Are you tired of switching tabs while watching Reels on Instagram and also working on other apps on your phone simultaneously? This problem might soon be solved as Instagram is currently experimenting with a new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature that allows users to view Reels in a small, floating window. Like YouTube, the PiP mode will activate when the app is closed, enabling users to multitask while watching short videos on their device.
A few months ago, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said that they would soon introduce a Picture-in-Picture mode for Reels in response to a question asking, “When will IG offer PIP like TT and YT?” While apps like YouTube and TikTok have had support for Picture-in-Picture mode for quite some time now, Instagram, for reasons unknown, was one of the few social media platforms that hadn’t rolled out the functionality.
In addition to boosting app usage duration, Instagram Reels' Picture-in-Picture mode could enhance video retention time. This feature may also benefit creators of lengthy reels, as it allows users to view them while multitasking, such as responding to messages, booking cabs, ordering food, or using other apps simultaneously.
App researcher Radu Oncescu was the first to observe on Threads that Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has confirmed to TechCrunch the rollout of a new feature for a limited number of Instagram users involved in a test. If your account is eligible for the new Reels PiP mode, a notification will appear saying, 'Try picture in picture. Enable this to continue watching reels in a floating window on your device after leaving Instagram.'
If you wish to disable Picture-in-Picture mode for Instagram Reels, just tap the three-dot menu that shows up while viewing a Reel and switch off the toggle labeled 'Picture in Picture'. Additionally, since Instagram is trialing this new feature with a select group of users, it remains uncertain if and when Picture-in-Picture mode for Reels will be accessible to all users.
