ipad showing split screen in safari

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3 Ways to Turn Off Split Screen View in Safari on iPad

• May 18, 2022

The iPadOS comes with a Split Screen feature to let users multitask between different apps. In the Safari browser, you can use the Split View to either browse two web pages simultaneously or use another app in parallel on your iPad. Since it can be enabled easily, it’s quite normal for you to open the multi-window accidentally, causing the Safari window size to change or show only on half screen. For those who want to get rid of it, here’s how to turn off the Split Screen View in the Safari browser on iPad .

Related | 3 Ways to Close or Manage Safari Tabs on iPad

Turn Off Split Screen View in Safari on iPad Running iPadOS 15

One can open Split View in Safari on an iPad in three different ways:

• Long-press the Window button and select New Window in Split View .
• OR use the multitasking button (…) at the top of the screen.
• OR drag and drop the link to the left or right edge of the screen.

This makes it prone for people to toggle the multi-window mode while swiping in the browser accidentally. So, if you’re wondering why you have two different tabs on the same screen in Safari, it’s due to Split Screen.

There are several ways to close the Split Screen View, shown below. All the steps have been tried on iPad Air running the latest iPadOS 15.1 .

Method 1- Close Safari Split View Using Multitasking Buttons

The easiest way to close Split View in Safari browser is through the multitasking buttons, as follows:

• Hold your iPad in landscape or portrait mode.

Method 2- Drag the Split View Divider

In Split View mode, the two tabs in the Safari browser are divided by a bar. You can drag the bar to resize either of the windows and also to exit the Split Screen.

To do so, drag the divider bar to either side of the screen . If you wish to retain the tab on the left, drag the bar to the right edge of the screen. Or, if you want to keep the tab on the right, drag the bar to the left edge on your iPad screen.

The other tab will be closed automatically and you’ll return to the normal one-window view in the Safari browser.

Method 3- Merge All Windows to Close Split Screen

The other way to turn off Split Screen View in Safari on your iPad is to merge all the windows. Once you do so, all the tabs will be merged to a single window and you can switch between them individually.

Bonus- Close Safari Split Tab from Recent Apps Menu

You can also close the Split View by clearing one of the two tabs from the recently used apps menu. Swipe up from the bar at the bottom to open the recent apps screen on your iPad. Then, swipe up to remove the tab you want to close in Safari.

You can now open Safari again without the two-tab window. This is not a direct method but an option for those who want to close the split view in Safari without much hassle.

Avoid Accidentally Opening the Split Screen on iPad

To avoid opening the Split Screen View while browsing the web in Safari or any other app on your iPad, keep a note of the three-dot button at the center-top of your screen. Accidentally tapping or dragging the button will cause changes in window size and view.

Annoyed by the Privacy Report? Here’s how to remove Privacy Report from Safari on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Get Rid of Split Screen in Safari on iPad

These were some quick ways to turn off or close the Split Screen View in the Safari browser on your iPad. I hope this helps you get rid of the two-window or half-screen view that you may have come across accidentally. Anyways, what do you think about iPad’s Split View feature? Do you find it useful? Let me know in the comments below. Stay tuned for more.

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Ritik Singh

Ritik is the Managing Editor at GadgetsToUse. He manages the website and oversees the content to ensure it's as informative as possible. He also heads the sub-sites in the network. Putting work aside, he has a great interest in personal finance and is also a keen motorcycle enthusiast.

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How to Enable and Disable Split Screen on an iPad

Last Updated: June 2, 2022 Tested

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 372,481 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to open two apps or two Safari tabs, side by side, on an iPad. This feature, known as "Split View," only works on iPad Air 2, Pro, Mini 4 (or newer) running iOS 10 (or newer). [1] X Research source

Opening Two Apps Side by Side

• If another app automatically opens into the right pane, swipe down from the top of the right pane to close the app and see the display of app options.

• Not all apps are compatible with "Multiple Apps." Only compatible apps will appear in the scrolling display.

• To change the app in the right pane, swipe down from the top, then select a new app from the scrolling display.
• To close the "Multiple Apps" display, tap and hold the gray slider between the two panes, and drag it in the direction of the app you'd like to close.

Viewing Two Tabs in Safari at the Same Time

• Alternatively, drag an open browser tab from the top of the Safari window to the right side of the screen. Doing so will launch "Split View" and open the tab in its own pane.
• To close "Split View", tap and hold the tab manager button in the lower-right corner of either browser pane. Then tap Merge All Tabs to open the tabs in both panes in a single window, or tap Close Tabs to close the pane entirely and expand the remaining window to full screen.

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How to use Split Screen in Safari on iPad

• Use split screen
• Open a link
• Turn a tab into split screen
• Open in the opposite screen
• Merge split screens
• More multitasking

Back when iPad multitasking was a brand new feature, not many apps made use of it. Using split screen in Safari was one of the first ways to multitask from your iPad. Now, thanks to iPadOS 14, and if you have the right iPad keyboard , your iPad can become a good laptop replacement. Still, you need to learn the best practices when you're using it to multitask. Here's how you can use split screen in Safari right on your iPad.

How to use split screen in Safari on iPad

• Launch Safari on your iPad.
• Touch and hold the Tabs button at the top right.
• Tap on Open New Window .

If you're using a keyboard with your iPad, you can also use a keyboard shortcut.

• Type CMD+N .

How to open a link in split screen

• Touch and hold on the link . (Long press.)
• Tap Open in New Window from the pop-up menu.

How to turn a tab into a split screen view

• Touch and hold the tab you want to open.
• Drag the tab all the way to the right or left until it splits off into a new window.

How to move a tab to the other split screen

Each split view can contain multiple tabs, and you can switch tabs between split views at any time.

• Open the Safari app.
• Touch and hold on the tab .
• Drag the tab to the opposite split screen.

How to open links in the opposite screen

You can also open links on the opposite screen. You can do it like when we told you how to use a split screen in Safari , but that would erase all the tabs you had on the other screen. If you just want to add another link to the other screen, then do this:

• Open the Safari app on iPad.
• Touch and hold on the link you want to open.
• Drag the link to the opposite screen and let go of it where the other tabs are.

