How to Drag and Drop Files in iOS 15 Split View

This guide explains how to use the drag-and-drop file management feature across split-screen applications in iOS and iPadOS 15. You will learn how to activate multitasking, select single or multiple files, and transfer them seamlessly between two active apps side by side, streamlining your workflow without needing cloud uploads or duplicate copy-paste actions.

Initiating Split View Multitasking

To manage files across two apps simultaneously, you must first arrange them side by side:

  1. Open the primary app (such as the Files app or Photos).
  2. Tap the Multitasking menu (represented by three dots ...) at the top center of the screen.
  3. Select the Split View icon (the split-window symbol). The current app will slide to the side, revealing your Home Screen.
  4. Tap the secondary app you wish to use (such as Mail, Notes, or a cloud storage app).
  5. Both apps will open side by side, separated by an adjustable divider bar.

The Mechanics of Drag and Drop

Once both apps are displayed on screen, transferring content relies on standard touch-and-hold gestures:

  1. Select an Item: Tap and hold the file, image, or text block you wish to move until it visually elevates slightly from the screen.
  2. Move the Item: Without lifting your finger, drag the item away from its original position. A floating thumbnail of the item will follow your finger.
  3. Multi-Item Selection: While holding the first item with one finger, tap additional files or photos with another finger. The selected items will group together beneath your initial finger, indicated by a numeric badge showing the total count.

Transferring Between Apps

With the items held under your finger, drag them across the vertical split-screen divider into the workspace of the adjacent app:

  • Visual Feedback: As you hover over an eligible target area in the second app (such as an email draft, a document canvas, or a specific folder), the destination will highlight, or a green "+" (plus) icon will appear on the thumbnail.
  • Drop to Import: Release your finger to drop the files. The receiving app will automatically process and insert or save the content.
  • Incompatible Destinations: If the receiving app cannot accept the file type, no drop indicator will appear, and releasing the file will cancel the transfer, snapping the items back to their source.

File Behavior and System Handling

  • Copy vs. Move: Dragging a file between two different applications always creates a duplicate copy in the destination app; it does not delete the original file from the source app. However, dragging items within the same app (such as moving documents between folders inside the Files app) will move the file rather than duplicate it.
  • Supported Content: The feature natively supports images, PDFs, compressed ZIP archives, audio files, formatted text, and video, provided the destination app supports those respective formats.