How to Use Picture-in-Picture on iPad (iOS 14)

This article explains how to use picture-in-picture mode on an iPad running iPadOS 14 or later, but these instructions will also work for iPadOS 13.

How to Use Picture-in-Picture on iPad

Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode puts video in a floating, resizable window that you can use while multi-tasking other apps. Unfortunately, there's no master list of all compatible apps, which will continue to grow over time.

FaceTime and most common stream video streaming apps support PiP mode, including Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. The most notable exception is YouTube.

To use PiP on an iPad, open a compatible app and once the video is playing, press the Home button. If your iPad isn’t equipped with a Home button, use the swipe up gesture (swipe up from the bottom of the screen) to go to your home screen.

If the app supports PiP, the video will now be in a floating window on the Home screen. It will continue to float as you start other apps, allowing you to use an app while watching a video or conducting a FaceTime call.

How to Adjust PiP FaceTime and Video Display

Once your video (or FaceTime call) is in a floating picture-in-picture window, you have a variety of options for adjusting it:

• Drag the video around the screen. It can be positioned anywhere, so feel free to move it so it's not in the way of what else you need to see on screen.
• Resize the video. You can use two fingers to pinch or stretch the video, though there's a limit to how large (and small) the video can appear. 
• Temporarily hide it completely. Drag the video all the way to the left or right side of the screen and it'll dock with the side, leaving behind only a small arrow. To bring it back, tap the arrow and the video will pop back into view.

How to Close PiP on iPad

There are two ways to close a PiP once it's running on the Home screen or on top of another app:

• Return to the original video app. If you can't see the video's controls, tap the PiP so the overlay appears. Tap the icon at the top right of the PiP window. Shaped like a pair of rectangles, this restores the video to the app's own screen.
• Close the video. If necessary, tap the PiP so the overlay appears. Tap the X at the top left of the PiP window. This is a standard close icon and the video app will end. 

Which iPads Support Picture-in-Picture?

Picture-in-Picture requires iPadOS 13 and works on any iPad Pro, all iPads 5th generation and later, the iPad Air 2 and later, and the iPad mini 4 and later.