iPad: How to get app which is not in the dock to split-screen in iOS 11?

[adamdur]

Hi, I´ve ran to this problem on my Air 2 with iOS 11 beta 1 and haven´t found a good solution just yet.

I have an app opened, for example Photos, and I want to get Notes app to the split-view, but I don´t have this app in my Dock - only on the homescreen. How do I do that? From what I understand, the only apps to use split-view with are the ones in the dock. That´s pretty lame, because I don´t want to have all my apps in the dock. Previously I could just swipe from the right and I had the list of all my apps that supported split-view. Is there a solution to this?? Thank you very much for all your comments.

 

[ashindnile]

Simple. Just go to the homescreen and open the second app. Your previous app is automatically added to the recents in the dock. Drag it into split view.
iOS 11 also lets you add apps to any space, so that shouldn't be a problem!

 

[saudor]

Simple. Just go to the homescreen and open the second app. Your previous app is automatically added to the recents in the dock. Drag it into split view.
iOS 11 also lets you add apps to any space, so that shouldn't be a problem!

So basically it’s going to take an extra step or two.
[doublepost=1496951548][/doublepost]Figured it out, it's:

up up down down up down left right. Press Home button

 

[Krevnik]

So basically it’s going to take an extra step or two.

Pretty much, although flying through a haphazardly sorted list wasn't any better. Another option you've got:

- In the home screen, press and hold to start dragging the app.
- Head into switcher via double-click on home button, or using the gesture (requires a second hand).
- Drag the app onto the other app in the switcher you want to split with. It will spring load and let you place it.

 

[pacorob]

Wow there is still not a way to actually (de)select / lock certain apps you do want to see in this new Dock or a search feature. I sure hope they get this sorted when iOS11 is released. These kind of details are so important. All these additional steps are so cumbersome.
Does also the same Dock feature apply then for older iDevices such as the iPad mini2 for Slide Over feature? Because those devices don't actually have Split View in iOS10.

 

[ashindnile]

Does also the same Dock feature apply then for older iDevices such as the iPad mini2 for Slide Over feature? Because those devices don't actually have Split View in iOS10.

Yes it does. The only difference is the background app can't be used when another app is above in slide over mode. But drag/drop and everything else works(great, I might add).

 

[bmac89]

I think I saw a video with folders on the dock. Is this possible? If so I assume this is another option to have multiple apps on dock for split view without taking up extra space.

 

[Feenician]

Wow there is still not a way to actually (de)select / lock certain apps you do want to see in this new Dock or a search feature. I sure hope they get this sorted when iOS11 is released. These kind of details are so important. All these additional steps are so cumbersome.
Does also the same Dock feature apply then for older iDevices such as the iPad mini2 for Slide Over feature? Because those devices don't actually have Split View in iOS10.

Huh? You select/deselect apps you want on the dock by dragging them to or from the dock, just like macOS. As for search, spotlight, but it’s buggy in this super early dev beta.

As for cumbersome, I wasn’t sure about it at first but with even a little experience it’s so superior to the old picker even if it was just doing the same thing but it’s actually doing more.

 

[ashindnile]

I think I saw a video with folders on the dock. Is this possible? If so I assume this is another option to have multiple apps on dock for split view without taking up extra space.

Yup!

 

[Abazigal]

So basically it’s going to take an extra step or two.
[doublepost=1496951548][/doublepost]Figured it out, it's:

up up down down up down left right. Press Home button

That's my observation as well. Multitasking in iOS 11 seems more powerful and versatile but also a tad more cumbersome to access.

 

[subjonas]

This was my exact question after seeing a few videos on iOS 11 multitasking (not a beta tester myself). They all only use the dock to bring up new split screen apps. The dock is nice but the dock isn't going to hold all split screen apps. The two methods mentioned in this thread of bringing up split screen apps not in the dock--seem almost like workarounds. Really unrefined and unintuitive. One of the methods requires two hands and that is simply unreasonable when one hand will often be unavailable since it will be holding the iPad. Apple needs to more purposefully design this task to be slick, intuitive, and requiring less effort. For instance, you could four finger swipe the app to the left to reveal home screen (with the app edge still showing on left edge of screen so you don't forget it's open), you tap the second app icon on home screen, and that's it you're done, the first app comes back and the second app opens up beside it in 50/50 split view. Or if you want to place it differently, touch and hold the icon, the first app fills the screen, and the second app appears as a transparent window under your finger that you can place on the either side in 20% mode. One example that I think would be much better.

