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Unfolded, iPhone Duo has room for two apps at once. Split View divides the inner display into two equal halves, and two apps can be joined into a pair that always launches together. Which app sits on the right matters more than it might seem at first.
Two apps side by side is one of the features Apple announced for the large inner display at the introduction of iPhone Duo. Many people know the name Split View from multitasking on iPad, and on iPhone Duo the feature has the same name.
I checked every step in this guide on my own iPhone Duo. All other details about the device are on the iPhone Duo fact page.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Split View only works when iPhone Duo is unfolded in landscape orientation.
- You can start it with a swipe gesture or via "Open in Split View" in an app icon's context menu.
- The split is fixed at 50/50, and the width cannot be changed.
- Some apps, such as Safari, Notes and Messages, can also be opened twice side by side.
- A tap on the divider joins both apps into a pair that always launches together from then on.
- In portrait orientation and when folding the device, only the app that was on the right remains.
When Split View works
On iPhone Duo, Split View is only available in one position: unfolded and in landscape. If you rotate the unfolded device to portrait, the split disappears and the app that was on the right fills the display. If you fold the Duo, the app that was placed on the right also appears on the outer display.
| Position | What happens |
|---|---|
| Unfolded, landscape | Two apps side by side, one half each |
| Unfolded, portrait | Only the right app, full screen |
| Folded | Only the right app, on the outer display |
Method 1: With a swipe gesture from an open app
Here's how to start Split View from within an app:
- Unfold iPhone Duo, hold it in landscape and open the first app.
- Swipe up from the bottom edge, pause briefly in the middle of the screen and drag the app to the left or right edge.
- The app snaps into that half, and the Home Screen appears on the other side.
- Tap the second app there. It opens next to the first.
Whether the first app ends up on the left or the right depends only on the direction you drag it.
Method 2: Via the context menu
You can also start Split View directly from the Home Screen:
- Hold iPhone Duo unfolded and in landscape.
- Touch and hold an app icon until the context menu appears.
- Tap "Open in Split View."
- Choose the second app. It opens next to the first.
Width and closing
On iPhone Duo, the split is fixed: both apps always get exactly half of the display. Dragging the divider in the middle to 70/30 or a similar split doesn't work.
If you drag the divider all the way to the edge, Split View ends. The remaining app then goes full screen.
Two windows of the same app
Split View doesn't only work with two different apps. According to Apple's iPhone Duo user guide, you can also open multiple windows of the same app side by side, such as two Safari tabs or your Mail inbox next to a draft.
On my iPhone Duo, this works with Safari, Notes and Messages. To do it, open the app in Split View as usual and choose the same app again on the other side. Not every app supports this.
Join two apps into a pair
If you regularly use two apps together, you can link them permanently:
- Open both apps in Split View, each in its own half.
- Tap the divider in the middle once.
An animation then shows a kind of connection between the two apps, without any text or label appearing. Afterward, a light bridge fills the black gap between the two windows, so they look like one continuous surface. This also lets you tell later whether two apps form a pair.
If you later open one of the two apps from its icon, the other launches right along with it, as long as the Duo is held unfolded and in landscape.
Why I put the more important app on the right
I consider placement the real setting in Split View, even though there's no switch for it. As soon as the Duo is rotated to portrait or folded, only the right app stays on the display. If you fold it in between to quickly keep reading or reply, you should drag the app you want to continue with to the right – with Messages and a browser, for example, that would be Messages.
The same applies to pairs, because they reappear in the same arrangement every time they launch. A pair with the wrong app on the right sends you to the wrong side every time you fold the device. More articles about the foldable iPhone are collected on the iPhone Duo topic page.
iPhone Duo Split View – the key points at a glance
On iPhone Duo, Split View only runs unfolded in landscape, started with a swipe gesture or via "Open in Split View." The split stays fixed at 50/50, and a tap on the divider turns two apps into a pair. In portrait and on the outer display, only the right app remains, so it pays to put the more important one there.
Which two apps would you permanently pair on iPhone Duo – and which of them gets the right side for you? Tell us in the comments which combination you use day to day.
Frequently asked questions: iPhone Duo Split View
Yes. With Split View, two apps run side by side on the inner display, each in one half.
No, only when unfolded in landscape. In portrait and on the outer display, only the app that was on the right remains.
Either swipe up from the bottom edge in an open app, pause briefly and drag the app to the left or right edge. Or touch and hold an app icon and tap "Open in Split View."
No. The split stays fixed at 50/50. If you drag the divider all the way to the edge, Split View ends and the remaining app goes full screen.
Open both apps in Split View and tap the divider in the middle once. An animation shows the connection between the apps.
If you later open one of the two apps from its icon, the other launches right along with it, as long as iPhone Duo is held unfolded and in landscape.
The app you want to continue with after folding the device or rotating it to portrait. Only that app then stays on the display.
