Phonewell

Float an app over what you are doing

Pop-up view, step by step on Samsung, Pixel and Xiaomi phones.

About 2 minutesMultitaskingGuided in Phonewell Plus

Why it helps

Open a chat or calculator in a small window on top of your video or game, then tuck it away when you are done.

What you'll notice

An app floats in a small window you can move, resize or shrink to a bubble.

When to use it

When you want to reply without leaving what you are watching, then open the app in a floating window.

How to set it up

Pick your phone.

Samsung Galaxy

  1. Settings
  2. Advanced features
  3. Multi window
  1. Open Settings, then "Advanced features" and "Multi window"
  2. Turn on "Swipe for pop-up view"
  3. In any app, swipe down diagonally from a top corner to shrink it into a window
  4. Or open Recents, tap an app icon and choose "Open in pop-up view"

Based on reports from owners and the tech press. We have not yet checked it on a phone ourselves.

Google Pixel

  1. Home screen
  2. Touch and hold an app
  3. Bubble
  1. Touch and hold an app icon on the home screen
  2. Tap "Bubble"
  3. The app opens as a floating bubble you can tap to expand

Needs Android 17 or later.

Based on reports from owners and the tech press. We have not yet checked it on a phone ourselves.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO

  1. Recents
  2. Touch and hold an app
  3. Floating window
  1. Open Recents
  2. Touch and hold an app and tap the floating window icon
  3. Drag the bar at the top of the window to move it

Based on reports from owners and the tech press. We have not yet checked it on a phone ourselves.

How to undo it

Close the floating window, or switch "Swipe for pop-up view" off again.

Labels can differ. Menu names and their order vary between models and can change with a system update. If a step doesn't match your phone, search Settings for the feature name or one of its other names: floating window, app bubbles, picture in picture app, mini window.

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