How to use Slide Over and Split View on iPad- Enhance your productivity!

An iPad is like an all-rounder device which is there for you at any time. Moreover, the multitasking features of the iPad makes it a productivity machine. Also, with the iPadOS 14, when you add a keyboard case, you can use it as a laptop replacement anywhere any time. Multitasking features makes it much easier to do the work. Here is how to use Slide Over and Split View on iPad:

How does Multitasking work on iPad- Slide Over and Split View on iPad

There are four components to multitasking on iPad: Slide Over, Split View, Picture-in-Picture, and the App Switcher. With time these features have improved themselves to provide you with a better experience while working.

Slide Over

This feature lets you have a second app on one side of the screen. It will be an iPhone-sized floating pane, which can be hidden any time off the screen. Also, you can re-summon it at any time by swiping it away (hence the “slide” portion of the name). You don’t need to get a new app for this feature to work, all you need to do is slide in from the screen. After a restart, you’ll need to drag one on the screen from the Dock or Home screen.

Split View

Split View lets you divide the screen into two parts, having two different apps on either side of the other on your iPad. Depending on the screen size of your iPad, those two apps may be displayed as Compact (iPhone UI) or Regular (iPad UI) next to each other. Moreover, On certain iPads, you can also change the size of the panes for a 50-50, 25-75 or 75-25 split in a horizontal orientation. But in the vertical orientation, you’ll only have the 25-75 or 75-25 options.

• 50-50: Each app takes up the exact same real estate on the iPad.
• 25-75: The app on the left takes up just 25% of the screen, with the right app taking up 75%.
• 75-25: The app on the left takes up 75% of the screen, with the right app taking up 25%.

Remember that, in Split View, the apps will remain conjoined until you separate them. Apple calls them “App Spaces.” Unlike the Mac’s Spaces, you can’t have multiple configurations of the same apps (i.e. an App Space that had Safari and Mail, and an App Space that had Safari and Fantastical) at this time.

Picture-in-Picture

If you like to watch a video while working, this feature is just for you. When you watch a video in an app that supports Picture-in-Picture, you can minimize the video window to float it alongside your current workspace. This effectively makes the video a second Slide Over pane. Moreover, you can adjust the size of the pane by pinch-to-zoom or shrink the window, change its position on the screen, play/pause video, slide the video off-screen, or return it to its original app.

App Switcher

Simply use your finger to swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and hold it in the middle of the screen until the app switcher appears. It is divided into three parts, the Dock, App Spaces, and recently used apps. App Spaces are conjoined Split View apps which can be found at the top of the screen. You can tap to enter them, though you can’t currently separate them or create new App Spaces from the App Switcher interface. Moreover, you can scroll through recently used apps and enter them by tapping on them. You can also force quit them by pressing and holding on a pane and moving your finger upward.

How to use Slide Over or Split View on iPad?

Whether you want to add a Slide Over pane or enter Split View, adding an app to your workspace is pretty simple.

Use Slide Over on iPad

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to invoke the Dock on your iPad.
2. Tap and drag on the desired app in the Dock.
3. Drag the app to the centre of the screen.
4. Release your drag.
5. You can also Hide your Slide Over app by touching and swiping the edit handle at the top of the screen to the left or the right to hide it.

Drag a different app on top of your existing Slide Over to switch the app.

How to Use Split View on iPad

1. Firstly, Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to invoke the Dock on your iPad.
2. Tap and drag on the desired app from the Dock.
3. Drag the app to the far left or right of the screen until you see the main app pane bump over, leaving a black space.
4. Release your drag.

Drag a different app on top of your existing Split View to switch the app.

Turn a Slide Over pane into a Split View pane

1. You can swipe to the left or the right side of the display to invoke the slide over the window if the Slide Over-view is hidden.
2. Further, Drag the Slide Over pane’s Edit handle at the top of the screen to the far right or left until you see the main app pane bump over, leaving a black space.
3. Release your drag.

How to turn a Split View pane into a Slide Over pane?

