As the name suggests, the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode in YouTube provides the option to play videos in a minimized window on your Mac or Windows computer, while using other apps or programs on the same screen.
For example, you could be working on a Microsoft Word document or Excel spreadsheet, while listening to YouTube Music or Podcast playing in a small window, located at bottom-left or right corner of the screen.
If required, you can resize the video or move it to any other corner or place on the screen, where it is not coming in the way of the document or spreadsheet that you are working on.
Use YouTube In Picture-In-Picture Mode on Mac & PC
All that is required to use YouTube in Picture-In-Picture (PiP) mode on Mac or Windows computer is to open YouTube in Safari or Chrome browser and select the PiP Mode option.
Once PiP Mode is selected, you will immediately find the video detaching itself from the main YouTube website and playing in its own minimized window, located at bottom-left or right corner of the screen.
The video will continue to play, even when you open and start using other apps, which is ideal for multi-tasking and getting work done, while listening to music or podcast at the same time.
1. Play YouTube In Picture-in-Picture Mode on Mac
The YouTube Picture-in-Picture Mode works on MacBooks running MacOS Sierra (and above) and it is supported by the default Safari browser on your Mac.
1. Open the Safari browser on your Mac and go to YouTube.com.
2. Open the YouTube video that you want to play in PiP Mode.
3. Right-click anywhere on the Video and ignore the first menu that appears.
4. Next, right-click again on the same video and select Enter Picture-in-Picture option in the menu that appears.
5. Once you click on Enter Picture-in-Picture, you will find the video detaching itself from its parent website and playing in a small window, located at bottom-left corner of the screen.
Once the video starts playing in PiP mode, you can minimize the main YouTube tab and free up the screen for working on a document/spreadsheet, web browsing or checking your social media accounts.
Close/Exit YouTube PiP Mode on Mac
You can disable or exit YouTube PiP mode at any-time on your Mac by hovering the mouse over the PiP video and clicking on the little Arrow icon that appears at bottom of the Video.
To close the PiP video, hover the mouse over video and click on the “X” icon that appears at top-left corner of the video.
2. Play YouTube in Picture-in-Picture Mode in Google Chrome
If you are using Google Chrome, you can follow the steps below to play YouTube in Picture-in-Picture mode on Windows computer or MacBook.
1. Open the Google Chrome browser on your Windows PC or Mac and visit youtube.com.
2. Open the Video that you want to play in PiP Mode.
3. Right-click anywhere on the video and ignore the first menu that appears.
4. Right-click again on the same Video and this time select Picture in Picture option in the second menu that appears.
5. Once you click on Picture-in-Picture, you will immediately find the video detaching itself from YouTube and playing in its own minimized window, located at bottom-right corner of the screen.
As mentioned above, the video will continue to play in PiP mode, even when you open Microsoft Excel, Word or any other app or program on your computer.
Exit YouTube PiP Mode in Google Chrome
Once you are done playing the video in PiP mode, you can exit PiP mode by hoovering the mouse over PiP video and clicking on Back to tab option.
The video will exiting Picture-in-Picture mode and go back to YouTube’s main website, where you will find it playing in the form of a regular size YouTube video.
3. Enlarge YouTube Picture-in-Picture Video
If required, you can increase the size of YouTube PiP video by simply dragging from its sides.
1. Hover Mouse over the edge of YouTube Video playing in PiP mode.
2. Drag the edge of PiP window to make it larger than its default small size.
4. Move YouTube Picture-in-Picture Video
Depending on the computer (Mac or Windows), you may find the YouTube PiP video playing at lower-left or right corner of the screen. However, it can be moved to any other corner or any other place on the screen of your computer.
1. Press and Hold the CTRL key, click on the video and then drag it to any location on the screen of your computer.
2. Release the CTRL Key, once you have moved the video to your desired location.