You probably know the situation: you’re working on a project, document or study assignment and suddenly get stuck. After a quick Google search, you often end up with a helpful YouTube video that explains exactly what you need. But then a new problem appears: constantly switching between your work and the video is inconvenient and breaks your concentration.
Fortunately, Microsoft Edge has useful features that let you open YouTube right next to your work. With Picture-in-Picture and Split Screen, you can continue working and watch a video at the same time, without constantly switching between windows or tabs. It’s not only more pleasant, but also helps you work more efficiently and with better focus.
How to use “Picture-in-Picture” in Microsoft Edge
In computer question 18 (Dutch), I already wrote about one option. But if you’re using Microsoft Edge and need to switch between two tabs, there’s an even easier method.
Right‑click the YouTube video twice. A different menu will appear. Then click “Picture-in-Picture.” Your YouTube video will now appear in a separate window at the bottom right. You can switch to another tab in Microsoft Edge or continue working on your project while watching or pausing the video at the same time.
The size of the small window is based on the size of the video. By hovering your mouse over the edges, you can resize it. You can also drag the window to another position on your screen by holding down the left mouse button.
How to open two tabs side by side in Edge
If you don’t need a YouTube video but want two webpages next to each other, Microsoft Edge offers another handy feature: merging two tabs into one split view.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner of your browser. In the list, you’ll see “Split screen.” A new tab will appear next to your current one. This allows you to keep two webpages open side by side without switching between windows.
Clicking “Split screen” again will close the shared view. You can also close one of the two tabs with the X, which also exits split screen.
If you want to use this option more often, you can. Go to “Split screen” under the three dots. Instead of left‑clicking, right‑click it. Then choose “Show in toolbar.” An icon for split screen will appear next to the three dots. Next time, you can click that icon to open or close split screen instantly.
If you use another browser
In other browsers like Chrome, the earlier mentioned features work almost the same. The names may differ slightly. However, for split screen, it requires a bit more skill — there is no button you can click.
First, select two tabs while holding the CTRL key. Then right‑click one of the selected tabs and choose “Add tab to new split view.”
Hopefully these features help you work more easily and efficiently. Small tools like Picture‑in‑Picture and Split Screen can save a lot of time every day.
If you have any computer questions
Did you enjoy this article, and do you have your own tech question? You can send it in through the contact form. You can also leave a comment in the comment section below!
Kind regards,
About IT for everyone
These data tips are part of the series “IT for Everyone”. Are you curious about the background of this project? Read more on the page Your IT Professional.