Instagram is testing a new feature which lets users watch Reels in a small floating window. Like YouTube, the Picture-in-Picture mode will be enabled when you close the app, allowing users to multitask while watching short-form videos on their device.
First spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu on Threads, Instagram’s parent company Meta, confirmed to TechCrunch that the new feature was rolling out for select Instagram users who are part of a limited test. If the new Reels PiP mode is available on your account, you will see a pop-up that reads “Try picture in picture. Turn this on to continue watching reels in a floating window on your device after you’ve left Instagram.”
The new feature is currently available for a handful of users. (Image Source: Radu Oncescu/Threads)
Apart from increasing app time, Instagram Reels Picture-in-Picture mode might also lead to an increase in video retention time. The new feature might also help creators who post long reels as users will be able to watch them while replying to texts, searching for cabs or food and using other apps in the background.
In case you want to turn off Picture-in-Picture mode for Instagram Reels, simply tap on the three-dot menu that appears when watching a Reel and turn off the toggle named “Picture in Picture”. Also, since Instagram is testing the new feature with a limited number of people, it is still unknown if and when Picture-in-Picture mode for Reels will be available for everyone.
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.
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