YouTube is getting a picture-in-picture mode for the iPhone and iPad. What can you do with it and how do you enable the function? In this article we explain the steps.
With picture-in-picture (PiP) mode, you can continue to watch videos on YouTube while using other apps at the same time. The video will then remain pinned to your screen. The new feature is currently rolling out for iPhone and iPad.
Not for free
In the United States, the mode is free to use for anyone who watches videos on YouTube, strangely with the exception of music videos. Also striking is the fact that in the Netherlands you do have to pay to pin videos to your screen. An incomprehensible choice by Google, given that Android users have been able to use the picture-in-picture mode for free for years. For the time being, Google has indicated that nothing will change for Android users.
In June last year, Google announced that PiP mode would be available to both paying and non-paying users. By August of that year, a beta version was rolled out for Premium members, which Google took offline again in April 2022. It has now been decided that the feature will only be available to paying users.
No broad support
There are not many iPhone apps that support picture-in-picture yet. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and FaceTime are some apps in which the option works, but other well-known apps such as TikTok or Twitter do not offer support. With Facebook, the function only works on a desktop (you click in a video on the two right corners that merge into each other).
YouTube is thus a forerunner, but only for paying users. YouTube Premium currently costs 11.99 euros per month. For this amount you will no longer see advertisements, you will have access to YouTube Music and you can download YouTube videos. In another article, we’ll take a closer look at what you can do with a YouTube Premium subscription.
That is how it works
If you have a subscription and want to use the picture-in-picture mode, all you have to do is play a video and close the YouTube app. The video will then continue playing on its own in the top left or right corner of the screen.
The feature is being rolled out in phases, so you may have to wait a while to use the option. Also make sure you have picture-in-picture enabled on your iPhone. To do this, go to the Settings app and tap General. In the second column you see Picture in picture. Add to Starts ‘Picture in Picture’ automatically the slider. Now the videos will continue automatically when you close an app.
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