##### Question If I enable adb shell settings put global enable_freeform_support 1, how can I launch an activity in Freeform Mode (presumably, with am), like I can from com.android.quickstep.RecentsActivity? ##### Context I know that it's possible, because when diagnosing issuetracker.google.com/issues/423197817 , I noticed that if I closed cmd activity start --user 0 -a android.intent.action.VIEW -n com.android.wallpaper/com.android.customization.picker.CustomizationPickerActivity -f 0 com.android.wallpaper whilst it was in Freeform Mode, when I launched it from com.android.settings's GUI (as cmd activity start --user 0 -a android.intent.action.VIEW -n com.android.settings/com.android.settings.wallpaper.StyleSuggestionActivity -f 0 com.android.settings ), it re-launched in that mode.

##### Context My OEM's AOSP distribution includes a version of com.android.launcher3 that doesn't cope with "Split screen" mode. Summarily, [it crashes](https://forum.fairphone.com/t/i-am-unable-to-utilise-split-screen-mode-with-any-two-applications/118038?u=rokejulianlockhart) :

~~~YAML FATAL EXCEPTION: main Process: com.android.launcher3, PID: 5246 java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'void com.android.quickstep.views.FloatingTaskView.getBoundsOnScreen(android.graphics.Rect)' on a null object reference at com.android.quickstep.views.RecentsView.confirmSplitSelect(RecentsView.java:4700) at com.android.quickstep.views.TaskView.confirmSecondSplitSelectApp(TaskView.java:763) at com.android.quickstep.views.TaskView.onClick(TaskView.java:747) at com.android.quickstep.views.TaskView.$r8$lambda$2dErZAYzRAWboZR0vn31kIz_HGY(Unknown Source:0) at com.android.quickstep.views.TaskView$$ExternalSyntheticLambda2.onClick(Unknown Source:2) at android.view.View.performClick(View.java:7660) at android.view.View.performClickInternal(View.java:7637) at android.view.View.-$$Nest$mperformClickInternal(Unknown Source:0) at android.view.View$PerformClick.run(View.java:30165) at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:958) at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99) at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:205) at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:294) at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:8223) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:552) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:977) ~~~

In order to file a useful report, I want to be able to deterministically invoke two (already installed) applications in "Split screen" mode. ##### Research 1. I've located [a bug report explaining that the way to perform this doesn't work anymore](https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/236675595#comment1:~:text=am%20start%2Dactivity%20%2Dn%20%3Cactivity%20component%3E%20%2D%2DwindowingMode%203&text=am%20start%2Dactivity%20%2Dn%20%3Cactivity%20component%3E%20%2D%2DwindowingMode%204) :

We use the --windowingMode option with the ADB shell's am start-activity command in our automated testing. Historically, this has allowed us launch test apps in splitscreen mode without doing UI automation in the Pixel Launcher app. This strategy works effectively on API 31 emulators; however, it no longer works on the latest API 33 google-apis rev5 emulators. ##### Repro steps 1. Install the latest Android 13 google-apis emulator (rev5). 2. Install two apps on the emulator. 3. Launch the first app in the primary splitscreen mode via adb using the following command:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
	   am start-activity -n  --windowingMode 3

4. Launch the second app in the secondary splitscreen mode via adb using the following command:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
	   am start-activity -n  --windowingMode 4

##### Expected First app launches in the top half of the screen and second apps launches in the bottom half of the screen. ##### Actual The apps do not launch in splitscreen mode, so the second app simply launches on top of the first app.

However, [I've no indication that this is actually how one was ever meant to achieve this](https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/236675595#comment5:~:text=However%2C%20is%20this%20expected%20to%20generate%20a%20split%2Dscreen%20window?) , since even Google disregarded the report, when the original reporter didn't respond. 1. Additionally, [this doesn't appear to be possible to induce via code](https://stackoverflow.com/revisions/42981316/1#:~:text=It%20means%20that%20you%20can 't%20start%20split%20screen%20mode%20programmatically.%20You%20can%20just%20try%20to%20launch%20activity%20in%20another%20part%20of%20screen%20if%20you%20are%20already%20in%20split%20screen%20mode.): > It means that you can't start split screen mode programmatically. You can just try to launch activity in another part of screen if you are already in split screen mode. However, that's somewhat expected. It would also be for SO.

