Android 16 QPR1’s new recents screen makes split-screen easier to find

Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 revamps the recents screen, making the app context menu for actions like split-screen more discoverable with a new pill-shaped button. This button now displays the app’s name and a downward arrow, a common indicator for additional menus, helping users find previously hidden options. Other visual changes include pill-shaped containers for “Screenshot” and “Select” buttons and a blurred wallpaper background aligning with Material 3 Expressive. If you’re new to Android, figuring out how to put two apps in split-screen mode might not be intuitive. This is because the button for split-screen is often hidden in a context menu many users may not realize exists. To access this menu, you need to press and hold an app’s icon in the recents screen—a gesture that lacks a clear visual cue. This discoverability challenge might be why Google has adjusted the recents screen in the latest Android 16 beta. In today’s Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1 ... Read full article.