Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Tablets
  3. Android
  4. Mobile
  5. How tos

How to use Split Screen View on a Samsung tablet

Add as a preferred source on Google
Holding the Galaxy Tab S8 in hand and showing multiple apps running simultaneously.
Nadeem Sarwar / DigitalTrends

There are a number of reasons to buy one of the best Samsung tablets. Perhaps you need a big and beautiful screen to really punch through that Netflix watchlist. You might be looking to harness the power of the S Pen to create some masterpieces. Or you may be looking for a capable gaming tablet and work machine. Samsung's Galaxy Tab range can handle all of these roles, and do it with ease.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • A Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet

  • Android 9.0 Pie or later

But no matter your needs, it's important to make the most of a big screen. Having a larger screen is the major advantage of a tablet over a smartphone, and that large screen is particularly well-suited to multitasking and showing multiple apps at once. So whether you're checking directions while messaging, taking notes while sitting in a meeting, or reading a book while keeping an eye on social media, here's how to use split-screen view on a Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet.

Holding the Galaxy Tab S8 in hand and showing multiple apps running simultaneously.
Nadeem Sarwar / DigitalTrends

How to use split-screen mode in Android 9.0 Pie and later

The easiest way to use split-screen mode is by using Android's built-in tools. Split-screen view was introduced on Samsung devices in Android 9.0 Pie — over four years ago now — and so most modern Samsung tablets should have access to this feature. Here's how to use it.

Step 1: Open the first app for split-screen view. This isn't required, but you do need to be able to find the app on your recent apps list.

how to use split screen on any samsung tablet recent apps view galaxy tab
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Open your recent apps list by either swiping up from the bottom of your tablet and holding it for a second, or by tapping the Recent apps button in your navigation bar.

Step 3: Tap your chosen app's icon.

how to use split screen on any samsung tablet recent apps 2 view galaxy tab
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Tap Open in split-screen view.

how to use split screen on any samsung tablet with app drawer view galaxy tab
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: Your app will open on the right-hand side, and your app drawer will open on the left.

how to use split screen on any samsung tablet in view galaxy tab
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 6: Select the second app you want to open in your app drawer and it'll pop-up next to your first app.

From here, you can use the two apps as you normally would, but there are some other tricks you can use as well. You can resize the windows by dragging the bar between the two, but you can also open one app in Pop-up View instead.

How to turn off split screen on a Samsung tablet

When you are ready to turn off split screen, open up the Recent apps list again. At the top, there should be an 'X' you can tap to stop the split screen mode. Alternatively, you can swipe the partition bar all the way to one side, making the remaining app fullscreen.

how to use split screen on any samsung tablet pop up view from galaxy tab
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Opening an app in a pop-up window

Instead of opening your chosen app in split-screen mode, you can instead open it in a little pop-up window. You can do this from the recent apps menu, or while you already have an app open in split-screen view.

To open from the recent apps menu:

Step 1: Open your recent apps menu.

Step 2: Tap the app's icon and select Open in pop-up view.

Already have the app open in split-screen view? Here's how to turn it into a pop-up window.

Step 1: Tap the blue line at the top of the app.

Step 2: Select the Pop-up View icon. It should be the first one on the list.

Mark Jansen
Former Mobile Evergreen Editor
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
Apple announces October 28 launch event, OLED MacBook Pro and refreshed iMac likely on the docket
A redesigned MacBook Pro could headline the event alongside a new 14-inch model and an OLED iPad Mini.
Apple October 28 event poster

Apple has sent out invites for an event on October 28 in Los Angeles, and if the rumor mill is right, it's going to be a big one for Mac fans.

The MacBook Pro could get its biggest overhaul in years

Read more
Apple is already planning a bigger, 360-degree rotating HomeView
The upgraded model could pair a 9-inch display with a robotic arm that turns toward whoever is speaking.
Apple HomeView feature

Apple’s first HomeView hasn't reached customers yet, but the company is reportedly working on a more ambitious version. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a higher-end model with a roughly 9-inch display mounted on a robotic arm that can rotate a full 360 degrees.

The current $299 HomeView is still on preorder, with deliveries beginning November 13. It uses a fixed 7-inch display on a speaker base, and Apple also sells a wall-mounted version.

Read more
Apple’s next-gen Macs could hit the shelves early in November
The next MacBook Pro, M6 iMac, and OLED iPad mini could reach stores in the first week of November.
MacBook Pro

Hot on the heels of the Welcome Home event, Apple is preparing to launch another batch of new hardware, and we may now have a better idea of when some of it will actually reach stores. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning a retail store “reset” overnight from November 5 into November 6, potentially pointing to a Friday release for at least some of its upcoming Macs.

Earlier reports pointed to an October 27 launch with several Mac updates and a new iPad mini. The lineup could include redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with OLED touchscreens, alongside a separate 14-inch MacBook Pro that keeps the current design but moves to the M6 chip. An updated M6 iMac is also reportedly in the works.

Read more