Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode not working on YouTube can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you’re multitasking. In this article, we’ll explore all the proven solutions to fix this issue for both Android and iOS users. I have gathered all the working tips and tricks from the internet from the YouTube comment.
Whether it’s due to a disabled setting, app update glitches, or region-specific restrictions, this guide has you covered. By the end of this article, you’ll have PiP mode running smoothly again
You might be surprised that the YouTube comment section has gold in it. People are telling what they have done to fix their picture in picture mode that stopped working on the YouTube app on their Android or iOS.
Ultimate Table for Fixing YouTube Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Issues using ✅ Right Fixes and ❌ Wrong Fixes
| Cause | Right Fix (✅) | Wrong Fix (❌) |
|---|---|---|
| PiP Disabled in YouTube App | ✅ Go to YouTube > Settings > General and enable “Picture-in-Picture.” | ❌ Assuming PiP is always enabled by default after updates or reinstallations. |
| Outdated YouTube App | ✅ Update the YouTube app from Google Play or App Store. | ❌ Continuing to use an outdated app without checking for updates. |
| Disabled PiP in Device Settings | ✅ Enable PiP in Settings > Special App Access > Picture-in-Picture > YouTube (Android). | ❌ Skipping device-level PiP permissions, assuming app settings alone control this feature. |
| VPN Region Restrictions | ✅ Disconnect your VPN or switch to a U.S.-based server to enable PiP functionality. | ❌ Using a VPN connected to restricted regions (e.g., Europe), where PiP requires YouTube Premium. |
| Region-Specific PiP Restrictions | ✅ Use a U.S. VPN server or subscribe to YouTube Premium in restricted regions. | ❌ Assuming PiP works globally without Premium or regional restrictions. |
| Battery Optimization Blocking PiP | ✅ Disable battery optimization for YouTube in Settings > Battery > Optimize Apps. | ❌ Ignoring battery settings that may interfere with app functions like PiP. |
| Cache Corruption in YouTube App | ✅ Clear the cache for YouTube in Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage > Clear Cache. | ❌ Clearing all app data without first testing if cache clearing resolves the issue. |
| Using Desktop Mode for PiP on Mobile Browser | ✅ Open m.youtube.com in desktop mode on Chrome or Safari and use the home button for background playback. | ❌ Using mobile YouTube directly in browsers without enabling desktop mode, which disables PiP functionality. |
| Device Incompatibility (Android/iOS) | ✅ Ensure your device meets PiP requirements (Android 8.0+ or iOS 14+). | ❌ Assuming PiP works on older devices or outdated OS versions. |
| Disabled Accessibility Settings | ✅ Enable relevant accessibility features if required by PiP functionality. | ❌ Ignoring accessibility settings that may influence PiP performance. |
| Screen Overlay Conflicts | ✅ Ensure no apps with “Draw Over Other Apps” permissions conflict with YouTube PiP. | ❌ Leaving multiple screen overlay apps active, causing conflicts with PiP. |
| Ad-Blocker Apps or Browser Extensions | ✅ Temporarily disable ad-blockers that might interfere with YouTube’s PiP functionality. | ❌ Using aggressive ad-blockers or extensions without testing their impact on PiP. |
| Hardware Acceleration Settings | ✅ Enable hardware acceleration in your browser if using desktop mode for PiP. | ❌ Turning off hardware acceleration, leading to PiP playback issues. |
| Limited Background App Permissions | ✅ Allow YouTube to run in the background in Settings > Apps > YouTube > Permissions. | ❌ Restricting YouTube’s background activity permissions. |
| System Glitches Post-Update | ✅ Restart your device or perform a soft reset to resolve temporary glitches. | ❌ Resetting the device entirely without troubleshooting smaller fixes first. |
| Premium Membership Expired | ✅ Renew your YouTube Premium subscription if required for PiP in your region. | ❌ Assuming PiP works without Premium in regions where it is restricted. |
| System-Level Bugs After OS Update | ✅ Clear system cache or perform a Wipe Cache Partition in recovery mode (Android). | ❌ Factory resetting the device without attempting to clear system cache first. |
| Browser-Based PiP Settings (Desktop) | ✅ Right-click twice on YouTube desktop mode and select “Picture-in-Picture” for floating playback. | ❌ Assuming PiP is automatically enabled in all browsers without manual activation. |
| Third-Party Apps Blocking PiP | ✅ Identify and uninstall third-party apps causing conflicts (e.g., video players with PiP features). | ❌ Installing multiple apps with overlapping PiP functionalities, leading to conflicts. |
| Slow Internet Speed | ✅ Ensure stable Wi-Fi or mobile data connectivity for seamless PiP playback. | ❌ Ignoring slow internet connections that might prevent PiP from functioning correctly. |
| YouTube Experiments/Server-Side Tests | ✅ Check forums or YouTube announcements for ongoing tests that might disable PiP temporarily. | ❌ Assuming PiP issues are device-related without verifying server-side changes. |
Beyond Common Sense Fixes and Insights
- VPN Region Restrictions: Users often face issues due to VPN servers connected to Europe or Asia, where PiP features are Premium-exclusive. Switching to U.S. servers resolves this.
