Split View is available in Documents for iPads only. Due to the smaller screen size, Documents doesn't support the Split View feature on iPhones.
If your iPad runs iPadOS 13 or later, you can open multiple windows of Documents and work on two or more PDFs simultaneously. This is a great way to compare documents or refer to one PDF while editing the other.
How to view two PDFs side by side on iPad:
- Launch Documents.
- Tap and hold on any PDF file and drag it out of Documents.
- The file will appear in a new Documents window.
If you opened too many windows, just tap and hold on the Documents icon on your Home screen and tap Show all Windows to see all the opened instances of the app.
What if your device doesn’t support iPad OS 13 or later?
iPads with the older iOS versions have no option to open multiple instances of the same app. Instead, on your iPad with iOS 11 or later, you can use Split View to work with two different apps at the same time. For example, you can view two PDFs side by side by opening Documents and our PDF Expert app at once. Split View is also convenient for moving files between apps with drag & drop.
How to use Split View on your iPad:
- Open Documents.
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Dock.
- On the Dock, touch and hold the second app you want to open and drag it off the dock.
How to adjust Split View:
- To give the apps equal space on the screen, drag the app divider to the center of the screen.
- To turn a Split View into a Slide Over, swipe down from the top of the app.
- To close Split View, drag the app divider over the app you want to close.
To make sure Split View works on your iPad, please open the System Settings of your iPad. Go to General > Multitasking & Dock and check if the Allow Multiple Apps toggle is on.
You can use Split View with iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation and later), iPad Air 2 and later, or iPad mini 4 and later.