How to merge both screens

If you no longer want Safari Split View open, but you want to keep all your tabs, you can collapse everything back down.

• Touch and hold on the tabs button at the top right corner.
• Tap Merge All Windows .

If you don't want to keep all your tabs, you can simply tab the close icon (looks like an X) to close them. When you've closed all the tabs in a split view, that side of the view will also close.

How to use Split View and Slide Over

You can also use your iPad to view two different apps on a split-screen mode, or you can have an app floating in a smaller window. This is called Split View and Slide Over, respectively. Both are really easy to use, and it takes no time to learn.

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How to use Slide Over and Split View on the iPad

Questions about split screen in Safari?

Having trouble using split screen in Safari, or have any additional questions? Drop them in the comments!

Updated December 2020: Updated for iPadOS 14

Cella writes for iMore on social and photography. She's a true crime enthusiast, bestselling horror author, lipstick collector, buzzkill, and Sicilian. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @hellorousseau

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How to Use Safari's Split Screen

Use Split View Mode to open two Safari windows side by side on iPad

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Step-by-Step: Open a Link in Split Screen
• Open a Blank Page in Split Screen
• Exit Split Screen Mode
• Add a Third App Window to Split Screen

The Split View feature on certain iPad models can display two Safari browser windows side by side. Use this feature for multitasking or comparing web page content without switching between windows or tabs. There are multiple ways to initiate a Safari split-screen session on your iPad, depending on your needs.

Split View is only available on the following models with the latest version of iOS : iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation and later), iPad Air 2 and later, and iPad mini 4 and later.

How to Open a Link in Safari Split Screen

When you want to open a specific web page so that it appears beside an open web page, follow these steps:

Open the Safari browser on your iPad to one of the web pages you want to show in split-screen view.

Split View works best when the iPad is positioned in landscape mode. If you follow these steps while your device is vertically oriented, the pages won't be evenly sized (the first website you open appears larger).

Locate the link you want to open in Split View. Tap and hold it until a pop-up menu appears.

Tap Open in New Window .

Two Safari windows appear side by side, one containing the original page and the other a second Safari window open to your desired destination.

How to Open a Blank Page in Safari Split Screen

When you want to open a blank page in a new window beside a web page you already have open, follow these steps:

Open Safari and tap and hold the Tab icon in the upper-right corner. Select Open New Window from the menu options.

Two Safari windows now appear beside each other, one containing the original page and the other a blank page, which may contain shortcuts to your saved Favorites.

How to Exit Safari Split Screen Mode

To exit Split View, use the Tabs menu to combine windows into one.

Tap and hold the Tab icon in the upper-right corner of either Safari window.

Select Merge All Windows to combine both open browser windows and exit Split View.

If you opened multiple tabs within each Safari window, use the Close This Tab option from the Tab menu to close each tab individually or all at once. This doesn't turn off Split View.

How to Add a Third App Window to Safari Split Screen

If side-by-side Safari windows aren't enough, you can add a third app to the mix with the iPad Slide Over feature. This additional window can be from any app available from the Dock.

Slide Over functionality is available in iOS 11 and above. Only certain iPad models support Split View and Slide Over simultaneously, including iPad Pro 10.5- to 12-inch models, third-generation and later iPad Air models, sixth-generation and newer iPads, and the fifth-generation iPad mini.

Open two Safari windows in Split View using the instructions above.

Slowly swipe up from the bottom of the screen so that the Dock appears, overlaying the bottom portion of the Safari windows.

Tap and drag the icon for the app you want to open. Release the icon when it's in the middle of the screen.

A third app window appears, partially overlaying one of the Safari windows. 

To reposition this window on the left or right side of the screen, tap and hold the horizontal gray bar at the top of it and slide the window to the desired location. 

If you want the app you chose to open in Slide Over to take the place of one of the Safari windows, drag the horizontal gray bar at the top of the app and place it over the target browser window. The browser window you replaced with the app is still active, but it is on a separate screen.

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How to use split screen on iPad

Here's how to use split screen on iPad and view two apps simultaneously on your Apple tablet

If you're not sure how to use split screen on iPad , you're missing out on one of the best multitasking options in Apple's tablet ecosystem.

The original vision of iPad was a device that became the app you were using. More recently, this pared-back interaction model gained added complexity as user demands increased.

Multitasking is one such example, enabling you to use more than one app at once. The most useful iPad multitasking set-up is the one Apple calls Split View — which is effective, but far from discoverable.

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Once you do know how to find it — and how to use it — Split View is a powerful tool for not just viewing two apps at once, but also interacting with them both by, for instance, dragging images from one to another. Let’s dig into how the split screen feature on iPad works.

How to use split screen on iPad: How to set up Split View

1. Split View requires you to at least have the second app you’ll pair in the Dock. Drag it there if it’s not present, or open it so it appears in the Dock’s recent items area on the right.

2. Open your first app , which will launch as normal. 

3. Drag the Home indicator upward until the Dock is visible and then lift your finger.  

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4. Tap-hold the second app you want to pair with the first.  

5. Drag it toward the iPad display’s left or right edge.

6. If the dragged app presents as a squarish shape, it’s not compatible with Split View. Abandon the drag by returning the app to the Dock. 

7. If it presents as a tall, narrow rectangle, drag it to the left or right screen edge, which will ‘nudge’ your first app inward. Let go and you’ll be in Split View, with two apps side-by-side.

How to use split screen on iPad: Manage Split View’s set-up

1. By default, Split View gives each app half the display. But you can drag the vertical bar — the app divider — to adjust the ratio, so one app has one quarter of the screen and the other has three quarters. 

2. To revert your apps to full screen, drag the app divider to a screen edge. Or to replace an app in Split View, drag a new app from the Dock to its spot.

3. Split View set ups can also be viewed in the App Switcher (drag up from the bottom edge and pause in the centre of the screen). You can drag a new app from the Dock over a Split View pair in the App Switcher. This will then bring that app pair to the front, so you can drop the new app into one of its Split View spots.

