en/devices/tech/display/multi-window.html - platform/docs/source.android.com - Git at Google

 <html devsite>
   <head>
     <title>Supporting Multi-Window</title>
     <meta name="project_path" value="/_project.yaml" />
     <meta name="book_path" value="/_book.yaml" />
   </head>
   <body>
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       Copyright 2017 The Android Open Source Project

       Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
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       Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
       distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
       WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
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 <p>
 In Android 7.0 and later, users can have multiple apps simultaneously displayed on their
 device screen with the new platform feature, multi-window. In addition to the
 default implementation of multi-window, Android also supports a few varieties
 of multi-window:</p>

 <ul>
 <li><strong>Split-screen</strong> is the base implementation of multi-window and
 provides two activity panes for users to place apps.
 <li><strong>Freeform</strong> allows users to dynamically resize the activity
 panes and have more than two apps visible on their screen.
 <li><strong>Picture-in-picture (PIP)</strong> allows Android devices to continue
 playing video content in a small window while the user interacts with other
 applications.</li>
 </ul>

 <p>
 To implement the multi-window feature, device manufacturers set a flag in the
 config file on their devices to enable or disable multi-window support.
 </p>

 <h2 id="implementation">Implementation</h2>
 <p>
 Multi-window support is enabled by default in Android 7.0 and later. To disable it, set
 the <code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code> flag to false in the <a
 href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/res/res/values/config.xml">config.xml</a>
 file.
 </p>
 <p>
 For devices that declare <code>ActivityManager.isLowRam()</code>, multi-window
 is disabled regardless of the value of <code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code>
 flag.
 </p>
 <h3 id="split-screen">Split-screen</h3>
 <p>
 The default multi-window experience is split-screen mode, where the System UI is
 divided directly down the middle of the device in portrait or landscape. Users
 can resize the window by dragging the dividing line side-to-side or
 top-to-bottom, depending on the device orientation.
 </p>
 <p>
 Then device manufacturers can choose if they want to enable freeform or PIP.
 </p>
 <p>
 Android 8.0 improves split-screen by compressing the launcher when the user
 taps <strong>Home</strong>. For implementation details, see
 <a href="/devices/tech/display/split-screen">Split-screen Interactions</a>.
 </p>
 <h3 id="freeform">Freeform</h3>
 <p>
 After enabling standard multi-window mode with the flag
 <code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code>, device manufacturers can optionally
 allow freeform windowing. This mode is most useful for manufacturers of larger
 devices, like tablets.
 </p>
 <p>
 To support freeform mode, enable the
 PackageManager#FEATURE_FREEFORM_WINDOW_MANAGEMENT system feature in <a
 href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java">/android/frameworks/base/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java</a>
 and set <code>config_freeformWindowManagement</code> to true in <a
 href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/res/res/values/config.xml">config.xml</a>.
 </p>

 <pre class="devsite-click-to-copy">
 &lt;bool name="config_freeformWindowManagement"&gt;true&lt;/bool&gt;
 </pre>

 <h3 id="picture-in-picture">Picture-in-picture</h3>
 <p>
 After enabling standard multi-window mode with the flag
 <code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code>, device manufacturers can support <a
 href="https://developer.android.com/training/tv/playback/picture-in-picture.html">picture-in-picture</a>
 to allow users to continue watching video while browsing other activities.
 While this features is primarily targeted at Android Television devices, other
 device form factors may support this feature.
 </p>
 <p>
 To support PIP, enable the PackageManager#FEATURE_PICTURE_IN_PICTURE system
 feature in <a
     href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java">/android/frameworks/base/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java</a>.
 </p>
 <p>
 For more PIP implementation details for devices running Android 8.0 and above,
 see the <a href="/devices/tech/display/pip">Picture-in-picture</a> page.
 </p>
 <h3 id="system-ui">System UI</h3>
 <p>
 Support all standard System UIs according to <a
 href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#testing">
 https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#testing</a>
 </p>
 <h3 id="applications">Applications</h3>
 <p>
 To support multi-window mode for preloaded apps, consult the <a
 href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html">Android
 developer documentation</a>.
 </p>
 <h2 id="validation">Validation</h2>
 <p>
 To validate their implementation of multi-window, device manufacturers should
 run <a
 href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/cts/+/master/hostsidetests/services/activitymanager/src/android/server/cts">CTS
 tests</a> and follow the <a
 href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#testing">testing
 instructions for multi-window</a>.
 </p>

