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Currently I use Samsung S3 mini with Android 4.1.2. I'm planning to buy an S4 mini or other equivalent small screen phone (HTC One Mini, Xperia Z1 compact).

But I need to use multi-window feature. For example I want to use Twitter and Youtube at the same time. Or Chrome and Facebook from the same screen.

It seems like for S4 mini it is possible with root and Xposed framework. But I need multi-window functionality without rooting.

It seems like Samsung Note 3 and Samsung S4 has this feature. So which Android used mobile phones has stock multi-window support ?

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I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe that that is a feature of Samsung's TouchWiz (proprietary build of Android) and only works select Samsung tablets/phones, among them the Galaxy S5/4, Note 3. The LG G Flex also boasts to have "Dual Window", and LG G Pro 2 has QSlide for limited multitasking.

Other aftermarket Android projects are working on it (OmniROM, ParanoidAndroid) but that still requires a rooted device.

The next best thing are "floating" apps, like Floating Apps (free, $1.99) or Tiny Apps (free, $2.03). These apps create smaller windows that float over all other applications allowing you to interact with multiple apps simultaneously.

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  • Not only Samsung tablets: some of their phones include multi-window too.
    – Dan Hulme
    Jun 12, 2014 at 17:31
  • Thanks for letting me know @DanHulme. I don't own any Samsung devices, but after looking a bit more it seems that the S4 and Note 3 are notable examples of phones that have multiwindow. I've updated my answer.
    – filoxo
    Jun 12, 2014 at 18:10
  • See also the question I've just linked above, which mentions different other variants as well: Pen Window, Dual Window, and more.
    – Izzy ♦
    Jun 12, 2014 at 19:08
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    @Izzy thanks for that additional info. I'll update my answer.
    – filoxo
    Jun 12, 2014 at 20:03
  • Good thing :) And yes, AFAIK you're right: that specific Multi-Window is Samsung specific, though the idea has been, well, inspiring other projects you've mentioned. AFAIK Multi Window uses a Samsung specific API, so it's not just easily "portable" (at least you cannot simply take these apps and use them on a different system, or vice-versa).
    – Izzy ♦
    Jun 12, 2014 at 20:57
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Most of the Galaxy devices since the S3 have Multi Window now, some thru OS updates. So that would include the S3, S4, S5, Note 2, Note 3, Note 4, Note Edge, the Mega(s), the Alpha & almost all the current tablets. I don't know why the mini's are left out.

As far as those looking for more apps to use with Multi Window, check out www.MobileMultitasking.com. Lots of good stuff on there.

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The Samsung note 10.1, 10.1 2014, and 8 as well as the Samsung note 12 pro are all samsung tablets that support multi window. Also, in addition to the list provided in the answer prior to mine, the note 2 phablet has multi window (note that not so apps can use multi window on the Samsung devices though).

There are also at least a few apps that you can download on most android devices (not sure if they are usable on old versions of android) that give you some multi window functionality, but typically only a few apps are supported and there seem to be many apps labeled multi window that are ripoffs so you have to carefully research each first. A few that appear good based on my research are Multitasking and Ixonos.

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