How to use split screen on iPad: Try these Split View tips

Once you get to grips with the basics, here are further tips to try:

• Drag and drop text, photos and files from one Split View app to another.
• Open two instances of the same app side-by-side, to compare documents.
• Tap-hold Safari’s tab button and use Open New Windows to quickly get a two-up Safari view. ( Merge All Windows reverts to one full-screen window.)
• Drop a third app on the app divider and it will sit above Split View in Slide Over mode — handy for apps that only require temporary visibility.
• Tap-hold a Split View app’s horizontal tab at the top of the screen and drag downward to switch it to Slide Over view.
• Add app folders to the Dock if you find yourself using many of them in Split View.
• If you want to disable multitasking, open Settings and flick the switches in Home Screen & Dock > Multitasking.

Can you use Split View on iPhone?

If you’ve an iPhone 12 in your mitts and are wondering how to get a two-up app view, like you can on many Android smartphones, we’ve bad news. For now, Split View is only an iPad thing.

However, you can get a glimpse of what might otherwise be with iCab Mobile , a third-party web browser that allows you to carve the display in half and run two browser windows simultaneously. To activate it, tap the Action (share button) menu and select Enable Twin Browser .

It’s a bit cramped. Perhaps Apple’s got this one right after all.

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Craig Grannell has been writing about tech for longer than he cares to remember, and spends his days surrounded by black rectangles, cables, and countless devices going DING when a notification comes in. He’s written for a bunch of magazines and websites including Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Wired, Stuff and many others, and specializes in Apple, apps, games, design and retro. At some point, he’s hoping someone will pay him a full-time wage to write about Robotron: 2084 and Bubble Bobble all day.

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Tips & Tricks

Troubleshooting, how to turn off split screen in safari for ipad exiting safari split screen in ipados.

Safari for iPad offers a nice Split Screen View feature that allows you to view and read two websites side-by-side in the Safari browser, visible when the iPad is oriented in horizontal landscape mode. While entering into Safari Split Screen view on iPad is pretty easy, many users find that exiting and closing Split Screen View in Safari on iPad is less than obvious. This leads some iPad users to be thoroughly confused by Safari split screen mode on their tablet and think it’s either stuck enabled or can’t be escaped from, but rest assured you can close Safari Split View and leave the split web browsing mode fairly easily.

This tutorial will show you how to exit out of Safari split screen view on the iPad, which effectively turns it off. We’ll also show you how to close out of tabs that are in Safari Split View, and also discuss how to stop the iPad screen from splitting into two screens in Safari when it the device is rotated from portrait to landscape orientation.

How to Exit Safari Split View on iPad by Merging Safari Split Screen

Assuming you’re currently in Safari Split Screen View mode with two Safari panels open side by side on the iPad, here is how you can merge the two Safari split screens into a single Safari screen again. This effectively leaves Safari Split View and turns it back into a single browsing panel:

• From Safari Split Screen view on iPad, tap near the top of Safari or pull down to reveal the URL bar and Safari navigation buttons *
• Tap and hold on the Safari Tabs button, it looks like two overlapping squares and will be in the corner of the Safari window (in Safari Split View you will see two of these, you can tap and hold on either)

• From the pop-up menu, choose “Merge All Tabs” to merge the Split Screen View windows in Safari into a single screen

Once you merge the tabs, the Safari Split Screen window will be closed and you’ll be back to a regular single Safari browsing view on iPad.

You can also choose “Close All Tabs” if you don’t want to keep the tabs open in Safari split screen, which will also exit out of Safari Split View on iPad by closing the tabs in the split panel you chose.

This is the simplest way to exit Safari Split Screen mode, which is also about as close as iOS gets to turning off Safari Split Screen and disabling the feature (until it’s used again anyway).

Nonetheless there are other way stop escape out of Safari Split Screen by closing the tabbed windows in a Safari split screen panel.

* Note all approaches to exiting Safari Split Screen mode on iPad rely on showing the Safari back and forward navigation buttons first, as they must be visible on screen to access the other options.

How to Close Safari Split Screen View on iPad by Closing Tabs

If you want to close the tabs that open in Safari Split View as well, you can also exit and leave Safari Split View by specifically closing all the tabs that are open in the Split View panel of Safari.

• From Safari Split View on iPad, tap the URL / address bar at the top of the screen to reveal Safari navigation buttons and the tab bar
• Tap on the tiny faint grey “(X)” button in Safari to close that Safari tab

• If multiple tabs are open in the Safari split screen view, repeat and tap on the other tiny light grey “(X)” buttons until all tabs are closed on the split panel you want to close

The close tab button in Safari Split View can be difficult to find, not only because it’s quite small and being a light faint grey color, but also because it’s not visible unless the broader Safari navigation options are visible as well.

How to Stop Safari Screen Splitting in Two on iPad When Rotated

The only way to stop Safari from splitting into two screens when the iPad is rotated is to exit and leave Safari Split View mode on the iPad.

To accomplish that, you can use either set of instructions detailed here on this page, either by merging the tabs and closing Safari Split Screen View on iPad, or by manually closing the Safari Tabs that are open in one of the split view panels.

After you have closed and exited out of Safari Split Screen, if you rotate the iPad from vertical portrait to horizontal landscape orientation when in Safari, Safari will no longer split the screen on iPad.

How to Turn Off Split Screen Safari on iPad?

You might be asking yourself how to turn off and disable the Safari split screen feature in iOS for iPad. There is currently no way to disable Safari Split View feature on iPad.

Because you can not turn off Safari Split Screen on iPad, you’ll instead find that the only way to disable Safari Split View on iPad is to close out of it as outlined on this page, and then not use or enter into the Safari Split Screen feature again.

The inability to disable Safari Split Screen View mode differs from the broader ability to disable multitasking on iPad in general, but note that if you disable iPad Multitasking you will find that turning that feature off has no impact on Safari Split View mode, and the Safari Split Screen feature persists. So again, if you don’t like Safari Split Screen mode, exit out of it and don’t use it again.

Undoubtedly some of the confusion about exiting and leaving Safari Split Screen View could be alleviated by at least making the exit process similar to when using Split Screen View multi-tasking on iPad in general where you can simply grab the vertical separating line and drag it to the edge of the screen to close out. But for now, that’s not the case, perhaps down the road iOS Safari will have a more obvious approach to using split screen web browsing, but until then (if ever) just use the tips outlined above to close out of split browsing mode on Safari for iPad, or to avoid it in the first place. And maybe down the road Safari Settings will have an option to disable and turn off Safari Split Screen on iPad as well, time will tell!

