Android 16’s new 90:10 split-screen is a game-changer for multitasking

The new 90:10 split screen ratio will make split screen multitasking significantly better on most Android phones

May 14, 2025 - 16:04

Android 16’s new 90:10 split-screen is a game-changer for multitasking

Google is developing a new split-screen mode for Android 16 that aims to improve multitasking on phone displays by using a 90:10 ratio.
This allows one app to dominate the screen while the other remains accessible in a smaller portion, and tapping the smaller app swaps their sizes.
Inspired by OnePlus’s Open Canvas, this feature could significantly enhance Android’s multitasking capabilities when it launches.

Multitasking on most Android phones is challenging due to their small displays. At best, they can fit two apps on screen simultaneously. However, this approach has drawbacks, as most apps are designed to utilize an average phone’s entire viewing area. Thankfully, Google is addressing this problem with a new split-screen mode configuration, which could arrive in an upcoming quarterly release of Android 16.

Google’s solution for split-screen mode on Android involves changing the old 70:30 ratio to a new 90:10 ratio. This means apps will no longer split with one taking 70% of the screen and the other 30%. Instead, one app will occupy 90% of the screen, leaving the remaining 10% for a secondary app. This allows one app to dominate the viewing area while still dedicating a small portion at the top or bottom for another app.