   </body>
 </html>
	<html devsite>
	<head>
	<title>Supporting Multi-Window</title>
	<meta name="project_path" value="/_project.yaml" />
	<meta name="book_path" value="/_book.yaml" />
	</head>
	<body>
	<!--
	Copyright 2017 The Android Open Source Project

	Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
	you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
	You may obtain a copy of the License at

	http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

	Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
	distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
	WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
	See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
	limitations under the License.
	-->



	<p>
	In Android 7.0 and later, users can have multiple apps simultaneously displayed on their
	device screen with the new platform feature, multi-window. In addition to the
	default implementation of multi-window, Android also supports a few varieties
	of multi-window:</p>

	<ul>
	<li><strong>Split-screen</strong> is the base implementation of multi-window and
	provides two activity panes for users to place apps.
	<li><strong>Freeform</strong> allows users to dynamically resize the activity
	panes and have more than two apps visible on their screen.
	<li><strong>Picture-in-picture (PIP)</strong> allows Android devices to continue
	playing video content in a small window while the user interacts with other
	applications.</li>
	</ul>

	<p>
	To implement the multi-window feature, device manufacturers set a flag in the
	config file on their devices to enable or disable multi-window support.
	</p>

	<h2 id="implementation">Implementation</h2>
	<p>
	Multi-window support is enabled by default in Android 7.0 and later. To disable it, set
	the <code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code> flag to false in the <a
	href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/res/res/values/config.xml">config.xml</a>
	file.
	</p>
	<p>
	For devices that declare <code>ActivityManager.isLowRam()</code>, multi-window
	is disabled regardless of the value of <code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code>
	flag.
	</p>
	<h3 id="split-screen">Split-screen</h3>
	<p>
	The default multi-window experience is split-screen mode, where the System UI is
	divided directly down the middle of the device in portrait or landscape. Users
	can resize the window by dragging the dividing line side-to-side or
	top-to-bottom, depending on the device orientation.
	</p>
	<p>
	Then device manufacturers can choose if they want to enable freeform or PIP.
	</p>
	<p>
	Android 8.0 improves split-screen by compressing the launcher when the user
	taps <strong>Home</strong>. For implementation details, see
	<a href="/devices/tech/display/split-screen">Split-screen Interactions</a>.
	</p>
	<h3 id="freeform">Freeform</h3>
	<p>
	After enabling standard multi-window mode with the flag
	<code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code>, device manufacturers can optionally
	allow freeform windowing. This mode is most useful for manufacturers of larger
	devices, like tablets.
	</p>
	<p>
	To support freeform mode, enable the
	PackageManager#FEATURE_FREEFORM_WINDOW_MANAGEMENT system feature in <a
	href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java">/android/frameworks/base/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java</a>
	and set <code>config_freeformWindowManagement</code> to true in <a
	href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/res/res/values/config.xml">config.xml</a>.
	</p>

	<pre class="devsite-click-to-copy">
	<bool name="config_freeformWindowManagement">true</bool>
	</pre>

	<h3 id="picture-in-picture">Picture-in-picture</h3>
	<p>
	After enabling standard multi-window mode with the flag
	<code>config_supportsMultiWindow</code>, device manufacturers can support <a
	href="https://developer.android.com/training/tv/playback/picture-in-picture.html">picture-in-picture</a>
	to allow users to continue watching video while browsing other activities.
	While this features is primarily targeted at Android Television devices, other
	device form factors may support this feature.
	</p>
	<p>
	To support PIP, enable the PackageManager#FEATURE_PICTURE_IN_PICTURE system
	feature in <a
	href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/frameworks/base/+/master/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java">/android/frameworks/base/core/java/android/content/pm/PackageManager.java</a>.
	</p>
	<p>
	For more PIP implementation details for devices running Android 8.0 and above,
	see the <a href="/devices/tech/display/pip">Picture-in-picture</a> page.
	</p>
	<h3 id="system-ui">System UI</h3>
	<p>
	Support all standard System UIs according to <a
	href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#testing">
	https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#testing</a>
	</p>
	<h3 id="applications">Applications</h3>
	<p>
	To support multi-window mode for preloaded apps, consult the <a
	href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html">Android
	developer documentation</a>.
	</p>
	<h2 id="validation">Validation</h2>
	<p>
	To validate their implementation of multi-window, device manufacturers should
	run <a
	href="https://android.googlesource.com/platform/cts/+/master/hostsidetests/services/activitymanager/src/android/server/cts">CTS
	tests</a> and follow the <a
	href="https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/multi-window.html#testing">testing
	instructions for multi-window</a>.
	</p>

	</body>
	</html>