Zoom + GoodNotes Split View on iPad: The Complete Guide

You can use Zoom and GoodNotes together in Split View on iPad by opening Zoom first, then dragging GoodNotes up from the Dock to snap it alongside — giving you a live video call on one side and your digital notebook on the other.

It sounds simple, but most iPad users never bother because getting there takes too many steps every single time. Once you understand why this pair is worth the effort, and how to make launching it a one-tap habit, you will use it constantly.

Why Zoom and GoodNotes Work So Well Together

The core appeal is straightforward: you can watch, listen, and write at the same time without switching apps. Unlike a laptop where you alt-tab between windows, Split View keeps both apps fully visible and fully interactive simultaneously.

Here are the workflows where this combination genuinely earns its place:

• Online classes and lectures. Keep the Zoom call running on the left while you write longhand notes, draw diagrams, or annotate a shared PDF in GoodNotes on the right. Your handwriting is saved instantly, no typing required.
• Remote work meetings. Follow a colleague's screen share in Zoom while keeping your personal action-item notebook open in GoodNotes. You can sketch out ideas or jot decisions the moment they happen, with full context still visible.
• 1-on-1 tutoring or coaching sessions. Work through problems on a GoodNotes page in real time — your tutor sees your screen via Zoom's screen share while you write, and you can refer back to your notes the second the call ends.

The frustration is never the pairing itself. It's the friction of setting it up repeatedly from scratch every day.

How to Set It Up with Splicon

If you haven't already, Download Splicon free from the App Store — it's the fastest way to turn any Split View combination into a dedicated Home Screen shortcut with a custom icon.

1. Open Splicon and select your app pair. Search for Zoom and GoodNotes within the app and select them as your combination. Splicon will generate a side-by-side icon that visually represents both apps together.
2. Choose a split style and save the icon. Pick the layout ratio that suits how you work — equal halves, or weighted toward one app — then generate your custom icon and save it to your Photos library.
3. Build the shortcut in the Shortcuts app. Open Apple's Shortcuts app, create a new shortcut, and add an "Open App" action configured for Split View. When prompted to assign an icon, choose the Splicon image you just saved to Photos.
4. Add it to your Home Screen. Save the shortcut and add it to your Home Screen like any other app. From now on, one tap launches Zoom and GoodNotes directly into Split View — no dragging, no Dock hunting, no wasted time.

A Habit Worth Building

The real value here is consistency. When joining a Zoom call takes one tap and your notebook opens automatically beside it, you actually take better notes — not because the tools changed, but because the barrier disappeared.

If you use this combination for classes, you might pair it with a subject-specific GoodNotes notebook set as the default open document. If it's for work, keeping a dedicated "Meetings" notebook in GoodNotes means your notes are always organized without extra effort.

Split View on iPad is powerful hardware that most people underuse. Zoom and GoodNotes is one of the pairings that genuinely justifies it.