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Using the iPhone Multitasking Features

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Using the iPhone Multitasking Features

Introduction

In today's fast-paced world, multitasking is a vital skill, and fortunately, your iPhone comes equipped with several multitasking features to help you efficiently manage multiple tasks at once. Whether you want to switch between apps quickly, access Siri while using another app, or use the iPad-style split-view in certain iPhone models, this guide will walk you through all the multitasking features available on your iPhone.

Table of Contents

  1. Enabling Multitasking in Settings
  2. App Switching
  3. Accessing Siri
  4. Using Slide Over
  5. Utilizing Split View
  6. Exiting Multitasking Mode

1. Enabling Multitasking in Settings

Before you dive into using the multitasking features, you need to ensure multitasking is enabled on your iPhone. Here's how:

  1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and tap on "General."
  3. Tap on "Enable Multitasking" to enable the multitasking features on your device.

2. App Switching

The app switching feature allows you to quickly switch between recently used apps without needing to close and open them again. Here's how you can use this feature:

  1. On any screen of your iPhone, swipe up from the bottom and pause in the middle.
  2. The app switcher will appear, showing previews of your recent apps.
  3. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to switch to.
  4. Tap on the desired app to open it.

3. Accessing Siri

While using an app, you can access Siri without leaving the current app. This allows you to ask questions, set reminders, or perform other Siri actions while multitasking. To use Siri while in another app:

  1. Continue using the current app.
  2. Press and hold the Home button on older iPhone models or the Side button on newer models.
  3. Siri will appear as an overlay on top of the current app.
  4. Ask your question or give your Siri command.
  5. Once done, you can either dismiss Siri or tap on the suggestion to perform the action.

4. Using Slide Over

Slide Over is a multitasking feature that allows you to quickly access and use a secondary app on top of your main app without fully switching between apps. Follow these steps to use Slide Over:

  1. Open the main app that you want to keep in the background.
  2. Swipe up from the bottom to open the Dock.
  3. On the Dock, touch and hold the app you want to use in Slide Over.
  4. Drag and drop the app to the right or left edge of the screen.
  5. The secondary app will appear in a floating window.
  6. To switch between the main app and the secondary app, swipe the handle on the right side of the screen.

5. Utilizing Split View

Split View is an exclusive feature available on certain iPhone models that allows you to use two apps simultaneously side by side. Here's how to use Split View:

  1. Open the main app that you want to keep in the background.
  2. Swipe up from the bottom to open the Dock.
  3. On the Dock, touch and hold the app you want to use in Split View.
  4. Drag and drop the app to the left or right edge of the screen. Make sure to release it when a gray rectangle appears.
  5. The main app will shrink and move to the other side, and the secondary app will occupy the rest of the screen.
  6. To resize the divider between the two apps, touch and drag the vertical line in the center.
  7. To close Split View, swipe the divider all the way to the left or right, depending on the app you want to close.

Please note that Split View is only available on certain iPhone models, such as the iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone SE (2nd generation).

6. Exiting Multitasking Mode

Once you're done using the multitasking features on your iPhone, you need to exit the multitasking mode to return to a single app view. Here's how:

  1. On any screen, swipe up from the bottom to open the app switcher.
  2. Swipe left or right to find the app you want to return to.
  3. Tap on the desired app to open it.
  4. The multitasking mode will automatically exit, and you're back to using a single app.

Conclusion

With the multitasking features available on your iPhone, you can efficiently manage multiple tasks, switch between apps seamlessly, access Siri while using other apps, and even utilize Slide Over and Split View on compatible models. Make the most out of these features and enhance your productivity on your iPhone.