- Battery Optimization Conflicts: Battery savers can restrict YouTube’s ability to run PiP in the background.
- Accessibility Settings: Overlooked settings in Android/iOS accessibility menus can impact PiP functionality.
- Screen Overlay Conflicts: Apps with “Draw Over Other Apps” permissions, such as chat bubbles or screen recorders, often interfere with PiP.
- Ad-Blocker Interference: Over-aggressive ad-blockers can inadvertently block PiP permissions.
- YouTube Experiments: YouTube sometimes tests server-side features, disabling PiP temporarily for specific accounts or regions.
What is YouTube picture-in-picture?
YouTube’s Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode is a multitasking feature that lets you play videos in a floating, resizable window while you use other apps or browse the internet. This feature is available on Android 8.0+ and iOS 14+, but its availability may depend on your region or YouTube Premium subscription.
In the U.S., Android users can access PiP for free, while iOS users and users in other regions may need a YouTube Premium subscription to unlock this feature.
By the end of this article, picture mode will start working again on YouTube, so let’s dive in.
How to Fix YouTube Picture-in-Picture (pip) Not Working
1. Is Pip Mode Enabled?
The first step is to check if PiP mode is enabled in your YouTube app settings. Often, app updates, cache clearing, or system changes can disable this feature.
More often, when you have recently updated your YouTube app, restarted your Smartphone, or cleared all data of YouTube, including the cache, PiP mode would be disabled.
If you’ve recently updated YouTube or cleared app data, PiP mode might have been reset to ‘off.’ Follow these steps to re-enable it:
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘General.’
- Enable ‘Picture-in-Picture.’
So here is how to turn on PiP in the YouTube app:
1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap on your profile picture.
3. Tap on the settings from the bottom.
4. Tab general and then unable to picture in picture mode.
That’s the easy way to enable PiP on a YouTube application; this is similar to any OS you use.
2. Check YouTube App Updates
First, you must ensure that your app is up to date and running on the latest version. Sometimes, PiP issues arise due to outdated app versions or bugs in recent updates. Ensure your YouTube app is updated to the latest version from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
If you cannot update the YouTube App, here’s a guide to fix can’t update Youtube from Google Play.
3. PiP Mode from Settings (device)
If you cannot picture in picture mode from the YouTube app but still want to use this feature, you probably haven’t enabled it from your mobile settings.
If PiP isn’t working despite being enabled in the YouTube app, it may not be activated in your device settings. Updates or system changes can sometimes reset PiP permissions.
Android:
- Open ‘Settings’ on your phone.
- Search for ‘Picture-in-Picture’ in the search bar.
- Select ‘Special App Access’ > ‘Picture-in-Picture.’
- Ensure YouTube is set to ‘Allowed.’
iOS:
- Open ‘Settings’ on your iPhone.
- Go to ‘General’ > ‘Picture-in-Picture.’
- Enable ‘Start PiP Automatically.
Also, you must know that picture-in-picture mode is available on any Android device or iOS. To enable it, search in the mobile settings.