Did the steps above help you to close and exit out of Safari Split View on the iPad? Do you have any helpful tips or tricks for exiting Safari Split Screen on iPad? Do you know of any secret trick to disable and turn off Safari Split Screen View on iPad? Share with us in the comments below!

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Related articles:

• How to Split Screen on iPad to Run Two Apps Side-by-Side
• How to Use Split View in Full Screen with Mac OS
• How to Use Split View Multitasking on iPad with iOS 10 & iOS 9
• How to Split Screen on Mac

40 Comments

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This is an example of why I can’t stand Apple products. The user design is absolutely terrible. As others have said, it should not take an article like this to explain, and even after reading it, I still can’t get my 85 year old father’s split screen exited because the controls this article shows in their screen shots do not appear on his ipad. Good riddance Apple I’m sticking with Ubuntu.

Apple has sucked worse every year since Jobs died. Why TF does Safari open every time I touch an image too long? I hold an image in Amazon so it will zoom in but this POS ipad thinks I want to open a new safari window that will delete all my other open safari tabs. Who wants this shitty feature? I can’t imagine when I would ever want that to happen. If I want to open something in Safari, I could cut and paste it.

All I do is double click on the home button. This will take you to a screen that shows everything open on your iPad. Slide finger up on the offensive split screen and it disappears. Then click on the web page you were last on and it comes up without the split screen.

If safari was so obvious to use it wouldn’t take a 5 page article to explain how to remove the split screen. Safari is garbage. Not designed for people who want a simple tool without obtuse, inexplicable features. I got rid of the split screen by f’ing around and swiping up. I can’t explain it. Somehow I got the second screen to float somehow, sort of like when all open apps are displayed when the home button is double-tapped. Then I swiped it up like an app I want to close and IT’S GONE. I was so pissed I thought I’d have a stroke

Didnt work. Step 1 to step 2 doesn’t bring up the symbols you are showing on my ipad. I hate ipads. I can’t even get step one to work: “From Safari Split Screen view on iPad, tap near the top of Safari or pull down to reveal the URL bar and Safari navigation buttons” does nothing even close to this on our ipad.

I have never entered into this view intentionally and am not actually sure how to enter it intentionally. But every time I managed to get out of it, the very next time I started up safari, all my previously opened tabs are gone. This is an extremely irritating feature especially when I was working with numerous open tabs and then suddenly, unexpectedly …

However, I never realized that holding that icon opened up a context menu.

The solution is stop using Safari. The bonus is you don’t have a “share” button filled with garbage you don’t use, get rid of previews and get a far more streamlined and intuitive interface.

Apple Marketing is beyond hope. Not using the installed apps gets rid of a lot of the insanity.

This is really pissing me off. Third time it’s happened and I can’t remember how to get it off. What would you do this?!

P, here is an article telling you exactly how to escape out of Safari Split Screen mode on iPad and how to turn it off:

https://osxdaily.com/2018/08/18/how-exit-safari-split-screen-ipad/

My wife was scrolling through Safari pages and this split view randomly happened. Took ages to find what was causing this.

Totally unbelievable that this option cannot be set off.

Time to dump Safari and use a different browser.

If only if it were that simple. You don’t even have to be I Safari. I don’t use it and still get a floating window that is hard to get rid of popping up randomly

I know right? Stupidest most annoying feature ever

Brave works great. I HATE when the “geniuses” at apple mess with stuff like this and say “oh, you only need to do this, then this, and this, this too, and one more thing to get out of the ignorantly installed, unwanted feature you can’t modify, turn off or otherwise control.”

I keep opening these damned little 1/4 windows with stray touches on the screen on ads, or hyperlinks – my DOG even opened one by sniffing the screen.

I’ve been using Safari for over 15 years, I’m done.

Using Brave on my desktop for several years, I’m done with Safari.

This last, newest, greatest feature” was the LAST iteration I’m going to deal with.

Linux isn’t far beyond this…

Thank you! So much more effective than saying rude words about the device.

iOS is getting more and more confusing when these cumbersome functions like split screens and even more new stuff like floating popup windows that are not even covered by this article keep being implemented.

Maybe it is about time Apple introduces a Setting, like the first one in General, Steve Jobs mode on/off.

This way the legacy of Jobs will remain respected: an interface that do not need a user manual for most of us!

The small percentage of geeks can turn this setting off and have fun with all those wonky new stuff that they so much enjoyed creating and prevent to bother the majority of the users that just want a clutter-free interface that they can rely on.

OMGFG. I found my tribe. Thannk you for flagging this. who the **** asked for this split screen thing. It’s not even intuitive to close out of it – I’ve been searching for the last 30 mins lookoing for a soln

Thanks! I had a lot of trouble finding how to do this, and this worked! However, there was a lot of fluff to get to the actual instructions (I already knew I had a split screen and didn’t need an explanation of why I wanted to turn it off.). But a very helpful article.

Many thanks to Apple for adding “features” that no one asked for, and then making us jump through no end of convoluted hoops to turn this stuff off.

Thank you!!!!! Been going nuts here! And no other site has been helpful, glad to be back in single screen again. This happens periodically, and how i get in and out of split screen has historically been a mystery. And Evan Huang is correct. Miss Steve Jobs and his oversight.

Yes! Teddy M said it well. Thanks to osxdaily for a clear, effective explanation and fix. Walt Raleigh

I need help activating the feature to get 4 screens on my iPhone….or is this scheduled for the next iOS update.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank You! On various solutions to my problem, no one was as informative and thorough as you were with your perfect solution. Their solutions failed (by not providing a thorough explanation) and yours worked simply and beautifully. Osxdaily.com is the best! Thanks Again, Teddy M

I use split screen 5-6 days a week to update spreadsheet data on my Pro 10.5”. I have no issues using it. My biggest gripe is that it seems only Apple apps work in split screen mode, where 3rd party apps all want the full screen. Why doesn’t Apple make this a requirement? It would greatly enhance the user experience. Just one of a bunch of things I’d like to b*tch about with Cupertino.

