Tutorials

How to use Android split screen with any app, even if it doesn’t support it

Android’s split-screen mode has been with us for a few years now, having debuted with Nougat, but almost every successive version has improved it to a lesser or greater extent. What remains the same is that some applications they refuse to work in split screen mode, like Instagram.

If you want to use two applications at the same time on your mobile and one of them does not support split screen mode, the good news is that you can force it from the developer options. And, barring a few minor visual bugs, it works quite well.

Split screen by hook or by crook

It’s been six years since Android first introduced split-screen mode, and yet we’re still finding important apps refusing to resize gracefully as is the case with Instagram (which also refuses to rotate).

You’ll recognize them as they don’t show the split screen menu in recents view, and if your layer allows you to try launching it in split screen mode anyway, it won’t. Instead, you’ll see a message similar to The app does not support Split Screen.

Instagram

Instagram still doesn’t support split screen

Luckily, the latest versions of Android allow you to force all apps to work in split-screen mode. The option is part of developer options which you will have to activate in the usual way: by going to Settings> information and hitting the build number.

Then enter the options for developers (usually they are within the section System of the settings) and activate Force resize activities. Please note that the translation may vary between layers and even between versions of Android.

Force

After doing so, try your favorite method to open the split screen again and you will see that it is now available in all applications. For example, if you open the recent view and do a long tap on the app icon, you will be shown the menu split screen.

This way, the app will open in split screen mode whether you like it or not. What happens next is somewhat unpredictable: it can run smoothly or have some elements somewhat inaccessible but at least it will work.

divided

In this way, no app will escape multi-window mode, although this trick should be less and less necessary. Android 12 changes how multi-window works: on large screens, all apps work in multi-window, but those that don’t resize do so in compatibility mode. On small screens, it is still necessary to use the previous trick.

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