How to Play YouTube Video in Picture-in-Picture Mode on iOS

iOS 14/ iPadOS 14 is required to enable picture-in-picture mode for YouTube videos.

Advertisement
By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 20 June 2021 13:05 IST
Highlights
  • iOS users can access picture-in-picture mode using a Web browser
  • You can double tap on the video with two figures to enable the mode
  • Picture-in-picture mode lets you multitask while watching YouTube videos

YouTube Premium subscription is mandatory to watch videos in picture-in-picture mode

iPhone or iPad users can enjoy YouTube videos in picture-in-picture mode, just like Android devices. You don't need to have the YouTube app installed on your iPhone or iPad to get the picture-in-picture mode. Instead, you can experience it directly using a Web browser, including the preloaded Safari. The picture-in-picture (PiP) mode is essentially quite useful if you want to do some multitasking on your iPhone or iPad. You can easily access your settings menu or check for a message on WhatsApp.

Apple has enabled picture-in-picture support natively since the release of iOS 14/ iPadOS 14 last year. It can be used to watch YouTube videos in picture-in-picture mode on your Apple device. Here's how it's possible.

How to run YouTube videos in picture-in-picture mode on iOS

Before beginning with the steps you can take to run YouTube videos in picture-in-picture mode on iOS, it is important to note that you must be a YouTube Premium member and sign in with the account that has that paid subscription. The feature also doesn't work with the YouTube app at this moment. This means that you need to rely on a Web browser such as Safari or Chrome to run your favourite YouTube videos in picture-in-picture.

Advertisement
  1. Open your Web browser and log in to YouTube with your account that is a part of the YouTube Premium subscription.
  2. Search for a video that you want to watch.
  3. Switch to the full-screen mode by tapping the square icon from the bottom right of the video.
  4. Tap on the video to view controls and then press the picture-in-picture button from the top left side — just next to the close button. Alternatively, you can double tap on the screen with two fingers or simply swipe upwards from the bottom of your device to enable the picture-in-picture mode.
  5. Once enabled, picture-in-picture mode lets you move to and work on any other app you want to — while continuously playing running YouTube video in a small window.

You can exit the picture-in-picture mode by tapping its icon from the top-right side of the small window. It can also be moved back to the original view by double tapping on the video using two fingers. Once done, you can close your YouTube video by tapping on the ‘x' button.


What is the best phone under Rs. 30,000 in India right now? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
 

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Nathan Fillion's The Rookie Season 8 Now Available for Streaming
  2. Sarvam Maya Streams on JioHotstar From January 30: Details
  1. Raakaasa OTT Release Details: What You Need to Know About Niharika Konidela’s Horror Fantasy Film
  2. Sinking Calcium Carbonate Locked Away Greenhouse Gases, Reveals New Study
  3. Sarvam Maya Set for OTT Release on JioHotstar: All You Need to Know About Nivin Pauly’s Horror Comedy
  4. Europa’s Hidden Ocean Could Be ‘Fed’ by Sinking Salted Ice; New Study Boosts Hopes for Alien Life
  5. The Rookie Season 8 Now Available for Streaming Online: Where to Watch Nathan Fillion-Starrer Cop Drama Online?
  6. Scientists Search the Big Bang’s Afterglow for Signs of Colliding Parallel Universes
  7. Giant Ancient Collision May Have ‘Flipped’ the Moon’s Interior, Study Suggests
  8. VLT’s GRAVITY Instrument Detects ‘Tug’ from Colossal Exomoon; Could Be Largest Natural Satellite Ever Found
  9. Young Sherlock Now Set for OTT Release on OTT: What You Need to Know About Guy Ritchie’s Mystery Thriller
  10. NASA’s Miner++ AI Brings Machine Digs Into TESS Archive to the Hunt for Nearby Earth-Like Worlds
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.