Getting More from iPhone Duo: Split View, App Pairs, Touch ID & Apple Pencil
Use iPhone Duo as an owner, not just a large phone. Try useful Split View app pairs, set up Touch ID well and know where Apple Pencil helps.
This is an owner’s guide to using iPhone Duo after setup. It is not another buying review or a repeat of the specifications. If you are still deciding whether to buy one, start with iPhone Duo explained.
The inner display earns its keep when it removes switching between apps. The outer display is still the better choice for quick replies, calls and one-handed checks.
Save a useful pair for later
Open iPhone Duo and place two apps side by side in Split View. Choose a pair that matches a real task rather than opening two apps simply because the screen allows it.
Once you have two apps open in Split View, you can keep them together as an App Pair. This is useful for combinations you return to regularly, such as Mail and Calendar, Maps and Messages, or Safari and Notes.
To create an App Pair:
- Open both apps side by side in Split View.
- Tap the divider between the two apps.
- The apps are now paired. The next time you open either app, the other will open alongside it automatically.
To separate them again, drag the centre divider all the way to the left or right edge of the display. The app pushed off the screen closes and the other returns to full screen.
A useful rotation tip
If you rotate iPhone Duo from landscape to portrait while using an App Pair, the active app fills the portrait display rather than trying to squeeze both apps onto the narrower screen.
Rotate the phone back to landscape and the two apps return side by side. That makes it practical to temporarily use one app at full size without having to rebuild your Split View afterwards.
You can also open two windows of some apps
Some apps that support multiple windows can appear on both sides of Split View. Safari, Mail, Notes and Files are examples.
Open the app in Split View, then select the same app again from the Home Screen or App Library. A second window can open alongside the first, allowing you to do things such as compare two webpages or keep your Mail inbox beside a draft.
One limitation worth knowing is that Split View on iPhone Duo uses a fixed 50/50 layout. You cannot drag the divider to give one app more screen space than the other.
Move information instead of copying it twice
The large display is especially useful when you can drag information from one app to another. Apple demonstrates dragging a photo from Photos into Mail while both apps are open.
Use this for images, links and supported documents. If an app does not accept a drag, use Share or copy and paste rather than assuming Split View is broken.
Let the fold choose the job
Use the outer display for messages, calls, music controls and other short tasks. Open the phone for reading, writing, reviewing photos or working between two apps.
When the phone is partly folded, it can stand on a surface for a video call, a timer or hands-free viewing. This is useful at a desk or in the kitchen without adding a separate stand.
Set up Touch ID for how you hold it
Go to Settings, Touch ID & Passcode and add the fingers that naturally reach the sensor when the phone is closed and open.
Keep the sensor and finger clean and dry. When adding a fingerprint, change the angle slightly so the outer edges of the fingertip are recorded as well as the centre.
Touch ID can unlock iPhone Duo and authenticate supported purchases and secure actions. If you wear a compatible Apple Watch, you can also set it up to unlock iPhone Duo without touching the fingerprint sensor. If a registered finger is unreliable in one position, add another finger that suits that grip rather than repeatedly forcing the same angle.
Unlock iPhone Duo with Apple Watch
If you regularly wear an Apple Watch, you do not always need to reach for the Touch ID sensor to unlock iPhone Duo.
Apple confirms that iPhone Duo can use a nearby Apple Watch to unlock the phone. You need an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later, or Apple Watch SE 3. The watch must have a passcode, be unlocked, on your wrist and close to the iPhone.
To set it up:
- Open Settings on iPhone Duo.
- Tap Touch ID & Passcode and enter your passcode.
- Scroll down to Unlock with Nearby Devices.
- Turn on your Apple Watch. If you have more than one compatible watch paired, you can enable each one.
Once enabled, wake iPhone Duo by raising it, tapping the display or opening the phone, then swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Your nearby Apple Watch handles the authentication without requiring you to touch the fingerprint sensor.
There is an important limitation. Apple Watch authentication is for unlocking the iPhone, not replacing Touch ID everywhere. Apple says Unlock with Apple Watch does not verify your identity for Apple Pay, passwords stored in Keychain or password-protected apps. Those more sensitive actions still require the appropriate authentication.
For someone who already wears an Apple Watch throughout the day, this could be particularly useful when iPhone Duo is sitting on a desk or when the position of the side-mounted Touch ID sensor makes it awkward to reach.
Use Apple Pencil for short, precise work
The iPhone Duo technical specifications confirm support for Apple Pencil (USB-C). It is most useful for marking up a document, signing a form, adding a handwritten note or making a quick sketch on the inner display.
It does not turn the phone into an iPad replacement for everyone. The screen is still smaller than an iPad, and the Pencil is another item to carry and charge.
Before buying, use our Apple Pencil compatibility guide to make sure the Pencil also suits any iPad you own. Do not assume another Apple Pencil generation will work because it attaches or looks similar.
Make the layout easier to use
Put the apps you use in Split View most often on the first Home Screen or in the Dock. Keep the layout simple enough that you can open the second app without searching through several folders.
Increase text size if two apps make content too small. If one app is uncomfortable side by side, use it full-screen and switch normally. The larger display is an option, not a requirement to multitask all the time.
Need a hand?
For help setting up iPhone Duo, moving from an older iPhone or choosing the right accessories, see Mac and Apple device setup and troubleshooting or contact Your Mac Tech.
