General and system
Picture in Picture
Most people call this video carrying on in a small floating window.
Video and FaceTime calls can shrink into a floating window when you leave the app, so playback continues while you do something else.
This setting is present on your iPhone.
- We have this path on file but have not yet confirmed it against an official source.
Where to find it - iOS 14 and later
- Settings
- General
- Picture in Picture
What it does
Start PiP Automatically decides whether swiping up from a playing video keeps it going. You can drag the window, resize it, or push it off screen to keep only the audio.
What changes
When it is on
Leaving a video app keeps the video playing in a small window.
When it is off
Video stops when you leave the app.
Should you turn it on?
Good reasons to turn it on
- Watch and message at the same time.
- FaceTime continues while you check something.
Good reasons to turn it off
- Unwanted floating windows get in the way.
- Video playing in the background uses battery and data.
Battery
Costs you something
Privacy
No real change
Performance
No real change
Cellular data
Costs you something
Storage
No real change
Out of the box: On.
What your iPhone needs
- Needs iOS 14 or later
Questions people actually ask
- How do I stop videos following me around?
- Settings, then General, then Picture in Picture, and turn off Start PiP Automatically.
If it is not working
- Not every app supports it. Some streaming services disable it deliberately.
- Drag the window to the edge to keep audio only.