Your Step-by-Step Multi Stream Setup Guide

A multi stream setup lets you watch several video streams on one screen. To create one, you can use a browser tool like ViewGrid to arrange stream links from YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and other platforms into a single grid. This guide explains how to build your own custom layout step-by-step.

You don't need special software, just your web browser. The process involves adding streams, choosing a layout, and managing the audio for each feed.

How to Build Your Multi Stream Grid

Creating a custom viewing dashboard takes only a minute. You don't need an account to start, though a free account lets you save layouts you use often.

1. Start with an empty grid.
2. Open the ViewGrid multi-stream tool. You'll see a blank canvas with a bar at the top for adding your video sources.

1. Add your streams.
2. Go to YouTube, Twitch, Kick, or Rumble and find the stream or video you want to watch. Copy its URL from your browser's address bar. Back in ViewGrid, paste the link into the input box and click to add it. You can also just type a channel's name to add their live stream. For YouTube, there's also a search function to find live streams directly.

1. Arrange the layout.
2. As you add streams, they will automatically arrange themselves on the screen. You can choose a specific layout to organize them. On a desktop computer, you can arrange up to 20 streams in various grid formations (2, 4, 8, 12, etc.). On a phone, the limit is 6 streams to fit the smaller screen.

1. Add the live chat.
2. For any live stream from Twitch, YouTube, or Kick, you can open its chat in a side panel. In the toolbar, a chat icon will appear. Clicking it opens the chat for the currently selected stream, letting you follow the conversation alongside the video.

Managing Your View and Audio

Once your grid is active, you have a few simple controls to manage what you see and hear.

Switching Audio

Every stream you add starts muted. This is intentional, so you aren't hit with a blast of sound from multiple sources. To hear a stream, click the speaker icon on that specific video player. When you want to switch, just click the speaker icon on a different stream. The first one will automatically mute, and the new one will become active. This allows you to jump between different commentators or audio feeds with one click.

Focusing on a Single Stream

If you need to see one stream more clearly for a moment, click anywhere on its video player. This activates "focus mode," making that stream large while the others shrink down into a column on the side. You don't lose track of the other feeds, but you get a better view of the main action. Click the focused stream again to return to the regular grid.

You can also make any single stream go completely fullscreen, just like on its native platform.

Hiding the Controls

For a cleaner look, you can use the immersive view. This option hides the top toolbar, so the video players fill the entire browser window. It gives you a bit more screen space and removes distractions from the interface.

Practical Considerations for a Smooth Experience

Watching multiple video streams at the same time asks more of your computer and internet connection than watching just one. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Internet Connection

This is the most important factor. Each stream in your grid uses bandwidth. Watching four 1080p streams is like running four separate HD videos. If your internet connection is slow or unstable, you will likely experience buffering or streams dropping to a lower quality. For the most reliable connection, using an Ethernet cable from your computer to your router is usually better than Wi-Fi. If you experience buffering, try lowering the resolution on a few of the non-essential streams using the video player's own settings cog.

Computer Resources

Your computer's processor (CPU) and graphics card (GPU) have to decode each video stream. While most modern computers can handle a few streams without issue, running a large grid of 12, 16, or 20 streams can be demanding. If your computer's fan starts running high or the streams seem choppy, you may be reaching your hardware's limit. Closing other demanding applications can help.

Screen Space

The more screen you have, the more comfortable a multi stream setup will be. On a small laptop screen, four streams might be the most you can watch clearly. A large desktop monitor gives you much more room to work with. Many people find a dual monitor setup ideal, allowing them to place a large grid on one screen while using the other for work or browsing. For more on this, see our article, "Dual Monitor Multi Stream Setup Guide".

Sharing, Saving, and Watching Elsewhere

Sharing a Layout

The URL in your browser's address bar automatically updates as you add or remove streams. The entire grid configuration is stored in that link. This means you can share your exact setup with someone else just by copying and sending them the URL. When they open it, they'll see the same streams you have, arranged in the same way.

Watching on a Phone or TV

ViewGrid works in mobile browsers and has apps for iOS and Android. The mobile interface is adapted for smaller screens and supports up to 6 streams.

To get your grid onto a TV, you have a few common options. The simplest is to connect a laptop to your TV with an HDMI cable and use the TV as a monitor. Alternatively, you can use your smart TV's built-in web browser to navigate to viewgrid.tv. Some operating systems and browsers also have a "screen mirroring" function that can send your computer's display to a compatible TV.

Finding Pre-Built Grids

For some popular live events, like product announcements or gaming tournaments, you don't have to build a grid yourself. You can check the [Events calendar](/events), which lists upcoming broadcasts and often provides ready-made grids with the official stream and related commentary feeds. This is a quick way to get a comprehensive view of a major event.