How to use picture-in-picture mode in iOS 14

Picture-in-picture mode has existed in iPadOS since 2015 but Apple didn’t bring it to iOS till now. The new feature is now available in iOS 14 developer beta and will make it to the final version for the public later this year. Apple announced iOS 14 at the all-online WWDC last month.

Picture-in-picture mode allows users to watch videos in a small thumbnail on their display while using other apps on the phone. Any app that already supports picture-in-picture like Twitch or Netflix on iPad, can stream videos in a small thumbnail in the corner of your iPhone’s display.

Enable picture-in-picture mode in iOS 14

iOS 14 users can watch videos in picture-in-picture mode by following these simple steps:

1. Play a video on your iPhone.
2. Swipe up or press the home button (depending on your iPhone model).
3. The video will start playing in a small floating window on your home screen.
4. Users can move the floating window around the screen to any suitable position.
5. iOS beta 2 shows 3 different sizes for using picture-in-picture – small, medium, and large. Pinch, or double-tap, to change the size of the floating window.
6. The window can also be swiped to the edge of the screen to be temporarily hidden. In this case, the video will not be shown on the screen but users will hear the audio. Just swipe back to bring back the floating window.

Picture-in-picture mode for YouTube

YouTube is the most requested app for picture-in-picture video playing. Sadly, YouTube’s app for iOS does not support the new feature. Follow these steps to enable it for YouTube:

1. Go to youtube.com on Safari.
2. Play a video and enter full-screen mode.
3. Click on the thumbnail icon in the standard controls.
4. This will pop up the video in a small floating window.
   

If your favorite streaming service does not support picture-in-picture, you will just have to wait for the update to arrive with the upcoming iOS 14 update. On the bright side, as the feature already existed in previous iPadOS versions, many video streaming apps will already support the new feature. All devices supporting iOS 14 will be able to use picture-in-picture mode.