The iPad features a large, beautiful screen that is perfect for watching movies or long YouTube tutorials. However, if you are watching a video and suddenly need to check an email, open a calculator, or take notes in a separate application, you usually have to stop the video and close the media app completely to return to your home screen.
You can solve this problem using Picture in Picture (PiP) mode. This powerful multitasking feature allows you to shrink your current video into a small, floating window that hovers over your other apps. This means you can continue watching your movie or attending a video call while simultaneously browsing the web or writing a document.
How to Activate Picture in Picture Mode
Picture in Picture is supported by almost all major video streaming apps on the iPad (including Netflix, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime), as well as videos playing directly inside the Safari web browser.
- Open a supported app (or a video website in Safari).
- Start playing the video in full-screen mode.
- Simply swipe up from the very bottom edge of your iPad screen to return to your Home Screen (the exact same gesture you use to close any normal app).
If the app supports PiP, the video will not stop. Instead, it will instantly shrink down into a small rectangular window that floats in the corner of your screen, continuing to play without interruption.
Alternative method: If you look at the playback controls overlaid on the full-screen video, you may see an icon that looks like a solid rectangle with an arrow pointing down to a smaller rectangle. Tapping this icon will also activate PiP mode.
How to Move and Resize the Video Window
Once the video is floating on your screen, you can freely move it out of the way of your actual work.
- Move the video: Press and hold your finger on the floating video window, then drag it to any of the four corners of your iPad screen. Let go to snap it into place.
- Resize the video: Use two fingers to “pinch” the video window to make it smaller, or spread your two fingers apart to enlarge the window.
How to Hide the Video Temporarily
Sometimes the floating video window is in the way, no matter which corner you move it to, but you still want to listen to the audio (for example, listening to a lecture or a podcast).
You can temporarily hide the video completely off-screen without stopping the playback.
- Place your finger on the floating video window.
- Swipe it horizontally all the way off the left or right edge of your iPad screen.
- The video will disappear, but the audio will continue playing seamlessly.
- A small, grey arrow tab will remain on the edge of your screen. When you are ready to watch the video again, simply tap that grey tab (or drag it back toward the centre of the screen) to reveal the video window.
How to Close Picture in Picture
When you are finished multitasking and want to close the floating video, simply tap the floating window once to reveal the playback controls. You can then tap the X icon in the top-left corner to close the video completely, or tap the PiP icon in the top-right corner to return the video to its original app in full-screen mode.