The article is useful, but leaves out one basic detail. This is not a feature for all devices. I found the Apple guide and it clarified which devices the split screen feature works on. I have an older iPad Air and the feature does not work.

There is an easy way to handle split screens: just move the tabs around. This way, you can change the order of the tabs in one window or you can move them to a second window or back into the first:

If you have several tabs open in Safari on iPad and want one of them appear in a split window, just hold the tab and drag it to the right or left side of your screen until it appears in its own window.

And if you want the tab to reappear in the first window, hold the tab again and drag it back. If it is the only tab in the second window, this window will close automatically.

I don’t even have the option to split the screen and my software is up to date!

Rotate iPad into sideways mode.

Then hold a link in Safari, then choose “Open in Split View”.

That’s how you open in Split Screen Safari on iPad. Hidden, like many other iOS features.

There’s another easy way to use split view: simply move the tabs! If you have several tabs open, you can change their order by just holding a tab and moving it to its new position. If you move it tho the far right or far left, it goes into a new split window. To close the split window, just drag the tab (or all tabs) back into the other window.

I never use unless it’s by mistake. I close it promptly.

I don’t see any use for it.

What would be useful would split screens for the apps.

Either Safari and an app, or two apps or a single app appearing twice. I could see real value there.

But the third party people have no interest in doing it. Just a costly venture.

Last time I used split screen it took me 5 minutes to look up how to enable it and 15 on how to turn it off. That was around Christmas time last year. It’s now August.

Agree with above, it shouldn’t require a multi step tutorial to use.

Absolutely right on! Who was the stupid idiot who came up with this split manure on mobile devices. Probably the same un- genius that created the character counter when sending character limited message that required a microscope or the vision of Superman. I don’t want or need a split screen anything on my iPhone or iPad. If I wanted to view more than one screen I would go to my desktop MacPro and its 27” screen. I don’t want any such crap on my iOS DEVICES!!! I pity the poor soul who inadvertently triggers this on an iPhone or small/mini iPad. Take that un-genious out of the building, stand them against a wall and have them shot!

So very well said! I fully agree, totally 100%! My suggestion is to overload Apple with a feature request: Settings > Safari > Split screens on/off (off by default)

Couldn’t agree more! Rant on. Maybe Apple is listening, though I doubt it.

Well that sure makes sense… to leave Safari split browser, you have to rotate the iPad to the sideways mode, then do a magic tap swipe type gesture on just the right part of the screen so that you can see some buttons that don’t look like buttons, then long tap and hold on some thing that doesn’t even look like a button, to reveal a hidden menu that nobody would know was there if they didn’t know to leave their finger stuck on a couple of squares for a few seconds. Good grief! It just works!

I appreciate learning how to do this, but this should not need a tutorial. It’s a web browser. Web browsing should be easy. iOS is supposed to be easy. None of this is easy, because guesswork is not easy.

Think about how much easier it is to close a web browser window, or put two side to side on Mac. Think about how easy that is on Windows. Then think about that experience on iPad.

And don’t even get me started on iPad multitasking, the most confusing experience ever imagined on any computer platform. There is nothing intuitive about iOS anymore, it’s all a guessing game. Things don’t look like buttons. Some text is a button some text isn’t. Things are hidden behind Magic Gestures and pulls and swipes and hard pushes and long presses. The entire iOS experience is confusing, nothing like what iOS was under Steve Jobs and Scott Forstall when it was obvious and intuitive.

Gosh Golly, that’s a rant!

The whole iOS interface is confusing. Try and explore general multitasking like slide over, split screen, video hover, the dock, the new paneled screen of tiled apps for app switching, it is all so confusing that me, someone who has been an advanced computer user for 30 years needs to look up how to do stuff. There is no discovery in iOS, there is no obvious indicator about what does what in iOS, or where, or how. Everything is a mystery behind a mystery.

I will go ahead and say that I think iOS is the most confusing GUI OS ever made, from a GUI standpoint. NOTHING is intuitive anymore.

Steve Jobs was the ultimate UX/UI champion, always pushing for simplicity and making things obvious. If it wasn’t obvious it was not good enough for Steve Jobs. If it needed an explanation it was too complicated. Compare that approach to nowadays… you have to read a multi-page long treatise just to learn how to close two web browser windows!!!!

Knowledge is power! It just takes time to gain the knowledge. 😝

And as soon as you gain it, they switch to another system

couldn’t agree more..someone at apple worked way to long on this ..apple ought to smarten up

Finally a coherent explanation and description. Had to look through way too many! And I agree, it should not be that complicated! Thank you!

Yep, I’ve had my iPad for a year and tonight for the first time, I did something accidentally that created the side-by side windows and couldn’t for the life of me figure out how to get rid of it. (and I’ve been on a Mac for 25 years) I totally agree with the Steve Jobs comment above and having to read 3 or 4 different pages before finding one that was straightforward, to the point and not geek speak is nuts. Where’s the intuitive thinking that made Apple famous???

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How-To Geek

How to split screen on ipad.

Use more than one app at a time by splitting your screen in two.

Quick Links

Enable multitasking on ipad, open apps in split view, open apps in slide over, move between split view and slide over.

When you work on your computer, you probably use more than one application at a time . If you use an iPad as well, you can do the same. We'll show you how to do split screen on iPad with two features.

By using Split View and Slide Over on your iPad, you can use more than one app at a time. There's no opening and minimizing to see what you need at the time. Place the apps side-by-side and multitask like a pro.

These instructions are for iPads running iPadOS 15. If you have an older iPad that doesn't support that version, take a look at our article on  using Split View and Slide Over on iPad , as the feature has evolved over time.

If you've used Multitasking on your iPad before, know that the old setting is no more. You used to be able to enable or disable the Multitasking toggle in Settings > Home Screen & Dock. This allowed you to turn off features like Split View and Slide Over. If you have an older version of iPadOS, you'll still see the setting.

However, with iPadOS 15 and newer, the setting has vanished. Now, you simply use the Multitasking icon and menu when you want to use one of these features. This icon displays as three dots at the top of the app and expands with the options.

