Split Screen App for iPhone: Put Two Videos Together

A free split screen app for iPhone is Apple's iMovie: use its Split Screen overlay to place two videos together in one exported frame.

That solves video composition: an interview with both people visible, a before-and-after comparison, or a demonstration beside its explanation. It is different from opening two apps at once on your phone. Multitasking controls do not combine your video files.

iMovie is listed as free in Apple's App Store listing. This guide uses its manually edited Movie project and Apple's documented overlay controls, checked on October 21, 2026.

Split screen app for iPhone: the iMovie workflow

First create the base sequence. Open Start New Project → Movie, select your first video, and tap Create Movie. Apple documents that project type in its Movie setup instructions.

Then add the other source:

1. Position the playhead where the paired section should begin.
2. Tap Add Media → Video and select the second clip.
3. Tap More, then Split Screen.
4. Select the overlay in the timeline to reveal its viewer controls.

The default is two equal panels side by side. Swap changes their orientation; Line adds or removes the divider. Zoom Control lets you pinch and reposition the overlay's visible area. Apple's iPhone overlay guide documents these controls, including a stacked arrangement with one clip above the other.

If the second video plays after the first, it entered the main sequence. Undo that insertion and use More → Split Screen when adding it.

Prepare two sources that belong together

Choose the relationship before importing. For a product comparison, both panels should show the same stage of the test. For a remote interview, each recording should cover the same conversation. Two unrelated moments beside each other can imply a reaction or comparison that never happened.

Keep original recordings and work from copies or an editable project. Download cloud-only media before beginning, and confirm permission to use both recordings, especially when someone else's face, voice, or customer information appears.

For a tutorial, sketch the paired section before recording with the shot list template. Note which source carries the explanation and what viewers should examine in the other panel. That simple decision prevents recording a wide demonstration that becomes unreadable when reduced.

Match the time before choosing a crop

Two clips beginning together in the editor do not necessarily show the same moment. A camera may start several seconds earlier. Locate a shared clap, spoken phrase, hand movement, or other clear event in both recordings.

Trim away unnecessary lead-in, align that event, then preview the start and end of the paired section. Apple's timeline arrangement guide explains selecting clips and dragging trim handles. Use the audio and video synchronization guide for the wider workflow.

Do not independently shorten pauses in one source before aligning a conversation: the recordings will stop matching. If you need to remove a section, preserve the timing relationship between the two views. Check lip movement against the chosen audio after every structural edit.

Align one shared event

Camera AClapExplanation

Camera B
Trim extra lead-inSame clapDemonstration

One synchronized moment → two views in one output

Check what each half actually shows

A split uses less space for each source than a full-frame shot. Check eyes, hands, products, and labels throughout the movement, not just on the first frame. A subject close to the edge may disappear halfway through a demonstration.

Use matching scale for comparisons. If one panel enlarges a product more than the other, viewers may mistake the crop for a physical difference. For an interview, prioritize both faces over unused background.

Treat iMovie's documented split as a two-source layout. The iPhone controls described above do not establish arbitrary panel widths, a multi-camera grid, or several independently positioned video layers. If your project needs those controls, verify them in a candidate editor before rebuilding the whole sequence.

For a small floating view, Picture in Picture is a separate overlay choice. Its documented resizing behavior should not be assumed to apply to an equal split. For supporting stills instead of another video, see adding pictures to a video.

Choose the audio viewers should follow

For a demonstration with the same speech captured twice, choose the clearer recording as the main sound and mute the duplicate. For an interview recorded as separate speakers, retain each person's necessary speech and listen for overlapping room sound.

Select the relevant clip, tap Audio, and use Mute or the volume slider. These controls are documented in Apple's audio adjustment guide. Do not assume that choosing Split Screen automatically creates your intended mix.

Listen on headphones, then a phone speaker. Doubled speech, echo, or a delayed lip movement usually needs another timing or source-audio check. Keep background music below the explanation. The remove audio guide covers choosing which sound to retain.

Export one file and inspect the paired section

Return to the project browser and choose Share → Share Video → Options. Select the available output settings, then Save Video or Save to Files. Apple documents the route in its iPhone sharing guide.

Export settings apply to the combined movie. Choosing 1080p does not give each panel a separate 1080p file. Available frame-rate and HDR options depend on the project; Apple specifically conditions 60 fps output on the proportion of qualifying 60 fps footage.

Play the saved file through the overlay's entrance and exit. Confirm both views last for the intended section, captions remain readable, and only the intended sound plays. Keep the editable project so a later correction does not require rebuilding from the flattened video.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does split screen mean using two apps at once?

Here it means two video sources visible in one finished movie. Phone multitasking is a separate task.

Can I put one video above the other?

Yes. iMovie documents a stacked orientation using the Split Screen viewer's Swap control.

Why can I hear the same voice twice?

Both recordings may contain it. Mute the duplicate source, then verify synchronization and listen again.

Can this workflow create a four-video grid?

The documented iPhone split combines two sources. Verify explicit grid and layering support in another editor before planning four simultaneous views.