have a self-save feature.

If you find one of the windows black or unresponsive to touch, try rolling the app into a floating window through the sidebar and deploying it again.This action restarts the rendering of the app interface without it being closed completely.

In rare cases, it may be necessary to clear the cache of the interface system. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Android (or System UI) system and select Clear Cache. This will not delete your personal data, but can fix graphical bugs.

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Split Screen’s stability depends on the amount of free RAM available; close unused background applications before running heavy tasks in two windows.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)