diff --git a/quickstep/res/layout/split_instructions_view.xml b/quickstep/res/layout/split_instructions_view.xml
index c663bf4..0bbbfd5 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/layout/split_instructions_view.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/layout/split_instructions_view.xml
@@ -30,9 +30,15 @@
         android:id="@+id/split_instructions_text"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-        android:gravity="center"
         android:textColor="?androidprv:attr/textColorOnAccent"
-        android:drawableEnd="@drawable/ic_split_exit"
-        android:drawablePadding="@dimen/split_instructions_drawable_padding"
         android:text="@string/toast_split_select_app" />
+
+    <androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatTextView
+        android:id="@+id/split_instructions_text_cancel"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        android:textColor="?androidprv:attr/textColorOnAccent"
+        android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/split_instructions_start_margin_cancel"
+        android:text="@string/toast_split_select_app_cancel"
+        android:visibility="gone"/>
 </com.android.quickstep.views.SplitInstructionsView>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml b/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml
index 3dade66..077b233 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@
     <string name="action_split">Split</string>
     <!-- Label for toast with instructions for split screen selection mode. [CHAR_LIMIT=50] -->
     <string name="toast_split_select_app">Tap another app to use split screen</string>
+    <string name="toast_split_select_app_cancel"><b>Cancel</b></string>
     <string name="toast_split_select_cont_desc">Exit split screen selection</string>
     <!-- Label for toast when app selected for split isn't supported. [CHAR_LIMIT=50] -->
     <string name="toast_split_app_unsupported">Choose another app to use split screen</string>
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/SplitAnimationController.kt b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/SplitAnimationController.kt
index 6ee65d4..b7c6bf5 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/SplitAnimationController.kt
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/util/SplitAnimationController.kt
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@
         splitSelectStateController.splitInstructionsView = splitInstructionsView
         val timings = AnimUtils.getDeviceOverviewToSplitTimings(launcher.deviceProfile.isTablet)
         val anim = PendingAnimation(100 /*duration */)
+        splitInstructionsView.alpha = 0f
         anim.setViewAlpha(splitInstructionsView, 1f,
                 Interpolators.clampToProgress(Interpolators.LINEAR,
                         timings.instructionsContainerFadeInStartOffset,
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/SplitInstructionsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/SplitInstructionsView.java
index e8f06ee..8bc85cf 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/SplitInstructionsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/SplitInstructionsView.java
@@ -17,14 +17,12 @@
 package com.android.quickstep.views;
 
 import android.content.Context;
-import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.util.AttributeSet;
 import android.util.FloatProperty;
-import android.view.MotionEvent;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.view.accessibility.AccessibilityNodeInfo;
-import android.widget.FrameLayout;
+import android.widget.LinearLayout;
 
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatTextView;
@@ -41,9 +39,11 @@
  *
  * Appears and disappears concurrently with a FloatingTaskView.
  */
-public class SplitInstructionsView extends FrameLayout {
+public class SplitInstructionsView extends LinearLayout {
     private final StatefulActivity mLauncher;
-    private AppCompatTextView mTextView;
+    private AppCompatTextView mInstructionTextView;
+    /** Only used if {@link com.android.wm.shell.FeatureFlags#enableSplitContextual()} is true. */
+    private AppCompatTextView mCancelTextView;
 
     public static final FloatProperty<SplitInstructionsView> UNFOLD =
             new FloatProperty<SplitInstructionsView>("SplitInstructionsUnfold") {
@@ -97,22 +97,13 @@
     }
 
     private void init() {
-        mTextView = findViewById(R.id.split_instructions_text);
+        mInstructionTextView = findViewById(R.id.split_instructions_text);
+        mCancelTextView = findViewById(R.id.split_instructions_text_cancel);
 
-        if (!FeatureFlags.enableSplitContextually()) {
-            mTextView.setCompoundDrawables(null, null, null, null);
-            return;
+        if (FeatureFlags.enableSplitContextually()) {
+            mCancelTextView.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
+            mCancelTextView.setOnClickListener((v) -> exitSplitSelection());
         }
-
-        mTextView.setOnTouchListener((v, event) -> {
-            if (isTouchInsideRightCompoundDrawable(event)) {
-                if (event.getAction() == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
-                    exitSplitSelection();
-                }
-                return true;
-            }
-            return false;
-        });
     }
 
     private void exitSplitSelection() {
@@ -121,20 +112,6 @@
         mLauncher.getStateManager().goToState(LauncherState.NORMAL);
     }
 
-    private boolean isTouchInsideRightCompoundDrawable(MotionEvent event) {
-        // Get the right compound drawable of the TextView.
-        Drawable rightDrawable = mTextView.getCompoundDrawablesRelative()[2];
-
-        // Check if the touch event intersects with the drawable's bounds.
-        if (rightDrawable != null) {
-            // We can get away w/o caring about the Y bounds since it's such a small view, if it's
-            // above/below the drawable just assume they meant to touch it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
-            return  event.getX() >= (mTextView.getWidth() - rightDrawable.getBounds().width());
-        } else {
-            return false;
-        }
-    }
-
     @Override
     public void onInitializeAccessibilityNodeInfo(AccessibilityNodeInfo info) {
         super.onInitializeAccessibilityNodeInfo(info);
@@ -172,6 +149,6 @@
     }
 
     public AppCompatTextView getTextView() {
-        return mTextView;
+        return mInstructionTextView;
     }
 }
diff --git a/res/values/dimens.xml b/res/values/dimens.xml
index ac701d6..b2d869b 100644
--- a/res/values/dimens.xml
+++ b/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@
     <dimen name="split_instructions_drawable_padding">10dp</dimen>
     <dimen name="split_instructions_bottom_margin_phone_landscape">24dp</dimen>
     <dimen name="split_instructions_bottom_margin_phone_portrait">60dp</dimen>
+    <dimen name="split_instructions_start_margin_cancel">8dp</dimen>
 
     <!-- Workspace grid visualization parameters -->
     <dimen name="grid_visualization_rounding_radius">28dp</dimen>