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Picture-in-Picture on iPhone (Image via TechFirstNow)
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The Picture-in-Picture feature available on iPhones provides a handy way to multi-task by watching videos or taking calls while using other apps simultaneously. By enabling PiP in the device settings and launching videos from supported apps, you can shrink the video playback into a movable miniature window that floats above the home screen or app display.
This guide will walk through establishing PiP mode and demonstrate how to optimize the viewing experience by resizing, moving, hiding and retrieving the video window at will. Proper use of these controls allows seamless switching between media consumption and other tasks like messaging or web browsing.
Enabling Picture-in-Picture Mode
1. Find and press the gray app icon depicting gears located on your iPhone's home screen or app library to launch the Settings application.
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2. Within the Settings menu, select the "General" option to access your device's general configuration settings.
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3. Scroll through the list of options under General Settings until you see a setting labeled "Picture in Picture." Tap this setting to open its dedicated menu.
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4. In the Picture in Picture settings menu, look for the setting named "Start PiP Automatically" and press the small white toggle switch to its right to enable this feature. An enabled switch will appear green.
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5. Next, open a video app such as YouTube or Netflix and start playing a video. While the video plays, swipe upwards on your iPhone's display from the bottom border towards the middle section to return to the home screen.
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6. The video you were watching should now continue playing in a miniature resizable floating window placed over other apps on your home screen. You can reposition this window by dragging it around the touchscreen.
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Using Picture-in-Picture Mode
Controlling the Picture-in-Picture Window
After enabling PiP mode, you can resize and move the video window freely. To resize it, place your thumb and finger on the window and pinch inward or spread them apart to decrease or increase its size respectively. The video will dynamically scale along with the window dimensions.
To reposition the window, press and hold on it until it becomes movable. Drag it to any area of the screen without obstructing other content. Windows can reside in corners or along screen edges.
Hiding and Unhiding the Window
If you require hiding the PiP window temporarily, do a swift swipe motion sending it off any screen border. The playback will carry on silently in the background even while hidden from view.
To unveil the window once more, swipe inward from the precise border edge that concealed it previously. The window smoothly reappears at its last placement, allowing you to multitask while continuing observation.
Audio Continues Uninterrupted
Beneficially, audio persists even when the video window hides or shrinks. Listen to podcasts, calls or tutorials without missing audio while switching apps or working in another.
Know the Constraints
Understand not all apps enable PiP or impose restrictions on its features. For example, streaming services may require enabling PiP in their app settings first. DRM protected or embedded web page videos may lack PiP functionality as well.
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