How to use picture-in-picture on iPhone as a YouTube Premium subscriber

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Apple added picture-in-picture (PiP) support for apps in iOS 14, but it still isn’t very widely used. That might change, as YouTube is rolling out PiP support to its iOS app.

The killer feature for any video app is to offer PiP playback while you do other tasks on your device. Android devices have had it as an option for what seems like forever, but iOS users only recently got the option.

There’s one big proviso to use PiP on YouTube on iOS – you have to be a Premium subscriber. It’s currently in beta for only YouTube Premium subscribers, and Google says it will only be available until October 31.

READ MORE: YouTube’s Picture-in-Picture mode now free for iOS users in the US

How to use picture-in-picture on iPhone

Go to YouTube.com/new and click on “Try it out” in the “Picture-in-picture on iOS” section

Now open the YouTube app on your iPhone device and start watching a video

Swipe up or press the Home button to close the app. The video should stay in a mini player that will float over any other apps you open.

While a video is floating in PiP mode, you’ll have the standard play/pause and rewind/forward controls, and a button to tap to return to the YouTube app. Pinching the floating window will enlarge or minimize it.

While Google says it only works on iOS, some people have it also working on their iPad. If it’s not showing up, try deleting the iPad app and reinstalling it.

READ MORE: YouTube is finally adding picture-in-picture support for all iOS users

Oh, and locking the screen while in PiP mode will pause the video. You can resume from the media controls on the lock screen though, so it’s only a temporary thing. Google has set an end to PiP mode for October 31, which seems fairly short-lived for a Premium feature.

Maybe that’s when it will become a free feature for everyone, as Google promised earlier this year.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.