What to Know
- You can't disable the Split Screen feature, but it's easy to close it.
- To exit Split Screen, tap the gray controller on the divider line and drag it to the left of right edge of your screen.
Wondering how you get rid of split screen on your iPad? Split View is enabled by default on the iPad, and many people end up with a split screen on their iPad by mistake, especially in the Safari app. While there are many useful ways to use split screen on the iPad, some users simply don't like the iPad split screen (the name of the feature is actually Split View), and that's okay. We'll walk you through how to get rid of split screen on an iPad in Safari and any other app!
Related Article: How to Use iPad Keyboard Shortcuts to Navigate Apps
Jump To:
- How to Close Split Screen on Your iPad
- How to Stop Split Screen on an iPad from Happening Accidentally
- iPad Safari Split Screen—How to Exit Split Screen on the iPad in Safari
How to Close Split Screen on Your iPad
Multitasking on your iPad, which includes Split View, can boost your productivity—as long as you know how to use it! Before iPadOS 15, you used to have two options to stop split screen on an iPad: disable split screen in iPad Settings, or simply close split screen on your iPad for the app or apps you're currently using. These days, you can no longer turn off split screen on the iPad by disabling it altogether, making closing split screen the only solution.
If you've accidentally entered Split View and you can't seem to stop split screen on your iPad from interfering with your layout and from making your app windows small, you can undo the split screen by simply dragging the divider bar in the direction of the app you want to close. Also, if your application is frozen, you may want to check out our article on how to force quit an application on your Mac. Now let's dive into these easy solutions so that you can go back to seeing your apps in their normal size.
- In the black divider bar, tap and drag the gray controller to the left or right edge of your iPad screen in Split View.
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- The direction you slide the divider will determine which side of the screen is closed, and which remains. The smaller window will close as you exit iPad split screen, and the larger will remain open as a full-size app window.
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- Release when the divider is most of the way across the screen.
This solution to close split screen on the iPad is simple and quick, though it's anything but obvious!
How to Stop Split Screen on an iPad from Happening Accidentally
To avoid accidental iPad split screen in the future, watch out for the three dots at the top of your app windows! Accidentally dragging this icon will cause all kinds of variations in window size and placement, so it's a good tip to know going forward. For now, if you've found yourself on an iPad only showing a half-screen app view, you'll need to know how to exit split screen on iPad. The next section will show you how.
iPad Safari Split Screen—How to Exit Split Screen on the iPad in Safari
Split View in Safari on the iPad was a new iPad multitasking feature for iOS 10 that continues in iPadOS 16. Split View allows you to open two separate Safari web pages simultaneously on your iPad, which can have many benefits! The method for how to go back to full screen on iPad from the Safari split screen is the same as before—simply tap and drag the black divider bar to one side of the screen or the other.
I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down iPad split screen lane! Now you're equipped to tackle Split View next time it accidentally makes your iPad Safari window small, or squishes two apps together inconveniently.