As [revisions/251957/9](https://android.stackexchange.com/revisions/251957/9#:~:text=via%20com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.android.permissioncontroller.role.ui.DefaultAppListActivity 's%20GUI:-,Screenshot,-Undermentioned%20is%20a) demonstrates, when I take a screenshot in (for example) com.google.android.permissioncontroller/com.android.permissioncontroller.role.ui.DefaultAppListActivity, [the OS's screenshot mechanism](https://stackoverflow.com/q/2661536/9731176) doesn't merely capture com.google.settings's GUI – it *also* captures com.android.shell's navigation and status bars at least: However, this can also include overlays with TYPE_ACCESSIBILITY_OVERLAY set as the type in their WindowManager.LayoutParams. On that note, this matters more with ["Enable freeform windows" enabled](https://github.com/nikp123/scrcpy-desktop/blob/b287fe649a8845018a631bef9144ded7e6117208/startscreen.sh#L12C2-L13C57:~:text=adb%20shell%20settings%20put%20global,settings%20put%20global%20force_allow_on_external%201) , [\[1\]] because when I screenshot something, I don't want to always have to manually crop that screenshot to what I actually want saved (rather than all windows' visible content). As an example, KDE [Spectacle](https://invent.kde.org/graphics/spectacle/-/blob/4b49eb961c67d900e4b6c7d80633791eb61eab2a/README.md#spectacle---the-kde-screenshot-utility:~:text=Spectacle%20is%20a%20screenshot%20taking%20utility%20for%20the%20KDE%20desktop.) 6.3.2.1 – a desktop screenshotting application – provides a brilliant option to remediate this: However, it isn't available for AOSP. Consequently, what're the alternatives? [\[1\]]: https://xdaforums.com/t/force-enable-desktop-mode-without-external-display-connected.4285777/#post-89997088:~:text=adb%20shell%20settings%20put%20global%20force_desktop_mode_on_external_displays%201&text=adb%20shell%20settings%20put%20global%20force_allow_on_external%201

*Not a duplicate of https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/253087/swapping-windows-in-split-screen-mode since it is Android 12 specific (I actually wrote out an answer for this without realizing the question is for Android 12 and instead of wasting the efforts in answering, I decided to make it a self-answered question).* **As in title, how do I switch apps from top pane to bottom pane (and vice-versa) as also add a new app?**

I am running Android 12 on a Realme 8 5G phone. I would like to ask, how do I swap the above window with the below in split-screen mode? For instance, I may have an app I am typing into above and music from YouTube below, and I want to switch the app I am typing in without stopping the music. But when I hit the three-line apps button, it is the window below (YouTube) that is minimized, and the music stops. Instead, I want to be able to swap above and below, so that YouTube goes at the top and the app I am typing into (e.g. Google Keep) goes below, so that I am able to hit the square button and bring up Google Chrome after navigating to the Google Chrome app icon on the navigation screen where it is fine, for instance. I could have opened YouTube first and then selected split window to open Keep or Chrome after that, but in general, navigation flow can require apps to be opened up in any order. So, I would rather be able to swap the app at the top with the one at the bottom in multi window, to achieve my end. One possible way this could be done is to press the three-dot divider, drag, and then click on one of the app icons on either the top or bottom part of the screen before they disappear after the three-dot divider is released, but this does not work. How can I swap the top and bottom windows in split-screen mode?

I am using the Split View functionality of my Android tablet to read e-books while also listening to their audio-book versions. For this purpose, I need to have most of my screen given to the e-pub reader and only a narrow bar assigned to the media player. I have already tried the VLC media player and some other ones but they take up about one-fourth of the valuable space. Any ideas on how I might reduce the amount of space taken by the audio player? Or are there any players you know with the desired functionality in Split View mode?

