Remember when you first unboxed your iPad? You probably imagined yourself breezing through work emails at a coffee shop, editing photos like a pro, or writing your novel. But if you are like many of us, that powerful slate of glass has mostly become a dedicated Netflix machine or a very expensive way to scroll through social media.
It’s time to change that. The iPad is a productivity beast, but only if you know how to tame it. For years, iPadOS was strictly a "one app at a time" experience. Today, however, Apple offers two distinct ways to do more than one thing at once: the classic Split View and the newer, desktop-like Stage Manager.
Whether you want to watch a cooking video while typing out a grocery list, or you need to reference a PDF while writing a report, mastering these features will transform your iPad from a consumption device into a creation station. Let’s dive in.
The Classic approach: Split View and Slide Over
For most users, Split View is the bread and butter of iPad multitasking. It allows you to place two apps side-by-side. It is clean, focused, and perfect for when you need to correlate data between two sources without distractions. Before iPadOS 15, this required some nimble finger gymnastics, but Apple has since added a user-friendly multitasking menu.
Here is the easiest way to enter Split View:
- Open your first app (e.g., Safari).
- Look for the three small dots at the very top center of the screen. This is the Multitasking menu.
- Tap the dots and select the icon that looks like a book open to two pages (Split View).
- Your current app will slide aside, revealing your Home Screen.
- Tap the second app you want to open (e.g., Notes).
Voila! You now have two apps sharing the screen. You can drag the vertical divider line in the middle to adjust the ratio (usually 50/50 or 70/30).
Pro Tip: Don't forget about "Slide Over." In the same three-dot menu, the third option (an icon with a smaller window on the right) creates a floating iPhone-sized window over your main app. This is perfect for apps you check briefly, like Music, Calculator, or Messages, and then swipe away.
Real-World Scenarios for Split View
Knowing how to use Split View is one thing, but knowing when to use it is another. Many users stick to single-app mode simply because they haven't built the muscle memory for multitasking. Here are a few practical combinations to try out this week to get comfortable with the feature.
1. The Vacation Planner
Open Maps on the left and Notes on the right. As you scout for hotels or restaurants on the map, you can instantly type the addresses and details into your itinerary note. Even better, you can long-press a location on the map and drag it directly into your note.
2. The Budget Balancer
Open your banking app on one side and a spreadsheet (Numbers or Excel) on the other. This eliminates the annoyance of switching back and forth to memorize transaction amounts. You can view your statement and type the data simultaneously.
3. The Email Triage
Open Photos alongside Mail. If you are trying to send a batch of photos to family members, you don't need to use the clunky attachment menu. Just drag the photos from the Photos app and drop them right into the body of your email.
Enter the Powerhouse: What is Stage Manager?
If Split View is about focus, Stage Manager is about flexibility. Introduced more recently, Stage Manager completely rethinks how the iPad handles windows. Instead of locking apps into a rigid grid, it allows for overlapping windows, resizing, and grouping multiple apps together—much like you would on a Mac or a Windows PC.
However, there is a catch: Stage Manager requires quite a bit of processing power. It is generally available on iPad Pro models (from 2018 onwards) and iPad Air models with the M1 chip or later. If you have an older standard iPad, you might be limited to Split View.
To turn it on, open your Control Center (swipe down from the top right corner) and tap the icon that looks like a rectangle with three dots on the left. If the icon is highlighted, Stage Manager is active.
Mastering the Stage Manager Workflow
Once you activate Stage Manager, your interface changes. The app you are working on sits in the center, floating above the wallpaper. On the left side, you’ll see a "strip" of your recently used apps. This visual layout helps you visualize your workspace differently.
Here is how to get the most out of this mode:
- Resizing Windows: Look for a small curved handle at the bottom corners of an app window. Drag this to resize the window. It’s not "infinite" resizing like a computer, but it snaps to various useful sizes.
- Grouping Apps: Drag an app from the side strip or the bottom dock onto your current workspace. You can have up to four apps open in a single group.
- Switching Groups: You can create different "stages." For example, you might have a "Work" stage with Slack and Safari, and a "Creative" stage with Procreate and Pinterest. Tapping the groups on the left strip lets you jump between these contexts instantly.
Did you know? If you have an iPad with an M-series chip (M1, M2, or M4), Stage Manager unlocks full external monitor support. Unlike the old days where the monitor just mirrored your iPad screen with black bars on the side, Stage Manager lets you move windows between the iPad and the monitor, effectively giving you a dual-screen desktop setup.
Which Multitasking Mode is Right for You?
With two powerful options available, you might be wondering which one you should default to. The truth is, many power users switch between them depending on the task at hand. It isn't about one being "better" than the other; it is about the right tool for the job.
Stick with Split View if:
- You have a standard iPad or an older model.
- You prefer a distraction-free environment where apps take up maximum screen real estate.
- You are doing linear tasks, like reading a textbook and taking notes.
- You find overlapping windows messy or confusing on a smaller screen (like the 11-inch iPad).
Switch to Stage Manager if:
- You are used to a Mac or PC workflow and miss overlapping windows.
- You need to reference more than two apps simultaneously (e.g., Email, Calendar, and Safari all at once).
- You use an external monitor with your iPad.
- You want to drag and drop files between three or four apps quickly.
The beauty of the modern iPad is that it adapts to you. You aren't forced to use these features, but knowing they are there adds incredible value to your device. Next time you sit down to plan your week or organize your photos, try tapping those three little dots or toggling on Stage Manager. You might find that your tablet is capable of much more than you thought.