Picture-in-Picture Multitasking on iOS 15

Picture-in-Picture (PiP) on iOS 15 allows users to watch videos or continue FaceTime calls in a floating window while navigating other apps or the Home Screen. This feature enables seamless multitasking by keeping media playback active, scalable, and responsive to user input without interrupting the primary task on the device.

Automatic and Manual Activation

PiP activates in two primary ways on iOS 15:

  • Automatic Swipe: When watching a video in a supported app, swiping up from the bottom of the screen to go Home or enter the App Switcher automatically shrinks the video into a floating overlay.
  • Manual Button: Tapping the dedicated PiP icon within the video player controls immediately detaches the video into a floating window.

Moving and Positioning

The PiP window floats above all application interfaces. Users can drag the window to any of the four corners of the screen. The operating system uses magnet-style snapping to ensure the window settles cleanly into a corner rather than obstructing the center of the display.

Resizing the Window

iOS 15 allows users to resize the PiP window using standard pinch-to-zoom gestures. Pinching in or spreading two fingers toggles the player across three predefined dimensions:

  • Small: Minimizes screen obstruction, suitable for text-heavy multitasking.
  • Medium: A balanced default size for most apps.
  • Large: Spans nearly the full width of the display in portrait mode for focused viewing.

Double-tapping the video window also toggles quickly between its minimum and maximum sizes.

Hiding the Video Off-Screen

If the floating window obstructs an important part of an app, it can be dragged entirely off the left or right edge of the screen. When hidden:

  • The video output disappears from view.
  • The audio continues playing without interruption.
  • A small pull-tab with an arrow remains visible on the edge of the display, allowing the user to pull the video back into view at any time.

Playback Controls and App Navigation

The PiP overlay includes basic on-screen controls:

  • Play/Pause: Halts or resumes playback directly from the window.
  • Skip Forward/Backward: Skips 15 seconds in either direction.
  • Close Button: Stops playback and dismisses the window.
  • Expand Button: Closes the floating window and returns the user directly to the host app in full-screen mode.

Audio and Competing Media Behavior

During multitasking, the PiP audio mix persists over silent apps, web browsing, and system navigation. However, if the user opens an app that requires exclusive audio output—such as launching another media player, playing a game with sound, or recording a video with the Camera app—the PiP playback automatically pauses to prevent audio collisions. Users can manually resume the PiP playback through the floating controls or Control Center if the secondary app allows background audio mixing.