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Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Multi-Window View

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One of the coolest features of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 is the Multi-Window View feature, which allows the 5.5-inch phablet to run two apps side-by-side simultaneously. This really takes multitasking to the next level as it allows users to juggle tasks efficiently without having to enter and close applications to switch between apps.

The feature is available as a software update on Sprint’s Galaxy Note 2–if you haven’t received the update yet, you should check for the OTA update–and it came natively on Verizon’s Note 2 release. There is two ways to enable the Multi-Window View. The first, which is more convoluted, is through Android’s settings menu. The second is more useful and can be accessed anytime through the scrollable widgets once you pull down Android’s Notification Tray.

How to Use Multi Window View on the Galaxy Note 2

Once the feature is enabled, you can go ahead and hide or show the drawer that allows you to choose the apps you want to run in Multi-Window View by pressing and holding the capacitive back Android navigation key. There, you’ll see a tab, and tapping on the tab will show a drawer with apps.

Samsung-Galaxy-Note-2-Multi-Window1

Unfortunately, at this time, you can’t choose which apps get enabled for Multi-Window functionality; the app selection that works with Multi-Window get curated by Samsung and your local carrier. On Sprint’s model, you’ll have a more diverse app selection filled with native and third-party applications; Verizon’s selection is more limited but may be expanded via a future software update.

Tap on the app you want, or tap and drag to the main window to launch it. Then you can open the Multi Window tray again to tap a second app or tap and drop to launch the second app. Apps can be launched top and bottom in portrait view or side by side in landscape view. You can also expand the apps as well to fill the screen if you find you need more viewing area for a specific app and no longer need to run two windows at the same time.

With tablets and smartphones in the post-PC era, the lack of windows forced users to single-task and it’s great to see Samsung maximize the usefulness of the larger 5.5-inch display by enabling two windows to run simultaneously.

And thanks to the quad-core processor alongside the 2 GB of RAM, running two apps do not show any noticeable decrease in performance.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. voltaire

    12/13/2012 at 10:02 am

    Whats the news for tmobile users?

    • Juan Gonzales

      12/26/2012 at 9:03 pm

      got my update yesterday with tmobile. Have only had it for about three weeks so still learning new things on it. the most noticeable difference is the dual app function. AWESOME!!!

      • Bogy

        01/15/2013 at 10:55 am

        getting a note 2 tomorrow…..really looking forward to multiview! This is one of the best innovations to android in some time in my opinion. Gosh I really hated switching back and forth on my previous phones.

  2. Magda

    12/13/2012 at 1:05 pm

    What about att note II user’s? We don’t have that super cool feature? Why?????

    • Tam

      02/01/2013 at 12:51 pm

      At&t users do have the feature. You just have to download the software

  3. James Garant

    12/13/2012 at 1:58 pm

    What about T-mobile? When will we get multi view window?

  4. mlkaufman

    12/14/2012 at 7:03 am

    > the app selection that works with Multi-Window get curated by Samsung and your local carrier

    This is complete nonsense. Any app can be made to work with a minor change. At least four developers have already updated their apps (Moon+Reader, gReader Pro, Total Commander. 250 Solitaires), and a whole bunch of other apps have been updated to work by having their APKs edited. A simple search on Google will show both how to do this, as well as where some free programs have been updated.

    I am currently using the four listed above as well as DroidfIsh Chess on my Verizon Note 2.

    • Derek

      12/15/2012 at 8:07 am

      I have the Galaxy note 2 by Verizon might you be able to tell exactly what to search in Google to get more native apps to function with muti window ..I would at least like to have Gmail , Facebook, twitter pretty much the apps that sprint has approved

      • mlkaufman

        12/15/2012 at 8:29 am

        I think you are still misunderstanding. Its not the Sprint has “approved” those apps. Its just that they have compiled versions with Multiwindow support included. In the same way, without any input from Samsung/Verizon, Google can release an update to Gmail or Youtube with support for Multiview.

        Take a look here for a few apps and some more information.

        https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2024399

  5. [email protected]

    12/16/2012 at 10:53 pm

    would i be able to flash the phone to Boost Mobile

  6. RickyWalters

    12/26/2012 at 4:12 pm

    The multi-window view is just one reason I got this phone. I just switched to AT&T’s 4G LTE network for the connection speeds. I’m living in New York to do some contract work as a graphic designer, and this device looks perfect for sending the large files to clients quickly (before the battery dies).

  7. dee

    03/31/2013 at 10:01 am

    I already checked the multi window in the settings but its not working

  8. Firoz Shaikh

    12/09/2013 at 12:48 am

    Even my multi window is not getting enabled in my note2 can someone help it out. .

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