YouTube, Google Chrome, Google Maps, and even VLC were a few rare apps that were compatible. picture-in-picture mode initially. Other apps like Twitch, WhatsApp (video calls), Instagram and even Telegram joined the boat very quickly. The functionality is still inaccessible after all. On the one hand only because it is compatible with Android 8 Oreo. On the other hand, many publishers have not yet implemented this feature in their apps available on the Play Store.
How to use Picture-in-Picture mode?
As a reminder, Picture-in-Picture (PIP) mode allows you to view two content simultaneously on the same screen. Originally a miniaturized one in a small rectangle that can be moved to any corner of the screen. You can continue to do other things. The approach to using Picture-in-Picture mode is the same for all compatible apps. However, the feature will only trigger under certain conditions.
For example, in video players, all you have to do is switch to full screen mode and then exit the application. It will automatically shrink to the lower right corner of the screen. Same for videos playing in streaming apps like Netflix or Google Chrome. Regarding YouTube, keep in mind that you must have a YouTube Premium subscription (formerly YouTube Red) to take advantage of the PIP mode. You might think it would be possible to bypass the restriction by going through the Google Chrome browser, but we tried it and it didn’t work.
But Picture-in-Picture mode works with other video platforms like Dailymotion in Google Chrome on Android Oreo. Let’s see how to use it:
- Open a video in the browser
- Switch to full screen mode by clicking the square to the right of the watch bar
- Press the physical or virtual Home button on your smartphone to exit the application
- Instead of closing the currently playing video, it is minimized at the bottom right
- Tap the video to return to full screen mode and continue watching your content as normal. A square appears in the middle of the small window. Tap to enlarge the video again
It’s that simple. As for the conditions required for the mod to work with other apps, for example, you are in navigation mode with Google Maps, you are making a video call with WhatsApp, Telegram or Instagram, etc. To check compatible apps installed on your smartphone, go to: Settings > Apps & notifications > Exclusive access to Picture-in-Picture apps.