The “Picture in Picture” mode has long been available for many devices except the Apple Mac. If you don’t already know what it is, this is a mode that allows you to play video (or any other content for that matter) in a floating window on top of your existing application windows. You can watch your favorite videos while working with other apps on your device.
When Apple announced macOS Sierra, everything changed. They’ve included a “picture in picture” mode with this version of macOS. So if you are running at least macOS Sierra, you can use PiP mode and watch your favorite cartoon, TED talk or any other video while working.
Unlike many other features, you can’t enable this mode from System Preferences or any other panel on your Mac. Instead, you will have to follow a specific procedure to use the mode with your favorite service on your machine. Fortunately, it is quite easy.
We also created a short video on our YouTube channel where we show you how to watch YouTube picture-in-picture in Safari and Chrome:
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Using ‘Picture in Picture’ Mode for YouTube Videos
If there’s one thing I’d like to turn on this mode first, it’s YouTube. With millions of videos available on the platform, it’s pretty much the video you want to watch in your Mac’s floating browser. Switching to PiP mode on this platform is just a few clicks away.
To get started, go to YouTube and play the video you want using PiP mode. When the video page opens and the video starts playing, right-click the video but don’t select anything from the pop-up menu on your desktop.
Right click once again in any blank area on the video and you will see a new menu on your screen. Option Picture in picture from this menu. The video will detach from your screen and it will appear as a floating window.
You can drag the video and place it on any part of the screen so it fits in with the other apps you’re working on. You can even resize the window by hovering the pointer over the corners of the window and dragging the corners outward.
To disable this mode, simply click on the icon that appears in the bottom right corner of the video window. You will return to the YouTube website.
Using ‘Picture in Picture’ Mode for Vimeo Videos
Unlike YouTube, Vimeo does not offer an option to enable PiP mode by right clicking on the video. However, the option is available if you use the Safari browser to access the website.
If you are willing to change your browser from Chrome or any other browser to Safari, you will have the option to use PiP mode for Vimeo videos. Here’s how it works in Safari on Mac.
Launch The hunt on your Mac and go to the Vimeo website. Search and play videos.
As soon as the video starts playing, you’ll find the icon for PiP mode in the bottom right corner of the video. Click on it and it will turn the video into a floating window for you.
Once you have finished watching the video, click on the icon in the video window and it will close the floating browser and return you to the Vimeo website.
Watch Netflix in ‘Picture in Picture’ Mode on Mac
If you haven’t been able to finish your favorite series on Netflix because of work overload, now you can watch the series in a floating window while continuing to work.
To get started, you need to install the Safari extension from the App Store. Unfortunately, Netflix is not one of the sites that support macOS’s PiP mode, so you’ll need to use a third-party extension.
Go to the Mac App Store and download and install the PiPifier extension on your Mac. Launch the app once it’s installed, although there isn’t anything you need to configure in the app. Go to the next step to learn how to use apps with Safari.
Launch The hunt on your Mac, click The hunt menu at the top, select Interestsand then go to Extensions navigation.
Select the checkbox next to PiPifier button.
Go to Netflix and sign in to your account if you’re not already signed in. Play the video of your choice, pause it, and then play it back. You must interact with the video at least once for the PiPifier extension to work.
Then click on the extension icon located at the top and your video will appear from your current Safari window.
Watch iTunes videos in a floating window
iTunes is built by Apple so it will obviously support macOS images in picture mode. Enabling in-app mode is just one click away, and here’s how.
Launch iTunes and select and play any of your videos. When the video starts playing, you’ll notice a small icon with an arrow in the bottom right corner of the video.
Click on it and you will play your video on top of the application window.
Play Local Videos & Videos from Other Websites in PiP . Mode
If you’ve stored your videos locally on your Mac and they haven’t been added to iTunes, you can still play them in a floating window on your machine.
To perform the task, you can use an application called Helium that allows you to play local files as well as web pages in floating windows on your Mac.
Install apps from the Mac App Store on your machine. Launch the app, click Location at the top and choose one of the two available options:
- Open web URL – it will allow you to open a web page in a floating window
- Open file – it will let you open a local file stored on your Mac
Inference
If you are a multi-tasker and you don’t want to miss your entertainment while working, you can enable picture mode in picture mode, which will continue to provide you with content. Favorites overlap your work window.
