The YouTube Android app adds picture-in-picture mode completely free

Specifically, Zachary found that the video thumbnail feature while in YouTube will transform into a resizable and movable video player on your screen, just as if you had completely exited the app. No more switching to the minibar that almost every smartphone user is using after switching to version 19.29.37. This means YouTube is finally using picture-in-picture to help users watch videos better.

However, this seems to be just a server-side update. Currently, users cannot see these changes on their respective devices even though they have tried updating. Background play is currently only available to YouTube users subscribed to the Premium plan.

It's possible that Google will roll out this change to all users in the coming weeks. This would then be the first major change to video playback in YouTube on mobile since 2018. That was the year Google first launched the controversial minibar, replacing the feature. zoom out bottom right.