How to watch two videos at once during an online class

November 11, 2026 5 min read

Yes. Install Crispip, click its toolbar icon once on the class tab and once on the reference tab, and both videos play side by side in one floating window, each with its own controls.

Why an online class needs two videos at once

Not every lesson needs two windows, but in the cases below, switching tabs back and forth starts to cost real time.

A recorded lecture next to a hands-on demo

The instructor explains a step, then cuts to the software. You want to follow along. Pause the lecture at that step and keep a demo video open beside it — easier than taking notes and rewinding later, and you can see at a glance which frame matches which action.

A lesson next to its subtitles or a translated version

For language courses and English-language technical talks, the main video and the subtitles are often two separate files. Switching back and forth loses sentences; with both on screen, your eyes never leave the picture.

A live stream next to material recorded earlier

The stream is running and you also have a pre-recorded lesson or a walkthrough at hand. A live stream cannot rewind, a recording can. Keep both open and check the other one the moment something is unclear.

Where Chrome's built-in picture-in-picture falls short here

Chrome's built-in picture-in-picture solves one thing: the video keeps playing while you switch tabs. It does not solve "two videos together". One picture-in-picture window carries exactly one video element: opening a second one on the same page replaces the first, and opening one from another tab gives you another floating window that lands in the same spot and covers the first.

Built-in picture-in-picture holds one video per window; a second one either replaces the first or stacks on top of it — it never sits beside it.

Before you start

Check these four things first so the steps below go smoothly.

Chrome 116 or later. Crispip relies on the Document Picture-in-Picture API, which Chrome for Developers documents as available from Chrome 116.
Crispip installed and pinned to the toolbar — install it from the Chrome Web Store. The orange-red number on the icon is how many videos the current tab holds; no number usually means the page has not loaded a video yet.
Both videos open in their own tabs, and each played once. The video has to actually exist on the page for the extension to find it.
The free plan is enough: it allows up to 2 videos at once, and the grid layout is included.

Steps: put both videos into one picture-in-picture window

The first run adds one extra step, starting the window; after that it is just clicking the icon and adding a video.

Open the class tab and let the video appear on the page → the Crispip icon in the toolbar shows an orange-red badge.
Click the Crispip icon in the toolbar → a new PiP tab opens and asks you to press Enter; it is pinned to the far left of the tab strip automatically.
Press Enter in that tab, or click Start PiP → a separate floating window appears. The browser requires this step to come from a real click, so the extension cannot do it for you.
Check whether the window shows a picture → if it does, the class video is in; if not, go back to the class tab and click the icon once more.
Open a new tab with the reference or subtitle video and play it → this page now has a video too, and the icon shows a badge again.
Click the Crispip icon on that tab → the second video joins the same window, side by side in a grid. If the page holds more than one video, a list appears first so you can pick which one.
Drag the window by its title bar and resize it from the corners → park it on one side of the screen and leave the other side for notes.

Independent controls and layout

Each picture has its own control bar; pausing one does not affect the other.

Pause one video: hover the picture and a control bar appears at the bottom; the play button on the left affects only that video.
Scrub one video: the progress bar under the controls belongs to that video alone.
Set volume per video: the speaker icon and slider apply to that video; mute whichever one you do not want to hear.
Change speed: open ⋮ on the right and pick 0.5x to 2.0x, again for that video only.
Pause everything: press Space inside the window to pause every picture, and Space again to resume.
Change layout: right-click inside the window, choose Layout, then Grid. The free plan uses Grid; Right L, Left L, Both Sides and Cinema mode at the top of the menu belong to PRO.
Let one video fill the window: click Fill on its control bar, and click again to leave.
Screenshot and recording (PRO): the camera and record buttons on the control bar capture the current frame or a clip.

If a picture sits still, go back to the original page and press play there — browsers require a real user gesture for playback, and the extension cannot stand in for it.

FAQ

Do both videos play sound at the same time?

Yes, each one has its own audio. Mute the one you do not want on its control bar, or right-click and choose Mute Others to leave a single soundtrack.

Do course platforms allow this?

That depends on the platform's own rules, so follow them. It only puts videos you can already play into one window; it does not lift a platform's playback limits and is not meant for recording or redistributing course material.

Is the free plan enough?

Yes. The free plan allows up to 2 videos at once, which is exactly what this setup needs, and the grid layout and per-video controls are included.

Not sure where to begin after installing? Start with the quick start guide; for plans and prices, see the pricing section.

Technical descriptions follow MDN's Picture-in-Picture API documentation and Chrome for Developers' Document Picture-in-Picture documentation. Product capabilities, the free-plan limit and the install link come from the Chrome Web Store listing; the privacy position is set out in the privacy policy.