With your iPad in landscape view and an app open, tap the Multitasking icon at the top. If you don't see the three dots, then the app doesn't support Multitasking.

Select the icon in the center to activate  Split View .

You'll then see the app move to the side of the screen with the remainder of your Home screen and Dock in view. This allows you to pick the second app you'd like to display on the other half of the screen.

When you open the next app, each displays equally in a split screen view. You can drag the divider down the center of the screen to the right or left to increase the view of one app and decrease the other.

With both apps on your screen at once, you can use them at the same time. Scroll through Safari on the left while you read a text message on the right. Or, view the Calendar on one side while you browse the App Store on the other.

You can also drag items between the two apps which is one of the handiest features of Split View. For example, you may see a picture in the Photos app that you want to add to your email. Simply drag the photo from its side of the screen to the email in the other.

Replace an App in Split View

As you use Split View, you may want to swap the apps you're using. You can replace one of the apps in this view with another.

Swipe down from the top of the app you want to remove.

You'll then see that app removed from view and the other app shrink to the other side of the screen, just like when you initially invoked Split View. Simply locate and open the app you want to fill the spot for the app you removed.

Turn Off Split View

When you want one of the two apps in full view again, you can easily get rid of the split screen view. Tap the Multitasking icon for the app you want to keep open and select the solid box icon on the far left for Full Screen.

Alternatively, drag the divider in the center to cover one of the apps you want to remove. This places the other app in fullscreen mode.

You can then head back to your Home screen as you normally would.

Slide Over is similar to Split View in that you can divide your iPad's screen between a couple of apps. The difference is that Slide Over keeps the second app on top of the other and to the side as shown below.

Related: How to Use Floating Apps (Slide Over) on an iPad

With your iPad in landscape view and an app open, tap the Multitasking icon at the top. Select the icon on the far right for Slide Over.

You'll then see the app move off the right side of the screen.

Pick the next app you'd like to display. This app then opens in full screen with the Slide Over app on top of it to the side.

To move the Slide Over app, use the Multitasking icon to drag it left or right. To hide the app, which is like closing it, slide it to the side of the screen. You'll then see a gray tab that you can drag to unhide it when you like.

Like with Split View, you can move items between the apps in Slide Over. Copy a file or photo from one Slide Over app to another by tapping, holding, and dragging it.

Close Slide Over

To stop using Slide Over, follow the same process as closing Split View. Put an app in Full Screen with the Multitasking icon and then return to your Home screen as usual.

If you're using Split View and want one app in Slide Over instead, tap the Multitasking icon for app you want to change and select the Slide Over icon.

If you're using Slide Over and want both apps in Split View, tap the Multitasking icon for the app in Slide Over and select the Split View icon.

Then, choose the icon for putting the app on the left or right side.

Take advantage of these handy built-in features to use split screens on your iPad. For more ways to multitask on iPad , consider using the Center Window and Picture-in-Picture features too!

Related: How to Use Split Screen on a Mac

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How to split-screen on iPad for multitasking (and why you should)

The iPad is a great device. It's a product that sits in the middle between tablet and laptop. And iPadOS, the operating system that runs on the iPad, is packed with some pretty cool features .

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But it surprises me how many people don't use -- or even know about -- a lot of those features.

One killer iPad feature you're probably not using? Multitasking, aka split-screen, or Split View.

Yes, that's the ability to run two apps, side by side, on the screen and switch between them seamlessly. 

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Using multiple apps at once lets you view two websites at the same time, use the Notes app while reading an article, or even check your messages while watching a video on a second app without missing a beat.   

How to use Split View for split-screen on an iPad

1. tap on the three dots at the top of an app.

From your home screen, fire up the first app on your iPad and look for three dots at the top of the app. Tap on it to access viewing options.

When you open an app, you can tap on the three dots at the top of your screen.

2. Select Split View option

Tapping on the three dots will open the options your iPad gives you for viewing the current app:

• Split View: Two apps are placed side by side, and you can resize the apps by dragging the border between them.
• Slide Over: One app floats above a second app, and you can drag it to the left or right side of your screen.
• Full Screen: Tap this to end multitasking.

Note : Not all apps are compatible with multitasking or Split View mode. If the three dots aren't visible on your iPad screen, a split-screen mode is not available for that app.

Multitasking options on iPadOS.

3. Tap on Split View and choose a second app

To get a split-screen view, tap on the middle option, which has the Split View icon, and you'll be prompted to choose a second app to view alongside the first one. 

Also:  How to use iPadOS 16's Stage Manager: 5 ways to transform your iPad experience

Once you have both apps visible on the screen in multitasking mode, you can slide them over by dragging them to switch sides or resize both windows.

Touch and drag this bar in the middle of both apps to resize the Safari and Apple News windows.

You can also view both apps at the same time like below, where the Notes app is visible as a floating app or floating pane over the Safari window at the side of the screen. You can switch between the two apps seamlessly. 

Notes becomes a floating app hovering over Safari.

Using the feature is easy. Tap the three dots, tap the feature you want to use, and then pick the second app you want to view. To end multitasking, tap the Full Screen button on the multitasking toolbar.

Also: How to use an iPad Pro to power your home office

It's a great way to make great use of all the screen space available on the iPad.

How do I turn off split-screen on iPad?

You can exit Split View on your iPad the same way you can enter it: When you're viewing two apps, tap on the three dots at the top of the app you want to view full-screen, and select the full-screen icon (the first option). The app will switch to full-screen mode. 

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Another option is to drag the divider bar all the way to the left or right edge of your screen to close a window. If your iPad has a home button, you can also double-press it to close the apps you'd like to get rid of. 

Why won't my iPad do split-screen?

If you can't see the three dots at the top of the screen, chances are that the app you're using doesn't support Multitasking, or Split View.

It's also possible that your iPad may not support the feature. To use Split View on an iPad, it must be either an iPad Pro, iPad 5th generation or newer, iPad Air 2 or newer, or an iPad Mini 4 or newer.

