- How to turn on picture-in-picture in YouTube TV
- Controlling the small player
- Why picture-in-picture isn't working
- Is there picture-in-picture on a TV?
- Picture-in-picture on a computer
- A note on data
- Picture-in-picture and multiview compared
- When picture-in-picture is most useful
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
YouTube TV picture-in-picture works in the mobile app: tap your profile picture, then Settings, and switch on Picture in Picture. When you leave the app while something's playing, the video shrinks into a small window you can drag around. On a TV, the closest feature is multiview, not picture-in-picture.
Plenty of people assume YouTube TV has picture-in-picture everywhere, then can't find on their television. The short version: picture-in-picture is a phone and tablet feature, and it's switched on inside the YouTube TV app's settings. On a big screen, YouTube TV's answer to watching two things at once is multiview. Here's how both work, and why PiP sometimes refuses to appear.
How to turn on picture-in-picture in YouTube TV
- Open the YouTube TV app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap Settings.
- Switch on Picture in Picture.
Now start a live channel or a recording and go to your home screen or another app. The video shrinks into a small player that sits over whatever else you're doing. You can drag it to a different corner of the screen so it doesn't cover what you need.
Controlling the small player
| What you want | What to do |
|---|---|
| Show the controls | Tap the picture-in-picture player |
| Close it | Tap the X in the corner of the player |
| Close it quickly | Drag the player to the bottom of the screen |
| Move it | Drag it to another part of the screen |
| Turn the feature off | Profile picture, Settings, switch off Picture in Picture |
Why picture-in-picture isn't working
If you've switched it on and the video still stops when you leave the app, check these in order:
- The YouTube TV setting. Go back to Settings in the app and make sure Picture in Picture is still switched on. An app update or reinstall can reset it.
- Your phone's own permission. Both iPhone and Android let you allow or block picture-in-picture per app in the phone's settings. If it's blocked there, the YouTube TV switch can't override it.
- Something was playing. PiP only kicks in when a video is playing at the moment you leave the app.
- App and system updates. Update the YouTube TV app and your phone's software, then restart the phone.
If the video won't play at all, even inside the app, that's a streaming problem rather than a PiP one. My guide to YouTube videos not playing covers the basic connection checks.
Is there picture-in-picture on a TV?
Not in the phone sense. On a smart TV or streaming device, YouTube TV's way of showing more than one thing is multiview, which puts up to four channels on one screen. You start it from inside an eligible live programme by pressing down on the remote and choosing multiview. It's built mainly around sport, and it doesn't work in a web browser or through AirPlay.
Some TVs and streaming boxes have their own picture-in-picture features, but those belong to the TV maker, not YouTube TV, so support depends entirely on your hardware.
Picture-in-picture on a computer
YouTube TV's picture-in-picture setting is described for mobile devices. On a computer, the practical option is to shrink the browser window or put it on a second screen. Your browser may offer its own picture-in-picture button for some video sites, but that's a browser feature rather than something YouTube TV promises, so don't count on it for live channels.
A note on data
PiP keeps streaming while you do other things, and YouTube TV isn't available offline, so every minute uses your connection. If you're on mobile data, lower the video quality from the player menu before you leave the app. It's easy to forget that a small window is still a full live stream.
Picture-in-picture and multiview compared
| Picture-in-picture | Multiview | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | YouTube TV mobile app | YouTube TV app on TVs and streaming devices |
| What it shows | One stream in a small floating window | Up to four channels on one screen |
| How to start | Switch it on in Settings, then leave the app while playing | Press down during eligible live content, select multiview |
| Best for | Keeping a stream going while you use your phone | Following several live games at once |
They solve different problems. PiP is about doing something else on the same device. Multiview is about watching more at once on the big screen. Plenty of people use both on a busy sports day: multiview on the TV, and PiP on the phone for the game that isn't on any of the four screens.
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When picture-in-picture is most useful
- Keeping a game on while you reply to messages.
- Watching the news while you check a map or a recipe.
- Following a live event while you look up the stats on a website.
For anything you want to give your full attention, full screen is still better. PiP is for the moments when you'd otherwise have to choose between the stream and your phone.
If you also use regular YouTube on your phone, the playback controls there are different, and my guide to changing playback speed on YouTube shows where the main app hides its player settings.
My verdict
Switch on Picture in Picture once in the YouTube TV app settings and it's there whenever you leave the app mid-stream. If it doesn't appear, check your phone's own PiP permission before anything else. And on a TV, stop looking for PiP: use multiview instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does YouTube TV have picture-in-picture?
Yes, on mobile devices. Tap your profile picture, Settings, and switch on Picture in Picture.
Why isn't YouTube TV picture-in-picture working?
Check the setting in the app is on, that your phone allows picture-in-picture for YouTube TV, and that a video was playing when you left the app.
How do I close the picture-in-picture window?
Tap the X in the corner of the player or drag it to the bottom of the screen.
Can I use picture-in-picture on my TV?
Not in the same way. On TVs, YouTube TV offers multiview, which shows up to four channels on one screen.
Does picture-in-picture use data?
Yes. It keeps streaming, and YouTube TV isn't available offline, so lower the quality on mobile data.
