How to Watch Multiple Live Streams at Once

To watch multiple live streams at once, you use a tool called a multi-stream viewer. It’s a website or app that lets you arrange several streams into a grid on one screen. You simply provide the links to the streams you want to watch, and the tool places them side-by-side so you can see them all without switching tabs.

This is especially useful for things like watching several matches during an esports tournament, following different news sources during a breaking event, or just keeping an eye on a few of your favorite creators at the same time.

How a Multi-Stream Viewer Works

Instead of opening four separate browser tabs for four different streams, you open one tab for a multi-stream viewer like ViewGrid. You then add the streams to it.

The tool uses the official embedded players from each platform (like YouTube, Twitch, or Kick). This means you’re watching the real stream, just arranged in a more convenient way. It doesn't re-stream or host any video itself.

All the streams start muted. You click on the one you want to hear, and you can switch the audio source between streams with a single click. This solves the problem of hearing multiple people talking over each other.

Setting Up Your First Multi-Stream Grid

Using a browser-based tool is the most direct way to get started. You don't need to install any software. Here’s how you can set up a grid using ViewGrid.

1. Open the multi-stream tool.
2. Navigate to the ViewGrid multi-stream viewer. You’ll see a simple page with a bar at the top for adding streams.

1. Add your streams.
2. You can add streams from YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and Rumble. Find the stream or channel you want to watch and copy its URL from your browser's address bar. Paste that link into the input box on ViewGrid. You can add more by pasting each new link on a new line. You can also just type a channel name.

1. Choose a layout.
2. Once the streams load, they will appear in a default grid. You can change this layout using the controls in the toolbar. On a desktop computer, you can watch up to 20 streams at once. On a phone, the screen size limits you to a maximum of 6.

1. Control the audio.
2. Each video player in the grid has its own controls. By default, every stream is muted. Click the speaker icon on the stream you want to listen to. If you click the audio icon on another stream, the first one will automatically mute, so only one is playing sound at a time.

1. Open live chat.
2. If you want to follow the conversation, you can open the live chat for any YouTube, Twitch, or Kick stream. Clicking the chat icon on a stream will open its chat in a panel on the right side of your screen.

That’s the basic process. You can create a custom viewing dashboard in under a minute without needing an account.

Things to Keep in Mind

Watching many video streams at once requires a good amount of internet bandwidth and computer processing power. Here are a few things to be aware of.

Internet Connection: Each stream is a separate video feed. If you watch four streams at 1080p, you’re using four times the bandwidth of watching one. If your connection is slow or has a data cap, you might see buffering. Lowering the video quality on some or all of the streams can help.

Computer Performance: Your computer has to decode every video stream. Older computers or laptops might struggle with a large number of high-quality streams, causing the video to stutter or the fans to run loudly. If this happens, try closing other programs or reducing the number of streams in your grid.

Screen Size: While you can watch multiple streams on a phone, it's a much better experience on a larger screen like a computer monitor or a tablet. More space means you can actually see what’s happening in each window.

Tips for a Better Viewing Experience

Once you have your grid set up, there are a few features that can make watching more comfortable.

Focus on one stream: If something important happens in one stream, you can click on it to bring it into "focus mode." This makes that stream large and temporarily hides the others without closing them. Click it again to return to your grid.

Hide the controls: For a cleaner look, you can use the "immersive view" option. This hides the top toolbar and other controls, leaving only the video streams on your screen.

Share your layout: The URL of the ViewGrid page updates automatically to include all the streams in your current layout. If you want to share your exact grid with a friend, you just copy the URL from your browser's address bar and send it to them. When they open the link, they’ll see the same streams you do.

Save your favorite layouts: If you find yourself watching the same combination of streams often, you can create a free account to save your layouts. This lets you access your favorite grids with a single click instead of pasting the links every time.

Watching on a TV

People often ask about watching a multi-stream grid on a television. Since ViewGrid is a website, it doesn't have a "cast" button like a mobile app might. However, you can still get it on your TV in a few ways:

Use your TV's web browser: Most smart TVs have a built-in web browser. You can open it and navigate to viewgrid.tv directly. Using the TV remote to type and click can be a bit slow, but it works.
Connect a laptop with an HDMI cable: This is often the most reliable method. Connect your laptop to your TV with an HDMI cable, and your TV will act as a second monitor. Drag your browser window with the grid onto the TV screen.
* Use screen mirroring: Many devices and operating systems have built-in screen mirroring (like AirPlay for Apple devices or Miracast on Windows/Android). You can use this to show your computer or phone screen on your compatible smart TV.

These methods rely on your device's features, not on ViewGrid itself, but they are effective ways to get your grid onto a big screen.

Common Uses for Multi-Streaming

While you can use a multi-stream viewer for anything, it’s particularly well-suited for a few scenarios.

Esports: During a tournament, you can watch the main broadcast, a B-stream with a different match, and the personal streams of a few pro players all at once.

News and Finance: You can monitor several news channels from different perspectives during a live event or keep an eye on multiple financial news streams that track market movements.

Special Events: For events like rocket launches or gaming showcases, you can watch the official stream alongside the live reactions from your favorite commentators. You can often find pre-made grids for major happenings on our live events calendar.

If you want to explore the different ways you can arrange your screen, you can read more in our guide, "Watch Multiple Live Streams: Design Your Custom Layout." It goes into more detail about creating the perfect setup for your needs.