Also: The best note-taking app for the iPad

If you have a compatible device but are still having issues using split-screen on your iPad, check that it's enabled by following these steps:

• From the home screen, go to Settings on your iPad..
• Select General.
• Tap on Multitasking.
• Make sure the Allow Multiple Apps toggle is on the on position.
• Enable Persistent Video Overlay and Gestures.

Another culprit for not being able to use split screen may be your iPad's auto-rotation. Make sure Auto-rotate is enabled and not locked before trying to use Multitasking.

Can I open several windows on Safari?

We're all well aware that you can have multiple tabs open at one time in Safari, but you can also open several windows using an iPad's Multitasking menu. To do this, open Safari and follow these steps:

• Tap on the three dots at the top of the screen.
• Select the Split View button.
• When choosing an app, choose Safari again.

This will open another window for you so you can browse two pages simultaneously.

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The best ipad models: expert tested, the best vpns for iphone and ipad: expert tested, ipad air 2024: these 4 best new features make for one tempting tablet.

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How to use split-screen mode on your iPad and multitask

The iPad's major benefit is its larger screen and extreme portability. Just like your laptop or desktop computer , you can split your screen into discrete windows for different tasks. Not sure how to do this, or need a refresher? Here's how to enable split-screen mode on iPadOS 17.

How to split an iPad screen into two windows

How to adjust your split screen view on an ipad, how to get rid of split screen on your ipad, how to use the slide over feature on ipad, how to move content between apps on an ipad, how to set up picture-in-picture mode on ipad, frequently asked questions, what you need.

If the controls for Split View or Slide Over don't seem to work in a given app, that's not a bug. Developers have to specifically enable these features for their apps, so you may find them missing on older apps that simply haven't been updated for the latest version of iPadOS. Split View also usually isn't available for graphically intensive apps like games.

When Apple released iPadOS 15 , it greatly simplified its multitasking interface, making using the split-screen function more intuitive. Although Apple also introduced Stage Manager in iPadOS 16 , the older — and arguably more useful — Split Screen view remained. The newest version, iPadOS 17, similarly includes Split View, not to mention a much improved Stage Manager .

Step 1: Start with the home screen and launch the app of your choice.

Step 2: Select the Three Dots at the top-center of the screen to open the multitasking menu. If you don't see the Three Dots at the top, that means the app you're using does not support the split-screen multitasking feature.

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Step 3: Select Split view from the menu that appears. If you're still using iPadOS 15, this may appear as three icons instead, in which case you should select the middle of the three.

The current app moves to the left side of the screen, and a message appears at the top, prompting you to choose another app.

Step 4: Select a second app from the home screen in the same way you would open an app otherwise. The first app will slide back out to occupy the left half of the screen, while the new app opens on the right half.

Once you have two apps running side by side in Split View, you can adjust how much space each one takes up on your screen or flip them around to switch sides. Here's how.

Step 1: To change how much space each app occupies, select the highlighted adjustment slider in the center of the bar between the apps, and then drag it to either the left or the right. Note that you can't resize to just any arbitrary width; the iPad limits you to 50/50 or 33/66 proportions.

Step 2: To reverse the layout of your apps, you can either select and hold the Three Dots menu at the top of the app you'd like to move and drag it to the other side, or choose the menu once and then select Split View > Left Split or Right Split to move the app to the other side.

Once you've put an app into split-screen mode, your iPad will remember that arrangement, even if you return to the home screen and reopen the app. This can be quite convenient for apps that you regularly use together, such as Calendar and Reminders, but it can also make things complicated if you only wanted to use Split View for a single session. Fortunately, it's also quite easy to get out of Split View once you know where to look.

Step 1: To close one of the two apps, select the Three Dots at the top of the app that you would like to get rid of, and then select Close .

Step 2: To keep an app and get rid of the other one, select the Three Dots at the top of the app that you would like to keep on the screen, and then select Full Screen .

Step 3: Alternatively, you can just use the Split View adjustment slider and drag it all the way over to the edge of the screen to push off the app you no longer want to see.

Slide Over is another feature of the iPad's multitasking mode. It is similar to Split View, but displays one app in full-screen and the second one as a small floating window at the side of the screen. The iPad tracks the apps you open in Slide Over so that you can easily switch between them. With this feature, you can have several apps open and available at the same time.

Step 1: Launch the first app, select the Three Dots* menu at the top, and choose Slide Over from the menu that appears.

The app will slide over to the right side of the screen to show the home screen, and a prompt will appear asking you to choose another app.

Step 2: Choose a second app from the home screen as you normally would.

The second app opens, and the first slides back out from the right side and floats over it.

Step 3: Once you have an app open in Slide Over view, you can swipe it off the edge of the screen to hide it, and swipe back in from the edge of the screen to bring it back.

Step 4: You can open additional apps in Slide Over by repeating the steps above, although you'll only see one app simultaneously. Slide Over view uses an iPhone-like layout to display apps and switch between them.

You can swipe up on the handle at the bottom of the window to bring up an application switcher to choose an additional app, or drag the handle to the left or right to scroll through the apps you have open in Slide Over view, just like you would on an iPhone.

If you have two or more apps open, you can use drag and drop to share content between them, like text or photos. For example, you can directly pull text or images from an email, web page, or photo app to your Notes app . Note that not every app supports using drag and drop in this manner.

Step 1: Open two apps with the Split view or Slide over feature.

Step 2: Select and hold on the item you wish to move from one app to the other. 

Step 3: When the item detaches, carefully drag it over without removing your finger from the display. You will see a green plus sign (+) , which means you have successfully moved the content.

You can keep watching videos in an overlay window while tackling other tasks on your iPad, like scrolling through your emails, thanks to picture-in-picture mode . Note that not all apps support the iPad's picture-in-picture mode.

Step 1: Start by making sure picture-in-picture is enabled on your iPad. This should be the default setting, but you can confirm this by opening the Settings app and checking under General > Picture in Picture ; ensure that Start PiP Automatically is toggled on.

Step 2: Open a supported video app and begin playing a video of your choice.

Step 3: Either return to the home screen or switch to another app. The video will continue playing in an overlay window.

Step 4: You can adjust the size and position of the window by dragging it to another corner of your screen or using a pinch-to-zoom gesture to resize it.

