How to open two apps on an iPad?

Yes, an iPad can show two apps at once. How you do it depends on your iPadOS version. On iPadOS 26 you drag a second app out of the Dock into a resizable window and tile the two windows side by side using Windowed Apps mode, add a floating app with Slide Over (restored in iPadOS 26.1), or arrange several overlapping windows with Stage Manager. On older iPadOS 15 to 18, you tap the three-dot menu at the top of an app and choose Split View or Slide Over. The steps below cover every current method.

iPad Multitasking Changed in iPadOS 26

If you remember dragging an app to the edge for Split View, the controls have moved. iPadOS 26 retired the separately named Split View and Slide Over features and replaced them with a Mac-like windowing system. Every supported iPad now offers three multitasking choices: Full Screen (one app), Windowed Apps (free-floating, resizable, tileable windows), and Stage Manager (grouped overlapping windows).

The practical result is that you no longer "turn on Split View." Instead you open a second window and snap the two windows together. The classic 50/50 side-by-side layout still exists, it is just produced by tiling rather than by a dedicated mode. Slide Over briefly disappeared and was brought back in iPadOS 26.1 as a floating window any app can use.

Method 1 - Open a Second App with Windowed Apps (iPadOS 26)

Windowed Apps mode is the default way to get two apps on screen at once in iPadOS 26. Apps open full screen but can be shrunk into windows you arrange freely.

Step-by-step:

• Open the first app you want to use.
• Swipe up slightly from the bottom edge to reveal the Dock.
• Press and drag a second app out of the Dock and drop it onto the screen. It opens as its own window alongside the first.
• Grab the handle in the bottom-right corner of a window (or any corner) and drag to resize it.
• Reposition a window by dragging its top bar so both apps are visible at the size you want.

This is the most flexible option because the two windows do not have to be equal halves. You can make a reference app narrow and give your main app most of the screen.

Method 2 - Tile Two Apps Side by Side (the Split-View Layout)

If you specifically want the old 50/50 Split View look, tile the two windows against the screen edges. Each window has a set of window controls (the red, yellow, and green buttons) in its top-left corner.

Step-by-step:

• Open both apps as windows using Method 1.
• Press and hold the window controls (the colored buttons) at the top-left of a window, then choose a tiling option to dock it to the left or right half.
• In landscape, you can also flick a window toward a screen edge to snap it to that half.
• Repeat for the second app so it fills the opposite half.
• Drag the divider between the two windows to adjust how much space each app gets, or resize a corner to switch to a thirds or quarters split.
• To swap sides, drag a window's top bar to the other edge. To close a split, tap the green button to maximize one app or the red button to close the other.

Method 3 - Use Slide Over for a Floating Second App (iPadOS 26.1)

Slide Over puts a small app window on top of whatever you are doing, perfect for quickly checking Messages or Notes without changing your main layout. It returned in iPadOS 26.1 and works with any app.

Step-by-step:

• Open the app you want floating.
• Press and hold its window controls (the colored buttons) and choose Enter Slide Over.
• Alternatively, drag an app from the Dock toward the left or right edge until a small arrow appears, then drop it to make it float.
• Drag the floating window to either side of the screen, or swipe it off the edge to tuck it away. Swipe back from the edge to bring it back.

Method 4 - Stage Manager for Multiple Resizable Windows

Stage Manager goes beyond two apps. It groups overlapping, freely resizable windows into "Stages" you can switch between, and it supports window management on a connected external display. It is the closest the iPad gets to a desktop multitasking experience.

Step-by-step:

• Open Control Center, or go to Settings and then Multitasking, and turn on Stage Manager.
• Your current app moves to center stage, with recent apps shown as thumbnails on the side.
• Drag an app from the Dock or the side thumbnails into the center to add it to the current group.
• Resize and overlap the windows however you like; tap a side thumbnail to switch to a different Stage.

Device note: Stage Manager and the full windowing experience require an iPad with an Apple M-series chip (iPad Pro M1 and newer, iPad Air M1 and newer). Older A-series iPads that run iPadOS 26 still get Windowed Apps but are capped at around four windows and do not get external-display Stage Manager.

On Older iPadOS (15 to 18): Split View and Slide Over via the Three-Dot Menu

If your iPad is still on iPadOS 15, 16, 17, or 18, the older multitasking controls apply. Look for the three-dot (...) button at the top center of any open app.

Step-by-step:

• Open the first app and tap the three-dot (...) menu at the top of the screen.
• Choose the Split View icon (two rectangles) for a side-by-side layout, or the Slide Over icon (a single floating rectangle) for a floating app.
• The current app slides aside and shows the Home Screen; tap the second app to open it in the other pane.
• Drag the black divider in the middle left or right to give each app more or less space.
• You can also swipe up to show the Dock and drag a second app to the screen edge to start Split View, or to the center to start Slide Over.

iPad Multitasking Modes at a Glance

Why This Matters for App Testing

Multitasking changes the conditions your app runs under. A window in Windowed Apps or a tiled half is narrower than full screen, so layouts that assume the full iPad width can break: text wraps oddly, buttons overlap, and modals can be clipped. Slide Over is narrower still, close to a phone-width canvas. If your app only ever gets tested at full screen, these states slip through.

Because behavior also differs between iPadOS versions and between M-series and older iPads, it is worth checking your app on real hardware rather than a single simulator. With TestMu AI'sReal Device Cloud you can open your app on physical iPads from the browser, resize and tile windows, and confirm the layout adapts across screen sizes and iPadOS releases without owning every model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you still use Split View on an iPad?

On iPadOS 26 the named Split View feature was removed, but you can recreate the same side-by-side layout by tiling two windows in Windowed Apps mode. On iPads still running iPadOS 15 to 18, Split View works the old way through the three-dot multitasking menu at the top of an app.

How do I open a second app on iPadOS 26?

Open the first app, swipe up slightly to reveal the Dock, then drag a second app from the Dock onto the screen. Resize each window with the grab handle in the bottom-right corner, or drag a window to a screen edge to tile two apps side by side.

Did Apple remove Slide Over from the iPad?

Slide Over was missing from the first iPadOS 26 release but was reintroduced in iPadOS 26.1. You can now place any app into a floating Slide Over window by pressing and holding the window controls and choosing Enter Slide Over, or by dragging an app from the Dock to the screen edge.

Which iPads support Stage Manager?

Stage Manager and full window management require iPads with Apple M-series chips, such as the iPad Pro M1 and newer and the iPad Air M1 and newer. Older A-series iPads that run iPadOS 26 get the new modes but are capped at around four simultaneous windows and do not get external-display Stage Manager.

How many apps can I open at once on an iPad?

It depends on the chip. Older A-series iPads on iPadOS 26 are limited to about four app windows at a time, while M-series iPads support more (roughly five or more), letting you arrange several resizable windows with Stage Manager.

How do I test how my app behaves in iPad split-screen layouts?

Run the app on real iPads across different iPadOS versions and screen sizes. A real device cloud lets you open your app on physical iPads from a browser, resize and tile windows, and confirm the layout adapts correctly without owning every device.

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