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How to Open Two Apps at Once on a Samsung Galaxy

Use Recents to open two supported Galaxy apps in split screen, resize their areas, or launch one app in a floating pop-up window.
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To use two apps at once on a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet, open Recents, tap the first app’s icon, choose Open in split screen view, then select a second supported app. Drag the divider to change how much space each app gets. If you want one app floating over another instead, choose Open in pop-up view.

Open two apps in split screen

  1. Open Recents using the navigation button or gesture set up on your device.
  2. Tap the icon above the app you want to use first.
  3. Select Open in split screen view.
  4. Choose the second app from Recents or the apps list.
  5. Drag the divider between the apps to adjust the space each one uses. On a tablet, the divider may run vertically or horizontally depending on the layout and orientation.

Samsung’s instructions cover Galaxy phones and tablets, but the screens and settings can vary by model, carrier, and software version. Not every app supports split screen. If the option is missing, the app may not support the feature, or your device may use a different menu layout. Samsung’s Recents guide and its Galaxy tablet multitasking guide show the supported workflows.

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Use a floating app instead

  1. Open Recents.
  2. Tap the icon above the app you want to float.
  3. Select Open in pop-up view.
  4. Move or resize the window using its edge or handle when those controls are available.

Pop-up view keeps one supported app in a movable window over another app. It can be useful for a conversation or calculator you want to check without giving it a permanent half of the screen. App support and window controls vary; Samsung notes the limitations in its Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra Multi Window guide.

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Choose the layout that fits the task

Layout How it works Useful when
Split screen Both apps stay in separate areas; drag the divider to resize them. You need to compare information or move between two apps repeatedly.
Pop-up view One app floats over another and can be moved or resized on supported setups. You want to keep a secondary app accessible while the main app uses most of the screen.

Samsung DeX is a separate option for a desktop-like multi-app workspace on supported setups with a compatible display. You do not need DeX to use ordinary split screen on the phone or tablet itself. See Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip8 multitasking guide for its DeX and Multi Window instructions.

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Fix split screen or window behavior

Return a split-screen app to full screen

Drag the separator bar to the top or bottom of the screen to restore full screen, following Samsung’s troubleshooting steps.

Expand a floating window

Use the pop-up window’s expand control to return that app to a full-screen view.

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Stop gestures from opening Multi Window

If a gesture triggers split screen or pop-up view unintentionally, look under Settings > Advanced features > Multi window and turn off Swipe for split screen or Swipe for pop-up view, if those options appear on your device. You can still start the layouts manually through Recents.

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Optional shortcuts depend on your device

Samsung’s One UI 4.1.1 feature page describes saving paired apps for a one-tap split-screen launch and gestures for switching full-screen apps to split screen or pop-up layouts. These shortcuts are version- and device-dependent, not universal. Check the menus on your Galaxy or its model-specific support guide before relying on them. Samsung’s One UI 4.1.1 feature page outlines the features, while Samsung UK’s Multi Window guide notes that availability varies by model and operating system.

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