Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for iPad Now Support Split View - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for iPad Now Support Split View

Microsoft today released updates to its suite of Office apps for iPad, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Notably, Word and PowerPoint for ‌iPad‌ now support Split View, which allows you to open two documents simultaneously side-by-side.

word split view
Split View can be accessed by touching and holding on a document in any file view and then dragging it to the left or right side of the screen. To exit Split View, grab the slider in the middle of the screen and drag it to either the left or right to close one of the documents and take the remaining one full-screen.

powerpoint split view
Microsoft is also said to be working to implement full support for the new trackpad controls introduced in iPadOS 13.4, but these are not yet available. Basic trackpad functionality is present, but Microsoft still has some work to do to roll out support for the complete set of trackpad features.

(Thanks, Nelson!)

Popular Stories

apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
silver iphone 18 pro

Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year

Friday November 6, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple plans to merge the iPhone's Action button with the Camera Control starting next year, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker claimed that a single press of the combined button would open the camera, while a long press would trigger the function assigned to the Action button. They explicitly clarified that the dedicated Action button would ...
hero medium 2x feature1

Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera

Thursday November 5, 2026 4:22 pm PST by
Apple is sending email surveys to some iPhone Duo buyers to get feedback on display size, crease, under-display camera, and other features. The first question asks why the buyer chose the iPhone Duo now, with answers like "I wanted to try Apple's first foldable," "It was an impulse purchase," and "I expect smartphone prices to increase." Other questions ask about the size of the iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

richpjr Avatar
85 months ago

IWork crushes them both. but glad they are supporting the platform.
Crushes them? Now that is definitely a subjective opinion.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BWhaler Avatar
85 months ago
IWork crushes them both. but glad they are supporting the platform.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
85 months ago
Weird, why didn’t Excel get this functionality?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
richpjr Avatar
85 months ago

Now let’s hope both Microsoft and Google update Docs and Word to handle trackpad support.
I keep wondering if it is Microsoft and Google’s or even Mac’s best interest to offer rich trackpad support and see people flock away from Chromebooks, Windows and Mac’s to use their iPads instead?
With my Magic Keyboard on my 12.9 i don’t see myself hopping onto anything else to type anything anytime soon.
Microsoft has already said that full trackpad support is coming later this year.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cipher29 Avatar
85 months ago
Maybe I'm dumb, but I just want to have two powerpoint decks side by side and be able to drag a slide from one deck to the other... I'm always pulling slides from various decks into one, but have never been able to do this cleanly on an iPad (and I have to think this isn't a unique use case)..

Anyone know an easy way to do this? I pretty much never create a slide deck from new :/


EDIT: Looks like you can copy and paste one slide to the other deck ... Fonts are all jacked up, but it's better than before!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Geardo_Ranger Avatar
85 months ago

Microsoft today released updates to its suite of Office apps for iPad, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Notably, Word and PowerPoint for iPad now support Split View, which allows you to open two documents simultaneously side-by-side.

MacRumors content image

Split View can be accessed by touching and holding on a document in any file view and then dragging it to the left or right side of the screen. To exit Split View, grab the slider in the middle of the screen and drag it to either the left or right to close one of the documents and take the remaining one full-screen.

MacRumors content image

Microsoft is also said to be working to implement full support for the new trackpad controls ('https://www.macrumors.com/2020/05/08/microsoft-office-apps-to-get-trackpad-support/') introduced in iPadOS 13.4, but these are not yet available. Basic trackpad functionality is present, but Microsoft still has some work to do to roll out support for the complete set of trackpad features.

(Thanks, Nelson! ('https://twitter.com/nelsonehus18/status/1259711084065243141'))

Article Link: Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for iPad Now Support Split View ('https://www.macrumors.com/2020/05/11/microsoft-word-powerpoint-ipad-split-view/')
🥱 Call me when they start bringing more features from full WORD, like maybe “REFERENCES” so anyone writing an academic paper can build citations? I mean come on.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
Early Apple Black Friday Deals on Apple Watch, MacBook Air, and More
5 hours ago
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
Top Stories: Apple Product Launches, iOS 27.3 Beta, and More
5 hours ago
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
20 hours ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
21 hours ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
21 hours ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
23 hours ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
1 day ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
1 day ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
1 day ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
1 day ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
1 day ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
1 day ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
1 day ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
1 day ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
1 day ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
1 day ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
1 day ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
2 days ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
2 days ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
2 days ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
2 days ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
2 days ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
2 days ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
2 days ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
2 days ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
2 days ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
2 days ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
2 days ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
2 days ago
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
2 days ago