The Picture in Picture (PiP) mode truly revolutionized multitasking. Google Chrome being one of the most used web browsers, supports picture-in-picture mode for most video streaming platforms like YouTube. In platforms that do not support PiP, Google offers a special extension to enable the PiP mode.
When you enable the PiP mode, your video will play in a smaller window on a corner of your screen. Depending on how you want to view it. If you wish to enable and use Picture in Picture mode in Google Chrome, keep reading!
How to Enable and Use Picture in Picture in Google Chrome?
As we’ve mentioned, there are two methods you can use to enable the picture in picture mode in Google Chrome. The picture in picture mode is available on the Android and desktop versions of the Google Chrome app. There currently isn’t an option to use PiP on iOS/iPadOS.
Using Built-In Feature
The built-in feature is supported on most video streaming platforms. When the PiP was still a beta feature, you would have to enable it from the Experiments section of Chrome flags. However, you can enable PiP from the platform itself now.
For reference, we’ve used YouTube to enable the picture-in-picture mode for the Android and desktop versions of Google Chrome.
On Desktop
- Launch Chrome and head to YouTube.
- Open the video you wish to open in PiP mode.
- Double-click on the video with the right key of your mouse.
- Choose Picture in Picture.
On Android
- Launch Chrome and navigate to YouTube.
- Open the Recent App Menu.
- Long press on the Chrome icon
- Choose Open in pop-up view.
Using the Picture-in-Picture Extension
If you do not see the “Picture in Picture” option available using the first method, it could be because the streaming platform does not support opening videos in the Picture in Picture mode. In cases such as this, you can use the official PiP extension offered by Google.
Step 1: Add Extension
- Launch Google Chrome.
- Navigate to Google Web Store.
- On the search bar, enter Picture-in-Picture Extension (by Google) and select it.
- Click on Add to Chrome.
- On the pop-up, select Add Extension.
Step 2: Use Extension
- On Chrome, head to the website with the video.
- Select the extension icon from the address bar.
- Choose the Picture-in-Picture extension.
How to Adjust the Picture in Picture Window?
A small window will play your video when you enable the picture-in-picture mode. You can also resize the window that is playing the video. Place your cursor on the edge of the window and drag the window to increase or decrease the size of the PiP window. Similarly, you can place your cursor on the window and drag and drop it across your screen.
Additionally, you can pause and play your video from the window. Simply hover your cursor on the window and select either the pause/play or the forward/backward button. You can perform the rest of the functions, such as adjusting playback speed and volume from the website playing your video.
How to Turn Off Picture in Picture on Google Chrome?
You can disable the picture-in-picture mode after you’re done using the interface. To turn the display off, you can place your cursor on the window and select the Back to tab options. This will automatically set the video back on the website. You can also select the cross icon on the top-left corner to exit the PiP window.
Additionally, if you close the Google Chrome program, the picture-in-picture display will automatically be turned off.
