The Floating Distraction
iOS features a multitasking function known as “Picture in Picture” (PiP). If you are watching a video in Safari or streaming a show, and you swipe up to return to the Home Screen, the video does not stop playing. Instead, it aggressively shrinks into a floating, resizable window that hovers over your other applications. While useful for watching tutorials while taking notes, it is incredibly annoying if you simply want to close a video and answer an urgent text message without a tiny, noisy television blocking half your keyboard. If you prefer your media to completely stop the second you close the app, you must disable the PiP engine.
How to Turn Off Picture in Picture
You can permanently block videos from automatically detaching via the General settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- Tap on Picture in Picture.
- Locate the toggle switch labeled Start PiP Automatically.
- Toggle this switch to the Off position (the green background will disappear).
Clean Multitasking
The change takes effect instantly. The iPhone will completely sever the background daemon responsible for detaching the video player from the application window. The next time you are watching a video and swipe up to go home, the video will instantly and completely terminate. Your Home Screen will remain perfectly clean and unobstructed, guaranteeing that your media never forcefully follows you across the operating system.