If I split the screen to see two apps, the splitting bar has huge rounded corners covering the apps. Below is a screenshot showing that. There, the bar covers parts of the video and parts of the search box. How do I disable the rounded corners? I have Poco F2 Pro with LineageOS 19.

For example, I wanted to open the game app on the bottom screen while I switch apps on the top screen. The problem is when I open the first app on top screen, it does not allow me to switch apps. It only allows me to resize the screen Is there any way i can make the first app on top to switch to other apps?

How to launch activity in splitscreen mode with the am command in Android terminal or Termux? Say I want to launch the "Material Files" explorer, I run:

am start -n me.zhanghai.android.files/.filelist.FileListActivity

but it launches in fullscreen. How to make it splitscreen? Also, it would be best if I can customize launching on top/bottom half.

I have a Samsung A53 running with Android 12 and OneUI 4.1. When I open an application from the Edge panels, it always opens in split-screen / multi-window, if the app has a split-screen layout (such as Google Maps or WhatsApp). I find this behaviour intensely annoying, but cannot find a way around it - searching the settings yielded a toggle in Advanced - Labs to enable this for *all* apps, but this is obviously the exact opposite of what I'm trying to achieve. An online article mentioned an app named "Samsung multiwindow toggle" where this can be disabled, however I haven't been able to find it in the Play Store. I've also looked through similar questions here, but they were mostly quite old and related to different software versions, with settings that I don't have. So, what can be done to get rid of this "feature"?

I have Samsung Galaxy Tab Active2 with Android 9 Pie. When running two apps simultaneously in the multi-window mode, it frequently happens that the multi-window display gets suddenly disabled with the following notification: "Multi-window closed. Your tablet is too hot. Let it cool before using Multi window again". The options to display an app in a multi-window or pop-up views then disappear from the task manager menu, and the Multi-window option also gets greyed-out in the Settings. This is really annoying as I need to have two apps running side by side for my work. I searched the web but was unable to find any posts mentioning this behavior at all (so I suspect this may not be a general feature of Android but some specific set-up of Samsung...). Would anyone know how to disable/override this feature, please? I know that overheating can be dangerous to the hardware, but this way of handling it is very problematic for me. Thanks in advance for your help.

I noticed that on my Xiaomi 11i with the Snapdragon 888 processor, it is supposed to be one of the current top Android phones, with 8 cores and that only the Apple A14 Bionic has slightly higher performance than it. However, if I run two Pokemon Go using its Dual App split screen, then I noticed, if we look inside a gym, and a Pokemon (Venonat or Exeggutor) is swinging left and right, then every few seconds, on the top or bottom screen, the Pokemon would have a slight 0.2 second pause, so both apps are choppy every few seconds. If I use the app Activity Monitor, right after I boot up the phone so that no other app is running, I did see that every 6 to 10 seconds, all the cores of the processors would ramped up to 100%, so it looks like it is doing some work in the background. I noticed if I run one single instance of Pokemon Go, then it is smoother. But my question is, how can 8 cores not able to handle some slowing animating graphics. If anything, the swinging left and right repeatedly can even be "set it and forget it" -- everything done by the GPU (Adreno 660). So trying to solve it, I tried to tap the Version number of the system for a few times and went to Developer's Options, and from there, I set the background app to be: Running only 1 process at a time. So that should mean I have 7 cores running now for the 2 apps on screen? But after rebooting the phone and trying again, the same issue was still there. Is there a way to make it able to take 2 cores (or 3 cores) for each app, or just make them run at top performance and let any background process run with the remaining 2 cores? Or another way is, if there is a way to set the background processes only use up to 50% of the cores, so the main apps can always have 8 cores to use. **Update:** an insight to finding a solution: I noticed if we tap on a Pokemon and try to catch it, the Pokemon, if it is a flying Pokemon with their wings constantly flapping in the dual app, has really smooth animation and there is no tiny pauses ever. It may appear that when we look inside of a gym, usually six Pokemon are shown inside, so if both apps are looking inside of a gym, there can be 12 Pokemon moving inside. Even if 10 Pokemon have tiny movements only and two Pokemon have more apparent movements, it seemed it was possible that 12 threads were used, and so if there are 12 threads and 8 cores, maybe that's the reason that there can be tiny pauses. I am not sure if we can change the Settings on the phone to solve this, as these movements are very lightweight.

