YouTube, while reserving background play for Premium subscribers, might be expanding its picture-in-picture (PIP) mode on Android. This feature, initially launched in the US in 2022 and later rolled out globally, currently doesn’t work within the YouTube app itself. However, a recent server-side upgrade could change that.
Spotted by Zachary Kew-Denniss of Android Police, the new UI in YouTube version 19.29.37 replaces the familiar minibar with a resizable, movable video player similar to the PIP mode used outside the app. This suggests YouTube is finally embracing proper PIP functionality within its own app.
The update appears to be a server-side change and may not be available to all users immediately. It’s also not part of YouTube Premium’s experimental features. If widely implemented, this would mark the first significant change to YouTube’s mobile video playback since the controversial minibar was introduced in 2018.
The move to a PIP mode that allows resizing and repositioning the video player seems like a logical enhancement,providing a more consistent experience with how videos play when leaving the app. While it’s unclear when this feature will be available to all users, it promises to improve multitasking and browsing within the YouTube app.