Another possible annoyance is not being able to know whether an app supports split screen or not until you actually try it. One good thing about the app picker in iOS 10 is that you at least knew all those apps support split screen.

 

[Feenician]

This was my exact question after seeing a few videos on iOS 11 multitasking (not a beta tester myself). They all only use the dock to bring up new split screen apps. The dock is nice but the dock isn't going to hold all split screen apps. The two methods mentioned in this thread of bringing up split screen apps not in the dock--seem almost like workarounds. Really unrefined and unintuitive. One of the methods requires two hands and that is simply unreasonable when one hand will often be unavailable since it will be holding the iPad. Apple needs to more purposefully design this task to be slick, intuitive, and requiring less effort. For instance, you could four finger swipe the app to the left to reveal home screen (with the app edge still showing on left edge of screen so you don't forget it's open), you tap the second app icon on home screen, and that's it you're done, the first app comes back and the second app opens up beside it in 50/50 split view. Or if you want to place it differently, touch and hold the icon, the first app fills the screen, and the second app appears as a transparent window under your finger that you can place on the either side in 20% mode. One example that I think would be much better.

Another possible annoyance is not being able to know whether an app supports split screen or not until you actually try it. One good thing about the app picker in iOS 10 is that you at least knew all those apps support split screen.

I like your idea of 4 finger swiping to home and, as much as I think the current system is not as cumbersome as it seems at first sight, I do hope Apple spend some time refining, adapting and expanding what’s there in this release.

 

[saudor]

Pretty much, although flying through a haphazardly sorted list wasn't any better. Another option you've got:

- In the home screen, press and hold to start dragging the app.
- Head into switcher via double-click on home button, or using the gesture (requires a second hand).
- Drag the app onto the other app in the switcher you want to split with. It will spring load and let you place it.

But the iOS10 method was useful if you were constantly jumping back and forth between 2-3 apps since they all show up within an icon's reach in that list once your workflow is set up.

Under ios11, you have to constantly pop open the dock, drag, etc. That old slider was also useful when you were doing something and wanted to slide over messages quickly for instance. (although the slide over sorta works to expose the previous app but there's no way to switch and it doesnt work consistently)

 

[tjleonard]

Huh? You select/deselect apps you want on the dock by dragging them to or from the dock, just like macOS. As for search, spotlight, but it’s buggy in this super early dev beta.

As for cumbersome, I wasn’t sure about it at first but with even a little experience it’s so superior to the old picker even if it was just doing the same thing but it’s actually doing more.

I have an app I don't want in the dock, but it will go there when I open it. Honestly, it's not a complaining my factor.

I completely agree. The old way sucked and was unusable unless you have 5 apps. If you have 40 apps, scrolling through them was terrible. I'm super surprised how well it works in beta 1.

 

[pacorob]

Huh? You select/deselect apps you want on the dock by dragging them to or from the dock, just like macOS. As for search, spotlight, but it’s buggy in this super early dev beta.

As for cumbersome, I wasn’t sure about it at first but with even a little experience it’s so superior to the old picker even if it was just doing the same thing but it’s actually doing more.

I have an app I don't want in the dock, but it will go there when I open it. Honestly, it's not a complaining my factor.

I completely agree. The old way sucked and was unusable unless you have 5 apps. If you have 40 apps, scrolling through them was terrible. I'm super surprised how well it works in beta 1.

1. So can we lock/unlock certain apps for the Dock? Or will it kick out apps when you use an app that has Slide Over/Split View support and add it to Dock (while I actually don't want to) and kick out one of my favorites apps that I do want to have in the Dock and use for Slide Over/Split View?
2. Is there a limit of some sort in the Dock of the amount of apps that can be there? What happens when you add another one? Will some of the existing ones be kicked out?
3. Will you see it immediately when an app doesn't support Slide Over/Split View that you can't add an app to the Dock?

 

[ashindnile]

1. So can we lock/unlock certain apps for the Dock? Or will it kick out apps when you use an app that has Slide Over/Split View support and add it to Dock (while I actually don't want to) and kick out one of my favorites apps that I do want to have in the Dock and use for Slide Over/Split View?
2. Is there a limit of some sort in the Dock of the amount of apps that can be there? What happens when you add another one? Will some of the existing ones be kicked out?
3. Will you see it immediately when an app doesn't support Slide Over/Split View that you can't add an app to the Dock?

