How to Split Screen with Notability on iPad

To split screen with Notability on iPad, open Notability, swipe up from the bottom edge to show the Dock, then drag a second app's icon to the screen's edge until it snaps into a side-by-side layout. You can also start from the second app and drag Notability's icon in instead — the result is the same.

Method 1 — the built-in way (no extra app needed)

1. Open Notability and make sure you're in a note, not the library view.
2. Swipe up a short distance from the bottom edge to reveal the Dock.
3. Locate the second app in the Dock — open it once beforehand if it isn't showing.
4. Touch and hold its icon, drag to the left or right edge of the screen, and release when the divider line appears.
5. Adjust the split ratio by dragging the center divider — a 50:50 split works well when you're actively writing in both panes.

If it's not splitting

The single most common failure is recording: Notability can lose or pause an active audio recording if the app is force-closed rather than backgrounded, so start Split View before you start recording, not mid-lecture. If the Dock drag doesn't trigger a split, you're likely dropping too close to the center — aim for the outer 20% of the screen. Under Stage Manager, drag the second app's window directly next to the Notability window instead of using the Dock. If Notability's own multitasking toggle is off, check Settings → Notability → Multitasking and make sure it's enabled.

Tips once you're set up

• Notability's audio recording keeps running even when you switch focus to the other pane, so it's safe to glance at a browser or PDF mid-recording.
• Pair Notability with Safari when a lecture references a slide deck or article — highlight in Safari, then jump back to jot the note.
• If you use Notability for handwritten math or diagrams, give it the wider pane; cramped panes make the Apple Pencil harder to control precisely.