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YouTube is one of the most used video platforms in the world, and Apple’s iPad offers a large, convenient screen to enjoy it. But what if you want to continue watching a video while browsing Safari, checking your emails, or using another app?
Thanks to Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode, iPad users can now watch YouTube videos in a small floating window that stays on top of other apps. This feature is available on most modern iPads and works well with iPadOS multitasking.
However, there are a few important things to know — including requirements, limitations, and how to activate PiP properly on YouTube. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything.
Picture-in-Picture (PiP) is a multitasking feature on iPad that lets you shrink a playing video into a small overlay window, which can float over other apps. You can:
Move the video window to any corner
Resize it by pinching
Pause, play, and close it easily
This lets you continue watching videos while using Notes, Safari, Mail, or any other app.
Before jumping in, make sure your iPad supports Picture-in-Picture:
Your iPad must be running iPadOS 14 or later
You must use the YouTube app (latest version) or Safari browser
YouTube Premium is required for PiP inside the YouTube app (except for users in the U.S. using Safari)
If you have YouTube Premium, you can use Picture-in-Picture directly from the YouTube app.
Open the YouTube app on your iPad.
Play any video.
Swipe up from the bottom or press the Home button to return to the Home screen.
The video should automatically shrink into a small floating window.
You can now drag the PiP window to a different corner, pause it, or swipe it off-screen to hide it temporarily.
If PiP doesn’t work:
Check that PiP is enabled in iPad Settings > Home Screen & Multitasking > Picture in Picture.
Ensure the YouTube app is updated to the latest version.
For users without YouTube Premium, there's still a workaround using Safari browser.
Open Safari on your iPad.
Go to youtube.com.
Play the video you want.
Tap the Full Screen icon on the video.
Tap the Picture-in-Picture icon (a small rectangle with an arrow) OR press the Home button / swipe up while video is playing.
The video will now float in PiP mode.
This method works without Premium in the United States and in some other countries where YouTube supports PiP on web browsers.
If Safari doesn’t work, you can try:
Firefox
Microsoft Edge
Chrome for iOS (limited support)
Make sure the browser allows mobile sites to switch to full screen video mode — that’s when PiP becomes available.
If Picture-in-Picture isn’t working:
Update your iPadOS to the latest version
Ensure YouTube app or Safari is updated
Enable PiP: Go to Settings > Home Screen & Multitasking > Picture in Picture
If you're outside the U.S. and don't have Premium, try using YouTube in Safari desktop mode
YouTube Premium is required to use PiP in the official app (outside U.S.)
Some content types (e.g., music videos) may block PiP due to licensing
PiP might not work on older iPads or older iOS versions
Ads may cause the PiP window to disappear temporarily
Picture-in-Picture is an excellent feature that makes your iPad a more powerful multitasking device. While YouTube has placed some restrictions on its use, especially inside its app, Safari provides a flexible workaround — especially in regions like the U.S.
Whether you’re cooking, writing, studying, or simply browsing, you can now keep your favorite YouTube videos in view — without needing to pause or switch back and forth.
Keep your device updated, make use of Safari when needed, and enjoy a truly flexible video-watching experience on your iPad.