With the iOS 14 upgrade last year, iPhone users got the long-awaited Picture in Picture option. Many well-known developers have integrated the needed API in their apps and brought out Picture in Picture for Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and other services since its official launch. Google’s YouTube, for example, was conspicuously absent from the action. This is about to change, as YouTube has begun to roll out Picture in Picture mode for iPhone. Follow along to find out how to use it on your iPhone.
Use YouTube Picture in Picture Mode on iPhone
Picture-in-Picture lets YouTube users on iPhone watch videos in a small micro player while browsing outside the main app. On the iPhone, the approach is comparable to Netflix or Prime Video.
There is, however, a catch. For the time being, YouTube PiP is only available to iPhone users who have YouTube Premium. We have another trick for you if you haven’t yet subscribed to YouTube Premium. We’ll talk about it later.
Use the Native YouTube App
Let’s use the native approach to play a YouTube video in Picture in Picture mode on an iPhone right now.
Before we begin, make sure you have the most recent YouTube app installed on your iPhone. Also, if you do not subscribe to YouTube Premium, the app will be minimized and the video will pause in the multitasking menu.
With that out of our way, let’s get started.
1. On your iPhone, open the YouTube app.
2. Switch to landscape mode and play any video.
Keep the video running in this window. It will not enable PiP if you press the pause button and then minimize the app.
3. If you’re using an old iPhone with a home button, swipe up from the bottom or press the home button.
4. On the iPhone, the YouTube app will enter Picture-in-Picture mode.
At the bottom, you’ll notice a small floating Picture in Picture window. You can move that window around the iPhone’s corners and put it where you want it.
YouTube PiP Features
Google didn’t simply put PiP on the iPhone and call it a day. It has all of the features you’d expect from an iPhone PiP view.
Users can move the PiP window around the home screen to their favorite location. To make adjustments without having to reopen the video in full screen, the PiP has a play/pause and 30 seconds forward/backward option built right into the display.
If the YouTube PiP bothers you, swipe left or right to hide it on the screen’s edge on either side.
In the background, the audio and video will continue to play. You can also pause the video and keep the PiP for YouTube minimized.
The tiny x mark in the PiP window can be used to close the view at any moment, or the Expand button can be used to return to the full-screen view in the YouTube app.
Use YouTube Web on iPhone
As previously stated, YouTube PiP is currently only available to a select few users. It also requires a YouTube Premium subscription in order to use YouTube in other apps.
Others can use the Safari browser to access YouTube and enable Picture-in-Picture mode. Here’s how to do it.
1. Launch the Safari browser and go to YouTube.
2. Login using your account information.
3. Switch to full-screen mode by playing any video. You won’t be able to watch YouTube videos in PiP mode unless you enable full-screen mode.
4. Use the home button or the swipe-up gesture from the bottom to minimize the Safari browser.
On the home screen, you’ll notice YouTube streaming a video in PiP. There is no need for a paid subscription. You’ll have access to the same features, such as media controls and the option to minimize players.
You can use this approach to play any video in PiP mode.
Many third-party apps claim to be able to enable PiP mode on YouTube on the iPhone. Don’t fall into that snare. They just share a YouTube video from the app to the browser and then enable PiP mode from there, as we explained in the second trick.
You might also like to read:
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- Take Screenshots in Restricted Apps in Android
- 7 iOS Apps to Take Scrolling Screenshots on iPhone or iPad
Final Words: Play YouTube Videos Picture-in-Picture Mode on iPhone
Since Oreo, Android users have been enjoying YouTube Picture-in-Picture mode. It’s great to see Google finally implementing a native iOS function in the YouTube app, allowing iPhone users to enjoy the same PiP mode. After reading this above-given write-up, you would be able to use YouTube Picture in Picture Mode on your iPhone without any difficulty.