How to Enable Pic-in-Pic from Settings
Here is how to enable picture-in-picture mode from mobile settings for YouTube:
1. Open the mobile settings.
2. Search for the picture in the picture.
3. Get into picture-in-picture options.
4. Scroll down and enable it for YouTube.
4. Check Your VPN
Now. Here is one more thing that you need to ensure. I have found it on YouTube comments. I would link all the screenshots so you can understand better.
So one of the responses to why YouTube pip stopped working; check this what he commented:
VPN configurations can also affect PiP functionality. For example, connecting to European servers might disable PiP due to regional restrictions.
As you can see in the screenshot, this is what comments look like, and most people agree. If you are one of the people using a VPN while using YouTube, ensure you have yet to connect to European regions.
Solution
- If you’re in the U.S., disconnect your VPN to ensure PiP works without restrictions.
- If you’re outside the U.S., connect to a U.S.-based VPN server to access PiP (if you don’t have a Premium subscription).
Moreover, people in the United States have a pictures-in-picture mode for almost every device, but people outside the US must pay a premium or buy a premium to get these features.
So if you are someone from the United States and using a VPN from an Asian country, you won’t get the picture in picture mode.
The reasons I shared above are one of the most common reasons that one user might encounter, and one user might use them to fix the error.
Moreover, if you are someone from Asia, you must use the United States VPN to use the picture and picture mode for free.
Now here are multiple ways to fix it. I have shared the significant ways which could be the real culprit, but what if they are not? If the above things do not work, then definitely these are the other ways or alternative ways that you can use right now:
5. Clear Cache
Clearing the cache can resolve temporary glitches in the YouTube app. This is especially useful if PiP issues began after an app update. If you want to do it, get into mobile settings, get into all apps, select the YouTube app, and then get into the storage options of it.
To clear the cache:
- Android:
- Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Apps.’
- Select ‘YouTube.’
- Tap ‘Storage’ > ‘Clear Cache.’
- iOS:
- Offload the YouTube app via ‘Settings’ > ‘General’ > ‘iPhone Storage.’
- Reinstall the app from the App Store.
At last, tap on clear cache and re-open the app.
6. Restart Your Device
Also, you can restart a device when you see that PiP on YouTube has stopped working. Then, give your Smartphone a restart, and you can do this by clearing the cache and restarting the Smartphone. This is more beneficial.
That’s it for the fixes for PiP, but if you want to use the picture in picture mode right now on your Smartphone if you are listening to music or watching any podcast and want to play it in the background while using other apps, then here is a superb Technique for you.
Alternative to PiP for YouTube
If you are a Smartphone user, and you are, here is the best hack you would ever find on the internet.
For free PiP functionality without a Premium subscription
- Use the browser’s ‘Desktop Mode’ option.
- Play a video, then press the home button to minimize the browser.
- Access the play button in your phone’s notification panel to resume the video in the background.
1. Open any web browser on your Smartphone.
2. Open m.youtube.com there and log in with your account.
3. Search or play any YouTube video you want to watch in picture and picture mode.
4. Then press the home button.
Now get into the quick access panel and tap the play button to play video in the background while using other apps.
To fix YouTube’s picture-in-picture mode not working, first, check compatibility, enable it from app settings, clear the app cache, enable the mode from device settings, and check the VPN location. If none work, update the app or reset the device. Contact YouTube support if the issue persists.
A: In most regions, PiP is restricted to Premium users. However, free users in the U.S. with Android 8.0+ can access PiP for non-music content.
A: Clear the app cache, ensure PiP is enabled in both YouTube and device settings, and update to the latest app version.
Conclusion
Some of you guys might be serious right now when the feature of the overlay videos on YouTube stops working.
However, this picture benefits those who want to watch a video while using any other App or texting.
In this article, I have shown you how to fix a picture in a picture that is not working on the YouTube app and how you can fix this instantly by applying the fixes that we provide in this article.
Found this guide helpful? Let us know in the comments what worked for you! If you’re still facing issues, share your experience, and we’ll do our best to help. if you have any queries specifically about YouTube or any suggestions you want to give to people; then, the comment section is open for you.
