this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2023
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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.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

Try tapping the app icon on the app switcher screen.

[–] Mananers 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 10 points 8 months ago (1 children)

there's an option for freeform windows in AOSP (tested on Pixel 7), but it's hidden in developer options

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Yes I saw that, but is there a way to actually modify the size and open apps?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

yes, you open apps like the first level comment showed

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Thanks, tried it but on GraphenOS it simply crashes the launcher. Freeform works but is a bit useless currently

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

oh that's too bad, it works pretty good on AOSP

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

I find that custom roms are quite disappointing feature wise these days

[–] PainInTheAES 5 points 8 months ago

This is so cool! I didn't even know this was a thing.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] sucricdrawkcab 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

What RAZR do you have? I have a RAZR + and can see this and the screens split right on the crease.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I have the Razr+ as well. I was just looking for an option that rather than split between 2 apps, have only one app running on the top half of the screen.

[–] sucricdrawkcab 1 points 8 months ago

I don't know if that will be a thing. The only phone I've been able to do anything even remotely close to this was an LG Wing.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago (2 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

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.

[–] Aethr 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Or download an all black image and use your image viewer

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Y do ez when complicated do trick?

[–] BackOnMyBS 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

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.

[–] BackOnMyBS 3 points 8 months ago

ohhHHhh! Sorry, I just tried and have no idea.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (2 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Must be Samsung only. I'm not able to get this to work on my Motorola RAZR+.

[–] alphacyberranger 2 points 8 months ago

It's samsung one ui only I believe