Android is pretty great at multitasking. Even though everyone pretty much agrees it has failed on larger screens, it’s still a lot better at multi-tasking than iPadOS. And that’s mostly due to the variety of third-party Android apps that can improve your multitasking experience. So here are 5 multitasking apps for Android in 2019. If you are looking for the best app switchers, you must try these apps.
1. Lynket Browser – Open multiple links without being distracted
Apps are great for smartphones but opening links from apps like Facebook or from something like Feedly, the Google app itself, is a pain. Google introduced custom Chrome tabs that lets an app open links within the app itself without sending the user to another app such as the browser. This sounds good but it isn’t. Have you ever opened a link on the Facebook app only to come back and find all the content has been refreshed?
There are also times when you wish you could let a link open in the background while you browse through your feed. None of those problems are solved by custom Chrome tabs on Android. Lynket Browser is an Android app that improves multitasking and solves all of those problems with a unique solution. All it asks is that you set it as the default browser. Lynket then slides over any Custom Tab you open to a separate window on your phone, letting you easily multitask between several of them.
Even if you accidentally swipe something away, you can always launch the Lynket app and find it in your history. It can also launch custom tabs as floating bubbles as the Facebook Messenger Chat heads. The browser also has a reader mode and other browser things. Besides being a great web browser Lynket is one of the best multitasking apps and app switchers available for Android in 2019.
2. Split Screen Launcher – Save Split-screen app pairs
Android does let you use split-screen to launch and use two apps at once. But there is no option to save a pair of split-screen apps. Why would you ever need something like that? Let’s say, every day on your commute to work, you like to listen to a podcast or watch a long podcast style video on YouTube while also scrolling through Reddit. Since this is a pair of apps you use every day in split-screen, it would be great if you could just launch them both at once in split-screen.
Split Screen launcher is one of the best multitasking apps for Android for swift app switching that lets you do exactly that. The app has a straightforward interface. When you open it, tap Create Shortcut, specify the top and bottom apps for split-screen and hit Save. Once the shortcut is created, you can drag and drop it to your home screen. The app is still in early access so there may be some occasional issues.
You should also consider complementing your multitasking app with a great home launcher that is just perfect for you. Read our detailed article to find out the best Android launcher app for your phone.
3. Floating Apps Free – Launch multiple apps at once
At times, the ability to open more than one app simultaneously can be a lifesaver. Or at least very convenient. Maybe you want to do something on your little mobile screen while you watch a movie. Maybe Google something about something you saw in the movie. Or maybe you need to use the calculator while surfing the web, find a contact, write a note, etc. With Floating Apps and its re-sizeable multitasking windows on Android, you can do all of that at once.
This multitasking app for Android does require some ADB action to get set and working but the set up is fairly easy. If you need help, we’ve already published a more detailed article about the app. The free-floating resizeable windows might not be as useful on a phone as on a large-screen device like a tablet. However, the app gives you plenty of configuration options to better suit your needs.
There are figuratively a ton of configurations and settings you can try out within the app. So many in fact, that it seems impractical to list them all out here. For instance, you can add shortcuts to certain websites and widgets in the My apps section. These widgets and websites can then be accessed like the other windowed apps. If you get easily overwhelmed when presented a lot of choices, you might want to skip this. If not the best app switcher for Android, Floating Apps definitely one that you should try out.
4. Taskbar – Android app for desktop-like multitasking
Taskbar is yet another one of the best multitasking apps for Android that can help you launch multiple apps in free-floating windows. Some may argue it’s even better since it allows you to launch apps from anywhere. Just like you do on a desktop, you can access your app drawer while you’re using another app to directly launch a new app. If you’re not a fan of the traditional method of using a smartphone, you might love it. You may never even have to go to the home screen if you don’t want to.
You will need Android 7.0 Nougat for the free-form windows to work. To enable Freeform Window mode, you must first enable developer options. Go to Settings > About Phone and tap the build number about 5 to 7 times until you see a toast message at the bottom of the screen. Go back to settings and towards the bottom of the list, you’ll find Developer options that were previously hidden. Tap Developer Options and scroll down towards the bottom of the list. Here, you’ll find an entry labeled as Force activities to be resizable. Toggle it on and then reboot your phone or tablet.
Once you do that, you can enable the free form window functionality within the app. Select Freeform mode and then switch it on similarly as well on the next screen. Check the box next to Freeform Window support. Select Freeform mode and then switch it on similarly as well on the next screen. Check the box next to Freeform Window support. For more details, you can check out our guide to learn more about desktop-like multitasking experience.
5. Edge Screen – Switch to apps, contacts, widgets, from anywhere
Edge Screen is one of the best app switchers for Android. It brings the edge drawer features from Samsung Galaxy flagships to any phone. It adds a series of retractable panels to your preferred screen edge. This way, the android app helps improve your multitasking experience by letting you access your favorite apps, contacts, settings, navigation shortcuts, and much more from anywhere.
Moreover, Edge Screen houses a number of mini-apps which are basically widgets. But widgets that you can access from anywhere. These include music playback control, calculator, calendar, voice recorder, and file explorer. Having your calculator, calendar, or file explorer accessible at any time can come in quite handy.
Try some of these best app switchers for Android to make multitasking on your smartphone smarter!
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