How to use multi-app multitasking on your iPad

The iPad doesn't just offer a big screen, it offers the ability run multiple apps on that big screen at the same time.

While iOS 9 brings multi-app multitasking to the all the latest generation iPads, it brings it to the most recent iPads in style. That includes not only the slide over and picture-in-picture, but split view as well. It makes the iPad twice as convenient, twice as productive, and up to three times as fun. Here's how to use it!

• How to use picture-in-picture multitasking
• How to use slide-over multitasking
• How to use split screen multitasking

How to use picture-in-picture video multitasking on your iPad

Picture-in-picture (PiP) isn't a new concept. It's existed for television and computer displays for years. Traditionally, the idea was that you could watch more than one thing at the same time. So, for example, having the channel showing the baseball game on your TV, full screen, and the channel playing the football game in a smaller window in one of the corners. With PiP on the iPad, the idea is that you can watch a video while doing something else at the same time.

How to enter picture-in-picture mode on the iPad

Developers need to enable PiP support in their apps or web services in order for it to work. If you don't see the PiP button on your favorite app or web site, let the developer know you want it.

1. Launch your video app. (We're using Apple's built-in Videos app.)
2. Go to the video you want to play.
3. Tap Play to start playing the video.
4. Tap the PiP button to enter picture-in-picture mode.
   
   

Picture-in-picture mode will also launch automatically if you leave a PiP-enabled app while the video is playing. (That's how to put FaceTime into PiP mode, for example.)

How to control the PiP video on the iPad

If you tap the picture-in-picture player, you're presented with a set of controls.

1. The PiP button will send you back to the app that owns the video and restore the video to full screen.
2. The pause/play video will, as the name suggests, pause or resume playback of the video.
3. The close button will end playback, close the PiP, and leave you to get on with whatever else you're doing.
   
   

There's also an incredibly thin progress bar along the bottom that shows you how far along you are in the timeline. You can't use the progress bar to scrub forward or back through the video, but you can use it to quickly see how much is left.

How to change the size and position of the PiP video on the iPad

Picture-in-picture video defaults to roughly quarter-screen size (with amble transparent border) and the lower left-hand side of the display, but you can easily resize and reposition it.

To resize it, you use the trusty pinch-to-zoom gesture.

1. Touch two fingers down on the PiP.
2. Pinch your fingers together to shrink the PiP.
3. Spread your fingers apart to expand the PiP.
4. Let go.
   
   

To reposition it, you simply drag.

1. Touch one finger down on the PiP.
2. Drag the PiP to any of the other corners.
3. Let go.
   
   

How to hide the PiP video on the iPad

If you need to use your full iPad screen for something else but don't want to stop listening to the video's audio, instead of closing the picture-in-picture window, you can simply tuck it away for a time.

1. Touch one finger down on the PiP.
2. Drag the PiP sideways off the screen.
   
   

A small tab will remain visible so you can pull the PiP back out again when you want to continue watching.

1. Touch one finger down on the PiP tab.
2. Drag the PiP sideways back on screen.
   
   

How to disable PiP video on the iPad

Because the picture-in-picture video can start automatically when you leave an app during playback, and that might not be what you want, Apple gives you a way to disable it.

1. Launch Settings from your Home screen.
2. Tap on General.
3. Tap on Multitasking.
4. Switch Persistent Video Overlay to Off.
   
   

To re-enable it, simply repeat the process and switch Persistent Video Overlay to On.

How to use slide over multitasking on your iPad

With slide over on your iPad you can briefly access a secondary app to jot down a few notes, reply to a few messages, or check a few references, all without having to switch away from what you're doing in your primary app.

How to enter slide over mode on iPad

Entering slide over mode is as easy as bringing up notification center or control center, you just need to know where to swipe.

1. Touch one finger down on the bezel just past the right edge of your screen.
2. Swipe your finger to the left to pull out the slide over sidebar. 
   
   

If you've never used slide over before, or if its been long enough since someone else used slide over that it doesn't have a recent app already loaded, you'll need to choose which app you want to fill the sidebar.

1. Swipe down to scroll through the list of available apps. They're presented as tiles with app icons in the center.
2. Tap on the app you want to use in slide over.
   
   

The primary (full screen) app you were using will dim and the slide over sidebar will overlay on top of it. You won't be able to use both apps at the same time—that's what split view is for—or use the primary app again until you dismiss the slide over.

How to switch the slide over app on iPad

Not all apps work in slide over; developers have to add support for it. If, like the vast majority of Apple's apps, the app you want to use does work in slide over, it's easy to switch to.

1. Touch one finger down on the gripper at the very top of the slide over sidebar.
2. Swipe down to bring back the app switcher.
3. Swipe down to scroll through the list of available apps.
4. Tap on the app you want to use in slide over.
   
   

How to exit slide over mode on iPad

Getting out of slide over mode is even easier than getting in.

1. Touch one finger down on the slide over sidebar and swipe it away to the right.
2. Or, tap anywhere outside the slide over sidebar and it'll swipe itself away.
   
   

How to use split view multitasking on your iPad

Split view lets you keep two apps visible and active, side-by-side, at the same time. It's not full-on multi-window multitasking like the Mac, but it's twice what was possible previously with full-screen apps. It's a huge boost to productivity, and it's easy to use.

How to enter split view mode on your iPad

Before you can enter split view mode, you need to enter slide over mode. Once you're in slide over, you're only a tap away from split view.

1. Touch one finger down on the bezel just past the right edge of your screen.
2. Swipe your finger to the left to pull out the slide over sidebar. 
   
   
3. Tap the grabber on the left edge of the slide over sidebar to switch to split view.
   
   

The secondary app will pin down and the primary app will reactivate and resize to fit beside it.

How to resize the split view on iPad

In portrait orientation you only have one option for split view—60/40. In landscape orientation, however, you can switch from 70/30 to an even 50/50.

1. Touch the grabber button at the left edge of the secondary app.
2. Drag it the grabber to the left until it reaches the middle of the screen.
3. Let go of the grabber.
   
   

You can't go to 30/70, but you can return to 70/30 by touch the grabber and dragging back.

How to switch the primary (left) app on iPad

To change the primary app—the app on the left—you use the typical iPad app-switching methods.

1. Click the Home button to return to the Home screen and select another app
2. Double-click the Home button to bring up the fast app switcher and select another app
3. Use the four-finger gesture navigation to swipe back or forth between apps
4. Tap on a link that opens another app.

Whatever the method, the newly launched app will replace the primary app—the left app—in the split screen setup.

How to switch the secondary (right) app on iPad

To change the secondary app—the app on the right—you use the same method as slide over mode.

1. Touch one finger down on the gripper at the very top of the secondary app.
2. Swipe down to bring down the app switcher.
3. Swipe to scroll through the list of available apps.
4. Tap on the app you want to use as the secondary app.
   
   

How to exit split view mode on iPad

You can exit split screen mode at any time by making either the primary or secondary app full-screen.

1. Touch the grabber button at the left edge of the secondary app.
2. Drag it the grabber all the way to the right to take the primary app full-screen.
3. Or, drag the grabber all the way to the left to take the secondary app full-screen.
   
   

You can then pull a new app into slide over and tap it to return to split view whenever you want.