Inksky
BOOX’s split-screen mode is one of those features I didn’t think I’d use — until I started reading academic papers for a side project. Now I can’t imagine going back.
The first method of enabling it is slick: just swipe from the right edge and hold, then drag to pick Split-Screen. It feels natural after a few tries. The alternative is tapping the Recent Apps button and using the split-screen icon there. Both work, but I stick with the swipe gesture because it’s faster once you build muscle memory.
What really surprised me was how many combinations actually feel useful. My daily driver setup is a PDF on the left and the Notes app on the right. I highlight a passage, jot a quick thought, and keep going without switching apps. It’s transformed how I digest technical material. My wife uses it differently — she keeps a Spanish novel on one side and a dictionary on the other for language practice. Same feature, completely different workflow.
Here’s a trick I stumbled on: you can save app pairs. Once you find a combination you love, pin it so it launches both apps together. I’ve got a “research mode” pair and a “language study” pair I switch between instantly.
The divider between apps is draggable, which matters more than you’d think. For reading-heavy sessions I go 70/30 with the big side for content. When I’m taking meeting notes from a document, I flip it to 30/70. You can even add a floating window on top for a third app, though on an e-ink screen that gets cramped fast.
If you use a Bluetooth keyboard, there are shortcuts: Cmd + Shift + S toggles split-screen and Cmd + Shift + D swaps sides. I use them on my Tab Ultra and it makes me feel like I’m getting away with something.
One gotcha: not every Android app supports split-screen on Boox. I’ve had a few reading apps just refuse. Stick to BOOX-optimized apps or well-known Android readers. Also, for the best e-ink experience, set the note-taking side to Speed mode (smoother writing) and keep the reading side on Regal mode (cleaner text). You’ll see ghosting otherwise. A manual refresh button on the note side helps, too.
If split-screen feels laggy, close background apps and drop to a 50/50 split. And if notes aren’t saving, double-check auto-save is enabled — I definitely lost a page of thoughts before I figured that one out.