Though it isn't obvious, you can use Picture-in-Picture mode (PiP) on Windows and macOS versions of Google Chrome. However, while version 70 and above has the functionality built-in, Google's dedicated Picture-in-Picture extension does a better job.
What is Picture-in-Picture?
Picture-in-Picture (PiP) refers to the ability to pop-out a video player and have it stay on top of your webpage. Essentially, it grants you a floating YouTube player that can follow you across your tabs.
There are many advantages to this, of course. You can continue watching your video while replying to messages for example, or when browsing social media or pretending to work.
The main advantage of using the Chrome Picture-in-Picture extension over its native integration is speed. The native integration takes two clicks to activate rather than just one or a button press. It might not sound like a big difference, but over hundreds of videos, going into Chrome's media menu gets tiring.
As a result, today we're going to show you how to use Picture-in-Picture in Chrome using the extension only. Let's get started:
How to Install and Use the Picture-in-Picture Extension for Chrome
The Chrome Picture-in-Picture extension is free, created by Google, and works perfectly. As an added bonus, you can install it on other Chromium-based browsers, such as Microsoft Edge or Brave. Start by heading to its webpage, then follow the steps below.
- Click ‘Add to Chrome'
If you're using Microsoft Edge, make sure you agree to the prompt to allow installation from the Chrome store.
- Press ‘Add extension'
Chrome will pop up with a box that tells you the permissions the extensions needs. Click “Add extension” on this dialog.
- Cross out the “Added to Chrome” prompt
- Turn on Chrome Picture-in-Picture
You'll notice that the Picture-in-Picture icon now appears next to your search bar. However, it won't do anything until you visit a video.
- Open a video and click the PiP button
Visit a YouTube video for testing and either press the PiP icon next to your search bar or press Alt + P to activate picture-in-picture. You'll see the video go black with a “Playing in “picture-in-picture” message, and a smaller video thumbnail on your screen.
Bear in mind that if you close the original tab at any point, your video will dissapear.
- Resize the floating YouTube player by clicking and dragging
If you're struggling to see the tiny default player, you can click and drag from any of its corners to make it bigger. This will retain the original aspect ratio of the video.
- Close Picture-in-Picture or return to the original video
Once you're done with your video, hover over the floating player in Chrome and press the “x” button to close it, or the square with an arrow in if you want to return to the original page.
That's it! Now you should know how to use picture-in-picture on any webpage. This functionality will work for most videos, but you may run into some legacy players that aren't compatible. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done to resolve this.
You can, however, make other tweaks to your Chrome browser to improve your overall experience. While you're here, why not learn to disable autoplay videos and turn on native notifications?