Hello I have a Galaxy S6 and I was wondering if there was any way to disable the split screen/multi-window option which appears above an app when you press the recents button. Are there any ways I can achieve this? Thanks in advance.

I'm using an Android 10 Samsung device that supports multitasking using pop-up windows. I'm trying to type on the main window with a YouTube window in the foreground. The keyboard keeps closing whenever I use the YouTube pop-up. Is there any way to keep it open? 

Android 7.0 introduced the native multi-window API which allows apps to be viewed in split-screen mode globally. However, in actual usage, one downside prevents it from being as useful as some users would imagine. Many apps, when in the multi-window view but not in focus (i.e. user is interacting with another app in the multi-window view), pauses its activities: IM apps would no longer update incoming messages; music/video apps would pause playback; games would not proceed with their actions. The official developer guideline [briefly mentions](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#lifecycle) the pausing behavior, and from what I understand, apps need to be programmed with this in mind so as to not exhibit it. But is there a way I can force the way around the limitation as a user? From what I've heard from fellow users, certain manufacturers' Android forks such as MIUI do not show such pausing whatsoever. **TL;DR: Can I prevent the out-of-focus app from pausing in multi-window?**

Is there any way (via app, adb or anyhow) to force Android to actively use only part of the screen AND (this is crucial) to display something else (e.g. clock or some widget) on the remaining part? The thing is I found an old Nexus 7 and a small part of its digitizer is damaged (top part, about 1/4 of the whole screen area). I wanted to somehow permanently "split" the screen and use the remaining 3/4 for regular use and have the rest display time and date, current weather or anything else. Ideas anyone? :)

I referred this site to install and run vysor app but it turns out that it needed a graphic card instead of using integrated graphic cards on my windows 7 there was solution on how come over this error but that solution was only for the windows 10 users to turn on multiple displays and that option isn't available in windows 7 help me please

I have official Android 9.0 ROM for HU PX5 GS rk3368. However, I think is more like general question. In my system, split-screen feature is disable (or just some apps are missing). I tried to set enable_freeform_support 1 but that did not helped. Note I did it by: adb settings put global enable_freeform_support 1 That is because Developer Options are also disabled (I can not enter - probably app / Activity removed) I'm pretty sure there is a way to fix that, but I don't have enough knowledge about Android to figure it out. I have access to root (over adb) **EDIT 1** After executing command and rebooting I checked if it was not reset to previous value settings get global enable_freefrom_support It returns 1 so it is ok. However feature is still not working. I also find out that following prop may disable spliting screen getprop ro.config.low_ram But it is not present in my configuration.

If I understand it correctly, the only thing that makes an Android ROM a "Go" version is the "ro.config.low_ram=true" entry, which brings several optimizations for low end devices and improves the performance by disabling some of the android features. One of them is the ability to display two apps simultaneously on the screen, using the split screen function. So my question is - can only the split screen (or multi-window) function be enabled on an Android pie Go ROM, without disabling all other "Go" optimizations? I'm using Resurrection Remix pie ROM on a Motorola Moto E 2015 phone.

I have searched for a way to enable free form windows. I've used the adb way, adb shell settings put global enable_freeform_support 1 But I couldn't use it because the close button is overlapping free form button: My phone is Huawei P20 Lite (ANE-LX1) with EMUI 8.0.0 and android 8.0.0 with nova launcher. Close button works like a charm when clicked Any ideas what to do (rather than disabling the free form ) ? It is okay to replace closing button with free form button if that's available. Any solution without root is preferred.