How to Set Up Split Screen Streaming

Split screen streaming lets you watch multiple video feeds from platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Kick in a single browser window. To do this, you use a tool like ViewGrid to paste in the stream links you want to watch. The tool arranges them in a grid on your screen and gives you simple controls to switch which stream’s audio you hear.

This setup is useful for any situation where you need to follow more than one thing at once. Instead of juggling multiple browser tabs and trying to mute them all correctly, everything is organized in one place.

When Split Screen Streaming is Useful

While you can use a multi-stream layout for anything, it’s especially helpful for a few common scenarios:

Esports: Watch the main tournament broadcast alongside the point-of-view (POV) stream of your favorite player. You get the casters' commentary from the main feed while seeing the individual skill of a specific player.
Live News: When a major event is happening, you can open live feeds from different news sources to compare their coverage in real time.
Collaborations: If several creators are streaming an event together from their own channels, you can combine them into one view to see all their perspectives.
Community Events: During events like charity marathons or game launches, you can keep an eye on several different streamers participating at the same time.

For a deeper look at using this for specific broadcasts, you might find our guide "Split Screen Streaming for Live Events: A Guide" helpful.

How to Create a Split Screen Layout

Setting up a grid of streams is straightforward. You don’t need an account to get started; you just build the layout you want in your browser.

1. Open ViewGrid. You can start building your grid right away.
2. Add your first stream. Find the input box and paste the URL of a stream from YouTube, Twitch, Kick, or Rumble. You can also add streams by searching for a channel name. For YouTube, you can search for live streams directly from within the grid.
3. Add more streams. Continue pasting links into the available slots. As you add streams, they will automatically arrange themselves on the screen.
4. Choose your layout. Look for the layout controls. You can change the grid to fit the number of streams you have. On a desktop computer, you can choose layouts for up to 20 streams. On a phone, layouts support up to 6 streams.

This process lets you build a custom dashboard for whatever you’re watching. You can see all the action in one place with a multi-stream view that you control.

Managing Audio and Chat

The biggest challenge with watching multiple videos is managing the sound. A good split screen tool solves this by giving you direct control over audio.

In ViewGrid, every stream you add starts muted. You’ll see a speaker icon on each video player. To hear a stream, just click its icon to unmute it. If you click the audio icon on a different stream, the first one will automatically mute, and the new one will become active. This one-click switching prevents you from having multiple streams playing audio at the same time.

For live streams with active communities, you can also open the chat. ViewGrid allows you to open the live chat for any single Twitch, YouTube, or Kick stream in a side panel next to your video grid. This lets you follow the conversation for your main stream without cluttering the screen.

Tips for a Better Viewing Experience

Once your grid is set up, a few features can make watching more comfortable.

Focus on a Single Stream
If one stream becomes particularly interesting, you can click on it to bring it into "focus view." This makes that video player large and temporarily shrinks the others. Click it again to return to the original grid layout. You can also use the standard fullscreen button on any video player to make it take over your entire screen.

Share Your Layout
The URL in your browser's address bar updates automatically as you add or remove streams. The entire layout is saved in that link. This means you can share your exact split screen setup with a friend by simply copying and pasting the URL. When they open it, they will see the same streams in the same grid you created.

Save Your Favorite Layouts
If you find yourself creating the same grid of streams often, you can save it. This requires creating a free account. Once you're signed in, you can save any layout and give it a name, so you can open it again later with one click.

Performance Considerations
Playing multiple video streams at once requires a stable internet connection and a reasonably modern computer. If you notice stuttering or buffering, it might be because your device or network is struggling to keep up. Adding a large number of high-resolution streams (like 16 or 20) will use more resources.

Watching on a TV

People often ask how to get their split screen grid onto a television. ViewGrid doesn't have a built-in "cast" button like you might find in the YouTube or Netflix apps. However, you can still display it on a TV using your existing hardware.

The most common methods are:

Using the TV's Web Browser: If you have a smart TV with a built-in web browser, you can navigate to viewgrid.tv and build your grid there.
Connecting a Laptop: The most reliable method is to connect a laptop or computer to your TV using an HDMI cable. The TV then acts as a second monitor.
* Screen Mirroring: Most modern operating systems, phones, and browsers have a screen mirroring or "cast screen" function that can send your entire screen to a compatible TV.

These methods use the features of your device or TV, not a specific feature of ViewGrid itself.

Split Screen vs. Dual Monitors

Split screen streaming is about putting multiple video sources onto a single screen. This is different from a dual monitor setup, where you might put one full-screen application on each monitor.

You can combine both approaches. For example, you could have a ViewGrid layout with four streams on one monitor, while using your second monitor for work, Discord, or a single full-screen video. If you're curious about the pros and cons of each approach, we have an article that compares them: "Split Screen vs. Dual Monitor Streaming: A Guide".