A split-screen display method, wherein the method is applied to an electronic device having a touchscreen, the method comprising: Obtaining (S201) a screen splitting touch signal entered by using the touchscreen, wherein the screen splitting touch signal comprises a horizontal slide signal along the touchscreen or a vertical slide signal along the touchscreen; and Dividing (S202), according to the horizontal slide signal, a current display area of the touchscreen into at least two display windows arranged up and down; or, dividing, according to the vertical slide signal, a current display area of the touchscreen into at least two display windows arranged side by side; wherein the touchscreen does not display any started application program in the current display area that has not been divided into display windows; and the method further comprises: obtaining (S203) start signals for at least two application programs; and starting (S204) the at least two application programs according to the start signals, wherein all or a part of the started application programs are separately displayed in one display window of the display windows; characterised in that the number N of the application programs for which the start signals are obtained is greater than the number M of the divided display windows, and M and N are both positive integers; and the starting the at least two application programs according to the start signals, wherein all or a part of the started application programs are separately displayed in one display window of the display windows comprises: starting the application programs according to a sequence in which the start signals are obtained, wherein each application program of first M started application programs is separately displayed in one display window of the display windows, and last N-M started application programs run on the background. Obtaining (S201) a screen splitting touch signal entered by using the touchscreen, wherein the screen splitting touch signal comprises a horizontal slide signal along the touchscreen or a vertical slide signal along the touchscreen; and Dividing (S202), according to the horizontal slide signal, a current display area of the touchscreen into at least two display windows arranged up and down; or, dividing, according to the vertical slide signal, a current display area of the touchscreen into at least two display windows arranged side by side; wherein the touchscreen does not display any started application program in the current display area that has not been divided into display windows; and the method further comprises: obtaining (S203) start signals for at least two application programs; and starting (S204) the at least two application programs according to the start signals, wherein all or a part of the started application programs are separately displayed in one display window of the display windows; obtaining (S203) start signals for at least two application programs; and starting (S204) the at least two application programs according to the start signals, wherein all or a part of the started application programs are separately displayed in one display window of the display windows; characterised in that the number N of the application programs for which the start signals are obtained is greater than the number M of the divided display windows, and M and N are both positive integers; and the starting the at least two application programs according to the start signals, wherein all or a part of the started application programs are separately displayed in one display window of the display windows comprises: starting the application programs according to a sequence in which the start signals are obtained, wherein each application program of first M started application programs is separately displayed in one display window of the display windows, and last N-M started application programs run on the background. <EOS>