Samsung One UI tip: Maximize the display area in multi-window mode

Multi-window, a.k.a. split-screen mode, is one of the most unique One UI features. Designed to boost productivity, it's becoming better with each One UI update. In theory, multi-window works best on larger screens, i.e., Galaxy tablets, the Galaxy Z Fold series, and devices like the Galaxy S22 Ultra. But the feature is also available on smaller smartphones such as the Galaxy S22 and S22+. And today, we'll tell you how to make it better.

Using multi-window on small-screen devices is a bit more cumbersome. However, with recent versions of One UI, Samsung has tried making multi-window more usable on smaller screens through a “Labs” feature that allows Galaxy smartphone users to maximize the display area. Here's all you need to know.

Hide the status and navigation bars when using multi-window

You can enter full-screen mode and hide the status bar at the top and the navigation bar at the bottom when you use apps in multi-window mode. Doing so allows said apps to occupy a larger display area and become friendlier to use on smaller screens.

The result is similar to Samsung's Game Launcher hiding these UI elements when playing mobile games. Here is a side-by-side example of multi-window mode with the full-screen feature ON and OFF:

To enable full-screen for multi-window mode, first, open the Settings app. Then, access “Advanced features,” followed by “Labs,” and turn the “Full screen in Split screen view” toggle ON.

To make the status and navigation bars visible while using multi-window, swipe up or down from the bottom or top edges of the screen.

Because this mode hides both the status bar and the navigation bar, it can save screen real-estate even when using One UI navigation gestures instead of the old navigation bar.

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