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Continue watching YouTube on a small screen
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Did you know you can minimize your YouTube video and continue watching it? The picture-in-picture feature is available on your computer or in the mobile app. Keep in mind that if you live outside of the US, you must have a YouTube Premium subscription to use PiP. Here's how to minimize YouTube and use picture-in-picture mode on your Android, iPhone, iPad, or computer.

Getting Floating Videos on YouTube

To minimize YouTube and let it play in the background, enable picture-in-picture in your Android or iPhone's settings. Then, enable PiP on YouTube in Settings > Playback. Play a video, and then navigate to a different screen or app.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Android

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  1. This feature allows you to continue playing videos on the YouTube app while it is minimized.[1] Do the following:
    • Go to Settings.
    • Select Apps & notifications.
    • Select Advanced.
    • Select Special app access.
    • Select Picture-in-picture.
    • Select YouTube.
    • Select Allow picture-in-picture.
  2. This feature must also be turned on in the YouTube app itself. Do the following:
    • Open the YouTube app.
    • Tap your profile picture.
    • Tap the cog icon.
    • Tap Playback.
    • Toggle on Picture-in-picture.
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  3. You can use the search bar to find specific videos or playlists, or you can browse your feed.
  4. If you return to your home screen, or if you open another app, YouTube should be minimized in a mini player.
    • To move the screen, tap and drag it elsewhere. To close the mini player, tap the X. You can also return to the YouTube app to stop the video.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using iPhone or iPad

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  1. This feature allows you to continue playing videos on the YouTube app while it is minimized. Do the following:
    • Open Settings.
    • Tap General.
    • Tap Picture in Picture.
    • Toggle on Start PiP Automatically.
  2. This feature must also be turned on in the YouTube app itself. Do the following:
    • Open the YouTube app.
    • Tap your profile picture.
    • Tap the cog icon.
    • Tap Playback.
    • Toggle on Picture-in-picture.
  3. You can use the search bar to find specific videos or browse your feed.
  4. If you return to your home screen, or if you open another app, YouTube should be minimized in a mini player.
    • To move the screen, tap and drag it elsewhere. To close the mini player, tap the X. You can also return to the YouTube app to stop the video.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Using Desktop

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  1. Open a video on https://www.youtube.com/. You can use any web browser. Use the search bar to find specific videos or browse your feed.
  2. An icon will appear in the video.
  3. This looks like a big square with an arrow pointing to a smaller square.
    • The picture-in-picture window will open.
  4. The player controls are similar to the controls in normal mode.
    • To resize the window, drag one corner of the window outwards to increase the size or inwards to decrease the size.
    • To move the window, click and drag the video.
    • To close picture-in-picture mode, hover over the window and click the X.
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About This Article

Rain Kengly
Written by:
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Rain is a tech writer and editor for wikiHow with over 5 years of professional writing experience. In the past, Rain has worked with other creative writers as a Writing Tutor at San Francisco State University and has published gaming features, guides, and news articles for a variety of media outlets. Rain shares a lifelong passion for writing and gaming and is eager to grow alongside new tech inventions. This article has been viewed 117,989 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: January 19, 2025
Views: 117,989
Categories: YouTube
Article SummaryX

1. Go to https://youtube.com in the Firefox web browser.
2. Navigate to and tap on the video you want to play.
3. Tap the three-dot menu.
4. Tap Request desktop site.
5. Tap the video to start it.
6. Tap the home button to minimize the YouTube video in the background.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 117,989 times.

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