YouTube has announced that the Picture-in-Picture feature will soon be available to more users globally. This feature lets users view video in a small window while also allowing them to use other apps. The feature was introduced a few years back and is limited only to Premium members outside of the US on Android and iOS devices. In simpler terms, the Google-owned video company will now allow users outside of the US to use the feature without paying any subscription.
Google, in a blog post, confirmed that the PiP feature will be available to “all users globally in the coming months.” The tech giant introduced the PiP feature for Premium subscribers on iOS back in 2021.
How the Picture-in-Picture feature works
Picture-in-Picture (PiP) allows users to keep watching videos while using other apps. On YouTube, you can simply swipe up or press the home button while a video is playing, and it will continue in a small floating window on your screen. This mini player can be moved around and placed anywhere over other apps, making multitasking seamless.
If you don’t want PiP to activate, you can pause or stop the video before leaving the app. In case the feature isn’t working properly, users may need to check both the app and device settings to ensure it is enabled.
You can turn it off in the app by going to Settings, then Playback, and switching off Picture-in-Picture. On Android devices, you can also control it through your phone’s settings by opening Settings, selecting Apps, choosing YouTube, then Advanced, and turning Picture-in-Picture on or off.
When you’re done watching, the floating window can be easily dismissed. You can tap the mini player to access controls and close it using the X icon, or simply drag it down to the bottom of the screen to remove it.
This update comes at a time when YouTube is increasingly focusing on giving users more control over how they engage with content. Recently, the platform also introduced new time management tools for Shorts, allowing users to limit or even completely remove Shorts from their home screen by setting usage to zero. The move follows growing scrutiny around addictive design features on social media platforms and highlights a broader push by YouTube to balance engagement with user well-being.
