YouTube TV's Multiview lets you watch up to four channels at once on one screen

Multiview is a YouTube TV feature that splits your screen into separate tiles, each showing a different live channel. You can watch four channels simultaneously—useful during sports events, award shows, or when multiple games are on at the same time. The feature works on most devices where YouTube TV is available, though some older phones and tablets may not support it.

Multiview is included with your YouTube TV membership at no extra cost. Once you turn it on, you control which channels appear in each tile and can swap them out without leaving the view. You can also unmute one tile to hear its audio while the others stay silent, or mute all tiles and listen to something else entirely.

Key Takeaways

  • Multiview works on most devices—phones, tablets, computers, and TV devices—but not all older models support it.
  • You start a Multiview by selecting a channel, then tapping or clicking the Multiview button to add up to three more channels.
  • Only one tile plays audio at a time; tap the speaker icon on any tile to hear that channel's sound.
  • You can swap channels in any tile without closing Multiview by tapping the tile and selecting a new channel.

Starting Multiview on Your Device

The first step is to open YouTube TV and find a live channel you want to watch. Once a channel is playing, look for the Multiview button—it looks like four small squares arranged in a grid. On phones and tablets, this button usually appears in the bottom right corner of the screen. On computers, it appears in the player controls. On TV devices like Chromecast or Fire TV, use your remote to navigate to the button.

Tap or click the Multiview button. The screen will split into four tiles, with your original channel in one tile and three empty tiles. The empty tiles will show a plus sign (+) or say "Select a channel." Tap or click any empty tile to choose a second channel. YouTube TV will show you a list of available live channels. Select the one you want, and it will appear in that tile. Repeat this for the third and fourth tiles until you have four channels displayed.

If your device does not show the Multiview button, your device may not support the feature. YouTube TV Multiview works on most phones, tablets, computers, and modern TV devices, but some older devices do not have this capability. Check your device's YouTube TV app version—make sure it is up to date by visiting your device's app store.

Switching Channels Within Multiview

Once Multiview is active, you can change any of the four channels without closing the view. Tap or click on the tile whose channel you want to change. A menu will appear showing available live channels. Select a new channel from the list, and it will replace the old one in that tile. This takes about two seconds, and the new channel's video will start playing when ready.

You can also remove a tile if you want to watch fewer than four channels. Tap or click the X button in the corner of any tile to close it. That tile will disappear, and the remaining tiles will expand slightly to fill the space. Add it back anytime by tapping an empty area or the plus sign.

Controlling Audio in Multiview

By default, all four tiles are muted when you first open Multiview. To hear one channel, tap or click the speaker icon on the tile you want to listen to. Only one tile can play audio at a time—when you unmute a new tile, the previous one automatically mutes. The speaker icon will show a filled-in speaker symbol on the tile that is currently playing sound.

If you want to listen to something other than any of the four channels—such as music, a podcast, or a different app—mute all tiles by tapping the speaker icon on the currently unmuted tile. The audio will stop, and you can play whatever you want in the background. The tiles will continue showing video without sound.

Exiting Multiview

To return to a single full-screen channel, tap or click the Multiview button again. YouTube TV will ask which channel you want to keep watching in full screen. Select one, and the other three tiles will close. The selected channel will expand to fill the entire screen.

Alternatively, tap or click on any single tile to expand just that channel to full screen. The other tiles will close, and you can return to Multiview anytime by tapping the Multiview button again.

Devices That Support Multiview

Multiview is available on most modern devices running YouTube TV. This includes iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 or later, Android phones and tablets running Android 8 or later, computers running Chrome, Safari, or Edge browsers, and TV devices including Chromecast with Google TV, Fire TV devices, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Roku devices.

Some older phones, tablets, and TV devices do not support Multiview. If you do not see the Multiview button on your device, try updating the YouTube TV app or your device's operating system. If the button still does not appear after updating, your device may not have the hardware capability to display four video streams at once.

Common Issues and Fixes

If Multiview is not working, the most common cause is an outdated app. Open your device's app store and check for YouTube TV updates. Install any available updates and restart the app. If Multiview still does not appear, restart your device entirely—this clears temporary files that sometimes block features.

If one of the tiles is buffering or freezing while others play smoothly, your internet connection may be struggling to handle four streams. Check your internet speed using a speed test app—YouTube TV recommends at least 3 Mbps per stream, so 12 Mbps total for four channels. If your speed is lower, move closer to your router, restart your modem, or reduce the number of devices using your network. You can also close one or two tiles to reduce the load.

If audio is cutting out or the tiles are out of sync, try closing Multiview and reopening it. If the problem continues, close the YouTube TV app completely, wait 10 seconds, and reopen it. This usually fixes audio and synchronization problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Multiview on my TV while someone else watches YouTube TV on another device?

Yes. Each device using YouTube TV counts as one stream toward your account's simultaneous streaming limit. YouTube TV allows three simultaneous streams per account. If you are using Multiview on your TV (which counts as one stream), you can still watch on one other device at the same time. A fourth device would be blocked until you stop watching on one of the first three.

Does Multiview work with DVR recordings or on-demand shows?

No. Multiview only works with live channels. You cannot add recorded shows or on-demand content to a Multiview. All four tiles must show live television.

What happens to Multiview if my internet connection drops?

If your connection drops, all four tiles will pause and show a buffering symbol. Once your connection returns, the tiles will resume playing. If the connection is very poor, YouTube TV may close Multiview automatically and return you to a single full-screen channel to reduce the strain on your connection.

Can I save a Multiview setup so I do not have to rebuild it every time?

YouTube TV does not currently save custom Multiview layouts. Each time you open Multiview, you will need to select your four channels again. However, the process takes less than a minute once you know which channels you want to watch.

Is Multiview available on the YouTube TV website, or only in the app?

Multiview works on both the YouTube TV website and the mobile app. Open YouTube TV in your web browser on a computer, and the Multiview button will appear in the same location as it does in the app. The feature works identically on both.