YouTube Premium Subscribers Can Now Use iOS Picture-in-Picture: Here's How

Google has rolled out picture-in-picture support as an "experimental" feature for YouTube premium subscribers, allowing them to watch video in a small window when the app is closed.

YouTube Picture in Picture Feature
If you're a premium YouTube subscriber looking to try out picture-in-picture, follow these steps:

  1. Launch a web browser and sign into your YouTube account at YouTube.com.

  2. Navigate to www.youtube.com/new.
  3. Scroll down to "Picture-in-picture on iOS".
  4. Click "Try it out."

Now, when you're in the YouTube app watching a video, return to your Home Screen by swiping up/pressing the Home button, and the picture-in-picture mini player will pop up. Google notes that locking your phone when watching in picture-in-picture mode will pause the video, but you can resume it by using the Lock Screen media controls.

youtube picture in picture
Google in June announced that picture-in-picture support would be rolling out to both premium and non-paying YouTube app users in the U.S., but some people outside the U.S. have been able to get the experimental feature working, so it could be globally available.

However, Google says the feature is only available until October 31. The company doesn't explain what happens after that, but hopefully that's when support rolls out to both paying subscribers and non-paying users, as originally promised. Whether it will still be available globally outside of its "experimental" context remains to be seen, though.

(Via 9to5Google.)

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Top Rated Comments

cambookpro Avatar
49 months ago
Does this not fall foul of developer guideline 3.2.2(ii)?

“Monetizing built-in capabilities provided by the hardware or operating system, such as Push Notifications, the camera, or the gyroscope; or Apple services, such as Apple Music access or iCloud storage.”

Or do Apple’s rules only apply to smaller developers…
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Archeteo Avatar
49 months ago
So this is still not available on the YouTube iOS app?

It's also insane how neither the iOS or iPadOS apps support system settings dark mode. For me, anyway. I hate how Google designs their software features and general rollouts.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
travoose Avatar
49 months ago
I fail to understand how this is not a feature for YouTubeTV which costs around $70 a month.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ian87w Avatar
49 months ago
Wow, so it's not even the app limitation. It's literally Google putting such artificial limit via your youtube account setting on their server.
Turning it on right away, and it works, as it should've been in the first place.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
uuaschbaer Avatar
49 months ago
Have been using picture-in-picture with youtube for years on their website using a bookmark to: javascript:document.querySelector(%22video%22).webkitSetPresentationMode(%22picture-in-picture%22)
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alpi123 Avatar
49 months ago
Wait, just now?!

I thought this was available for the longest time for Premium subscribers
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)