The invention discloses a video sub-screen display method and device. The method comprises the following steps: classifying all programs provided by a stream media server by an IPTV (internet protocol television) server; for each program type, performing sorting on all programs of the program type and generating a program sorting list of the program type, wherein sorting rules of programs of different program types are not identical; receiving a URL (uniform resource locator) address request sent by adaptive stream download middleware corresponding to any one video display sub-screen of a registered IPTV client, selecting a URL address of a configuration file of the corresponding program in the program sorting list of the program type corresponding to a program type identifier, and returning the URL address to the adaptive stream download middleware. The method optimizes a sub-screen display effect of the IPTV client.