In iPadOS, Apple includes several multitasking options that let you work with more than one app on your iPad at the same time. This allows apps that support multitasking to be used in a few different ways. This article looks at Slide Over. Be sure to check out our separate Split View how-to guide by clicking the link. We've also provided a link for it at the end of this article.

slide over

Slide Over in action

Recent feature additions to iPadOS make multitasking on ‌iPad‌ easier than ever, thanks largely to a new Multitasking menu that appears as three dots positioned centrally at the top of the screen when an app is open. Tapping the three dots reveals the following options: Fullscreen, Split View, and Slide Over.

Fullscreen is the default viewing mode with one app open. Split View, by contrast, is when two apps appear side by side on the screen, and you can resize the apps by dragging the divider that appears between them. The third option is Slide Over, in which one app appears over another in a smaller floating window that you can drag to the left or right-hand side of the screen. Let's look at how Slide Over works.

How to Open An App in Slide Over

While you’re using an app, you can switch it to a Slide Over window — a smaller window that slides in front of another app or window — and open another app behind it.

  1. While using an app, tap the Multitasking button (three dots) centered at the top of the screen to reveal three options.
    iPadOS

  2. Tap the Slide Over button (the third option) indicated by a frame that's partially filled in on the right.
    iPadOS

  3. The app you're using will move aside to reveal the Home screen and Dock. Tap another app on the Home screen or in the Dock that you want to open. The second app will open in fullscreen and the app you're already using will move to a smaller window that you can move to the right or left-hand side of your screen. iPadOS

How to Use the Dock to Invoke Slide Over

  1. Open an app on your ‌iPad‌.
  2. Slide one finger up from the bottom edge of the screen until the Dock appears, then release.
    iPadOS

  3. Touch and hold another app in the Dock, then drag it up out of the Dock and let go of the app in the middle of the screen. The second app will appear in a Slide Over window.
    slide over

How to Switch Between Apps in Slide Over

Swipe halfway up the screen from the bottom of the Slide Over window, pause, then lift your finger.
slide over

All the apps in Slide Over windows will appear on the screen, and you can swipe through them to find the one you want. Simply tap the one you want to view.

How to Adjust Slide Over Apps

To move the Slide Over app, use the Multitasking button (three dots) to drag it to the left or right over the main app.
slide over

To turn a Slide Over app into a Split View app, tap the Multitasking button (three dots), then tap the Split View button (the frame divided equally in two). Alternately, touch and hold the Multitasking button, then drag the app to the left or right edge of the screen.
slide over

To hide a Slide Over app, touch and hold the Multitasking button, then swipe the app off the screen to the left or right.
slide over

How to Return to Fullscreen

When in Slide Over, you can remove one app and expand the other to go fullscreen. There are two ways you can do this.

  • Tap the Multitasking button (three dots) at the top of the app you want to use in fullscreen, then tap the filled frame button (first from left).
  • Touch and hold the Multitasking button (three dots) at the top of the app you want to use in fullscreen. Keep its top edge at the top of the screen, drag it to the center of the screen until its name and icon appears, then release.

Did you know that you can drag and drop between apps using Split View and Slide Over? Read our dedicated drag-and-drop how-to article to learn more, and don't forget to check out our dedicated Slide Over multitasking guide by clicking the link.

Tag: iPadOS

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...