Android @lemmy.world xyguy @startrek.website 1 yr. ago

Looking for ability to run an app in only half of the screen

I have a Razr flip phone that I often use folded halfway (laptop style) and watch videos on the top half while I do other things.

Certain video apps center the content across both halves of the screen and I have to activate split screen and put a random app on the bottom half of the screen.

Long story short, is there a way to split screen only 1 app to only the top half of the screen? I've tried to search for something but I'm coming up empty.

24 comments

Try tapping the app icon on the app switcher screen.
- What kind of phone are you using? My Samsung has that 'freeform' option but it's called pop-up.
  
  My wife's pixel 6a only has split screen, and that forces 2 apps.
  
  How can all these Android versions have this, meanwhile AOSP (Lineage, GrapheneOS,...) have nothing...
  
  Edit: okay I found this feature, but it crashes my damn Launcher
- This is so cool! I didn't even know this was a thing.
- I see the freeform option and I have tested that out. It's the closest to what I want to do.
  
  I just wish I could click the split screen mode and only choose 1 app to run in the top 50% of the screen and have the other half just be black.
  
  What RAZR do you have? I have a RAZR + and can see this and the screens split right on the crease.
Install Android Studio on your PC and create a new empty app. Plug in your mobile and deploy that app. Now select that app as the second one for the lower half. It should be all black, if its all white, change the background color.

Or look if there is an all black app in the store, probably a screen tester app.
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sasha.zay.blackscreen
  
  Found this app. Does more or less what I'm looking for.
  
  Thanks for the suggestion.
- Or download an all black image and use your image viewer
  
  Y do ez when complicated do trick?
I'm using Android 14 on a Pixel and gesture navigation. To get split-screen, I gesture up to open the app switcher, then long-press on the icon for the app I want to split-screen. This pulls up a menu that has an option for split-screen.
- I am able to do split screen in this way. What I am looking for is to run only 1 app but just in the top 50% of the screen.
  
  ohhHHhh! Sorry, I just tried and have no idea.
I'm not sure if it's an Android feature or Samsung feature, but try hitting the sideways hamburger menu (3 vertical lines button that's always on the bottom} and then holding your finger on the app you want to half screen. See if you notice anything happen... if not it's a Samsung thing.
- It's samsung one ui only I believe
- Must be Samsung only. I'm not able to get this to work on my Motorola RAZR+.

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