--- title: How do I use side-by-side asset comparison? description: Learn how to compare two versions of a file side by side in StreamWork, including how to sync video playback, control audio independently, and leave pinned comments in the comparison view. --- [Skip to content](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/how-do-i-use-side-by-side-asset-comparison#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![logo--white-s-2.svg\]](https://help.streamwork.com/hubfs/logo--white-s-2.svg) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - Product Product Hello. How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Center](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Comments and Annotations](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/comments-and-annotations?hsLang=en) # How do I use side-by-side asset comparison? ## Side-by-side comparison lets you view two versions of a file at the same time, so you can see exactly what changed without toggling back and forth. **![StreamWork-side-by-side-comparison](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/StreamWork-side-by-side-comparison.png?width=670&height=350&name=StreamWork-side-by-side-comparison.png)** **How to open side-by-side comparison** 1\. Open a file in the Media Viewer 2\. Click the "V1" button in the top left of the Media Viewer and click the down arrow ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-20-27-1623-PM.png?width=670&height=61&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-20-27-1623-PM.png) 3\. If you have multiple versions uploaded, click the button "Compare versions" to access side-by-side comparison mode. If you only have one version uploaded, you'll be prompted to upload a second version to proceed. ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-21-48-2840-PM.png?width=670&height=274&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-21-48-2840-PM.png) 4\. Both files will appear side by side in the viewer. ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-23-49-7001-PM.png?width=670&height=404&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-23-49-7001-PM.png) **Supported media types** Side-by-side comparison works with files of the same media type. You can compare two videos, two images, two PDFs, or two documents. **For video files** - Click Play on either video to play. When "Sync / Unsync" is activated, videos will either play in sync or not.  ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-30-47-2797-PM.png?width=255&height=97&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-30-47-2797-PM.png) - Use the mute button on each video independently to control audio, useful when comparing different cuts or voiceovers. - Pause either video to stop both. **Comparison view tools** - Swap allows you to quickly swap the location of files in comparison view. **![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-27-13-0761-PM.png?width=294&height=108&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-27-13-0761-PM.png)** - Split mode allows you to equally split the screen between the two assets so that they appear the same size.  ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-28-27-4250-PM.png?width=290&height=92&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-28-27-4250-PM.png) - Slider mode enables you to make one asset larger than the other for easy inspection. ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-30-23-4795-PM.png?width=285&height=114&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-30-23-4795-PM.png) - Reset is a quick way to reset all settings back to the original. ![](https://help.streamwork.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-33-00-7044-PM.png?width=276&height=97&name=image-png-Jul-30-2026-10-33-00-7044-PM.png) **Leaving comments in comparison view** You can leave pinned comments on either asset directly from the comparison view. Click anywhere on the asset to drop a comment. You do not need to exit the comparison view to leave feedback. To open the comment panel, click on the comment bubble icon in the top right or left side. **Exiting comparison view** Click the X or the Close button in the top left corner of the toolbar to return to the standard single-file viewer. - [About StreamWork](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/about-streamwork?hsLang=en) - [Get started](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/get-started?hsLang=en) - [Roles](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/roles?hsLang=en) - [Workspaces](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/workspaces?hsLang=en) - [Projects](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/projects?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Projects - Project Permissions](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/projects?hsLang=en#projects-project-permissions) - [Folders](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/folders?hsLang=en) - [Media](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/media?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Media - Media Management](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/media?hsLang=en#media-media-management) - [Comments and Annotations](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/comments-and-annotations?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Comments and Annotations - Management](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/comments-and-annotations?hsLang=en#comments-and-annotations-management) - [Tasks](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/tasks?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Tasks - Task Management](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/tasks?hsLang=en#tasks-task-management) - [Approval routing](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/approval-routing?hsLang=en) - [Share links](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/share-links?hsLang=en) - [Integrations](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/integrations?hsLang=en) - [Account settings and notifications](https://help.streamwork.com/knowledge/account-settings-and-notifications?hsLang=en) [![Chill listening crop-3](https://help.streamwork.com/hubfs/logo-3.svg "Chill listening crop-3")](https://www.streamwork.com/) Copyright © 2026, StreamWork