1. No you can't. The 3 most recently used background apps are in the far right of the dock. These don't interfere with the apps you've explicitly added.
2. Limit varies with the size of the display, although suffice to say it will fit several apps. If you need more, you can add folders to the dock.
3. There appears to be no indication of whether an app has support, except when you drag the icon over the foreground app, the icon expands differently (horizontal scale) and not to the shape of a slide over window.

 

[onepoint]

Trying to think through how I would do this on a Windows laptop -⎌ I would go to the desktop or Start Menu and fire the app up, and resize windows as necessary. The iOS 11 requirement to go to the home screen doesn’t seem very onerous to me, assuming the app isn’t already in the dock due to choice or recent use.

 

[bmac89]

I think I will be adding a folder or two to my dock, however it would be nice to be able to have an alias folder specifically for split screen use.

 

[pacorob]

1. No you can't. The 3 most recently used background apps are in the far right of the dock. These don't interfere with the apps you've explicitly added.
2. Limit varies with the size of the display, although suffice to say it will fit several apps. If you need more, you can add folders to the dock.
3. There appears to be no indication of whether an app has support, except when you drag the icon over the foreground app, the icon expands differently (horizontal scale) and not to the shape of a slide over window.

Thank you very much for answering all my questions related to the Dock and Slide Over/Split View!!

 

[bmac89]

I'm assuming you can't use the Apple Pencil for drag and drop and activating split view? Not a big deal but interested to know.

Also when you have two safari side by side can you resize the split view in iOS 11 or is it still 50/50?

 

[Feenician]

I'm assuming you can't use the Apple Pencil for drag and drop and activating split view? Not a big deal but interested to know.

Nothing has changed for pencil. You can use it for any on screen gesture. You still can’t use for it edge screen/off screen gestures like pulling down notifications, going back/forward or in the case of iOS 11, pulling up the dock/multi-tasking. It doesn’t register those.

 

[bmac89]

Also when you have two safari side by side can you resize the split view in iOS 11 or is it still 50/50?

In addition to the above question ^

Is split view persistent when you open a new app from the home screen. I.e. I have Mail and Calendar open go to home screen (not the dock) and then open Safari. Will Mail be replaced with Safari and the calendar app remain on the right side? This is how it works currently, but I know things might have changed with the multitask / control centre now remebering multiple split view spaces.

Also can you have the same app in two different split view spaces? I.e. one with Mail & Calendar and one with Mail & Safari?

Thanks

 

[pacorob]

Two instances of the same (third party) app aside of Apple's Safari would be really helpfull indeed. I'm also curious if that is now an option in iOS11.

 

[Feenician]

In addition to the above question ^

Safari split view is still 50/50 and not resizable.

Is split view persistent when you open a new app from the home screen. I.e. I have Mail and Calendar open go to home screen (not the dock) and then open Safari. Will Mail be replaced with Safari and the calendar app remain on the right side?

It's not. When you open a new app it forms its own "space" (a space being a thumbnail entry in the multitasking screen). The previous split apps, Mail and Calendar, remain in their own space

Also can you have the same app in two different split view spaces? I.e. one with Mail & Calendar and one with Mail & Safari?

Nope. If you open mail individually it will open in the space its already in. If you add it to split or slideover in another space then it will close in the space it was already in.

Two instances of the same (third party) app aside of Apple's Safari would be really helpfull indeed. I'm also curious if that is now an option in iOS11.

It's not possible for the reason immediately above.

 

[mwakefie]

I've always thought the method you describe would be ideal for multi-tasking. There must be some technical limitation as to why they don't make this possible. Four fingers are already used to swipe quickly between apps. Perhaps three fingers could be used to snap the app to the side of the screen, similar to Windows, and then reveal the home screen beneath to select an app to open with it. I bet having the home screen and an app open simultaneously is the technical hurdle. Hopefully they overcome this since this would be the simplest and most intuitive implementation. I don't use multi-tasking often - I simply switch quickly between apps using four fingers. But I know a lot of folks really need to see two apps at once - even though you really only interact with one at a time - just how their brain works. Multitasking continues to be a barrier for most people to using iPads more than a Mac, which I do. I do think the iOS 11 route is slightly better since the large number of apps on the side before was pretty useless and I always accidentally swiped from the right to make it show up when I didn't want it. Anyway, I think iOS 11 is a small improvement, but hopefully the full multitasking from the home screen approach is possible someday.