You can also temporarily hide the video window by dragging it off the edge of the screen. The video will continue playing in the background, so you'll still hear the audio.

Step 5: To return to full-screen view, select the picture-in-picture icon in the floating window or reopen the app where the video was originally playing. You can also close the video by choosing the X button in the picture-in-picture window.

Why can't I find the Multitasking button on my iPad?

If you can't find the Multitasking button on your iPad, it may be that the app you're trying to slide over doesn't have that capability. Developers have to build this functionality into their apps, the app you're using may be an older one that hasn't been updated for the current iPadOS version that allows for Split View. Additionally, Split View functionality is often not built into graphic-heavy apps, in particular games.

Why won't my iPad split screen?

If you can't enable split screen on your iPad, it may be that you have an older model that doesn't support this feature. Slide Over ad Split View are both available on iPads that are 5th generation or later. If, on the other hand, you have a Split View compatible iPad, it could simply be disabled in your System Settings. If that's the case, try the following:

• Go to Settings.
• Open General.
• Select Multitasking.
• Toggle on Allow Multiple Apps.
• Enable Persistent Video Overlay and Gestures.

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How to Use Split Screen on an iPad

Learn how to multitask on your ipad by using two apps at the same time..

Using the multitasking feature on iPad is ridiculously helpful for boosting productivity or for people (me) who can’t focus on one task at a time. I’ve used it to take notes while studying, color while watching Netflix, or take down my favorite one-pot recipes .

Related Content

There are various ways you can split your screen into two apps. You can use the multitasking menu, the dock, or Spotlight . We’ll go over each in this article.

Types of Multitasking

But before we do that, let’s look at the three ways you could multitask in on an iPad. The Split View gets your two apps to show up side-by-side. Each app covers half of the screen by default, but you can resize the apps by dragging the grey vertical slider between them.

The Slide Over View shows one app appearing in a small floating window that you can drag to place on either side of your screen.

A Center Window feature lets you open a small window in the middle of your screen so you can focus on one specific task. Mail and Notes are the only two apps that support this feature.

How to Use the Multitasking Menu to Split Screen on an iPad

Open any app and tap the three horizontal dots at the top of your screen. Click on the view of your choice (Split View or Slide Over) . As soon as you do that, the app is going to move to one side of the screen to allow you to pick your second app. Feel free to swipe on your home screen pages to pick any app you want. You can also pick an app from the dock at the bottom of your screen. Tap on your second app, and it’s going to show up on your screen according to the view you picked.

If you picked Split View, it will appear side-by-side with your first app. Picking Slide Over will make the second app appear in a smaller window that you can place on any side of the screen.

How to Use the Dock to Split Screen on an iPad

Open an app. Swipe your finger up from the middle of the bottom of your screen and hold the swipe until you see the dock appear at the bottom. Release when the dock shows up. Then tap and hold your second app from it and quickly drag it up out of the dock.

To make the second app appear in Split View, drag it to the screen’s extreme left or right edge and ensure it hits one of the side bezels. For a Slide Overview, release the app anywhere in the middle of the screen.

How to Use Spotlight to Split Screen on an iPad

You need to have a keyboard connected to your iPad for this one. Open an app and power the Spotlight feature by pressing Command and Space bar on your keyboard at the same time. When you see the Spotlight field appear, enter the name of your app on your keyboard to have it show up as one of the suggestions. Tap, hold, and drag the app outside of the suggestions onto your display.

Again, dragging it to one of the extreme sides will make it appear in Split View, and releasing it anywhere in the middle of your screen will show up in a Slide Over window.

How to Use the Center Window Feature on an iPad

Mail and Notes are the only two apps supporting the center window feature. Open one of these apps. Tap and hold one specific item, such as a note or an email. From the menu that pops up, click on Open in New Window. When you’re done, hit Done or Close.

Need More Help?

How to Factory Reset an iPad How to Reset an iPad How to Restart an iPad How to Take a Screenshot on an iPad How to Connect Your Apple Pencil to an iPad

Want more of Gizmodo’s consumer electronics picks? Check out our guides to the best phones , best laptops , best TVs , and best headphones . If you want to learn about the next big thing, see our guide to everything we know about the iPhone 16 .

Close split screen or a floating app on your iPad

With iPadOS multitasking, you can have more than one app on your iPad screen at the same time. If you want to get out of multitasking and focus on one app, follow these steps.

How to close or get out of split screen on your iPad

Touch the controller in the middle of the vertical bar between the two apps.

Drag the controller off the screen in the direction of the app that you want to close.

Learn how to use Split View multitasking mode to work in two apps at the same time.

Merge tabs and windows in Safari

How to remove a floating app from your iPad screen with Slide Over

Swipe the app off the screen to the left or right.

Learn how to use Slide Over multitasking mode to work on an app that slides in front of any open app.

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My iPad safari screen is cut in half, I have two windows of safaris on my screen and I cannot close one of them

My safari screen is splitting into two windows. How can I close one. Every time I click on safari I get two window on my screen.

Posted on Sep 1, 2019 1:40 AM

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Oct 16, 2019 7:59 AM in response to APPLEEATER2

as my link stated How to split screen in Safari on your iPad - Apple Support

Sep 1, 2019 1:53 AM in response to jilla99

How to split screen in Safari on your iPad - Apple Support

Oct 16, 2019 7:44 AM in response to jilla99

My iPad Screen is cut in half in SAFARI with similar website shown on each page. this is very annoying and i cannot find a solution to fix this problem

Sep 1, 2019 2:04 AM in response to jilla99

Grab the title bar of one side and move it to the other title bar or simply close one side.

Sep 1, 2019 2:14 AM in response to jilla99

Hi jilla99,

Pls refer to the attached photo (Solution is in 2 red arrows)

Hope this helps.

Oct 16, 2019 7:46 AM in response to APPLEEATER2

An answer to my question above would be helpful !!

Oct 16, 2019 8:18 AM in response to APPLEEATER2

This is not a chat service, and users have to read your question before it can be answered. You need to be patient, and believe me, 2 minutes is not patience.

Oct 16, 2019 9:49 AM in response to APPLEEATER2

Pls refer to this YouTube tutorial video: https://youtu.be/ltq5OPdT9mk