1. Pull down on the Split View pane’s edit handle at the top of the screen until you see the main app pane bump over, taking over the entirety of the screen.
2. Release your drag on your iPad.

Reposition an app in Slide Over

1. Tap, and drag the edit handle to position the Slide Over window on the left or right side of the screen.
2. Release your drag.
3. Drag the Slide Over window all the way to either side of the display till it disappears to dismiss the window.

How to reposition an app in Split View?

1. Drag on the vertical edit handle in the middle of the screen to reposition an app in Split view.
2. Tap and drag the top edit handle in the middle of the screen to the left or right to reposition the Split View window.
3. Release your drag on your iPad.
4. You can move an app to either side of the Split View window, tap on the edit handle at the top of the screen and move the app to the desired side.

Add multiple apps to Slide Over

You can add multiple apps in the the Slide Over window and switch between them or close them anytime you want. Here is how to do so:

1. In the Slide Over window, slide your finger up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Dock.
2. Tap-and-drag an app icon from the Dock to the Slide Over-view. But remember you need to keep it above the split line or towards the side edges where the window becomes smaller.
3. This new app will go to the forefront of the Slide Over apps.
4. You can repeat the above steps for all of the apps that you need in a single space.

If you want another instance of an app that is already open in Split Screen or Slide Over-views (i.e. Safari), you can choose to open up an existing instance, or a fresh new slate.

How to rotate through app tabs in Slive Over-view?

You might have noticed that only the most recent one appears in the front when you have several apps open in the multiple Slide Over view. Although, you can easily rotate between the app tabs in a Split Screen or Full-Screen space.

1. Firstly, open multiple apps in Slide Over-view as taught above.
2. Touch-and-hold the handle at the bottom of the frontmost app in Slide Over-view.
3. You can bring the app to the front by Swiping to the right.
4. Repeat the process until you get the app you need in the front.

Trigger the Slide Over Switcher

As taught above you can rotate through multiple app tabs in Slide Over-view. Moreover, you can spread them out and pick the desired app to jump to with the new Slide Over Switcher.

1. When you have multiple Slide Over apps active in the space (single or Split Screen view), you can touch-and-drag the handle at the bottom of the Slide Over app upwards on your iPad.
2. Once you see the other Slide-Over views peeking through, release your finger.
3. All apps that you’ve opened in Slide-Over view will appear spread out in cards.
   • Scroll through them by swiping left and right.
   • Tap on the app you want to jump into.

How to remove Slide Over windows?

1. As taught above, spread out app tab view (Slide Over Switcher) While you’re in Slide-Over view.
2. Scroll left and right to find the app that you want to remove on your iPad.
3. Swipe that app’s card up to remove it.
4. Repeat the above steps till you’ve removed all of the apps that you want.

Use App Exposé on iPad

It is quite often that while you work on multiple apps that you lose track of the apps. But don’t worry your iPad has your back. There are a few ways to see everything at once: App Exposé and Slide Over Switcher.

How to trigger App Exposé?

You can view all open windows for an app with App Exposé. There are two ways to do this.

1. When you’re in Split Screen, Full Screen, or Slide Over mode, slide your finger up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Dock.
2. Tap on the desired app on your iPad.
3. App Exposé will reveal all open instances of that app, including Split Screen and Slide-Over views.

Trigger App Exposé from the home screen

1. On your Home Screen, long-press on an app icon until a menu pops up.
2. Tap on Show All Windows to open App Exposé for that app on your iPad.

While you’re in App Exposé, you can tap on an instance of that app to open it back up. Slide-Over views cannot be opened unless there is an active app or Split Screen view.

Conclusion- Slide Over and Split View on iPad

Multitasking on Apple‘s iPad is both fun and easy. All the features from Split screen to Picture-in-Picture give you the ability to multitask. You can easily open multiple apps and work simultaneously. And don’t worry if you lose track of these multiple apps you can spread them up like a deck of cards and find the one. Moreover, you can even resize the screen panes, reposition them and change the apps in split views according to your likes. You can also convert a slit view to slide over any time you want.

If you have any question you can ask us in the comments section below.