Many Xiaomi smartphone users often face the need to watch videos and perform other tasks simultaneously on the system. The standard behavior of the YouTube app when folding is to stop playing, which is uncomfortable if you want to listen to a podcast or lecture while chatting in the messenger. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and HyperOS provide powerful multitasking tools that allow you to keep the video active in a floating window.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways you can activate Picture-in-Picture on Xiaomi devices. You will learn about system settings, hidden features of the video service itself, and third-party solutions that are guaranteed to work even without a paid Premium subscription. The right configuration of your gadget will turn it into an ideal tool for consuming content.
Before we get to the complex manipulations, it is worth noting that the success of the operation depends on the version of Android and the installed modification of MIUI. Modern models such as Xiaomi 13 or Redmi Note 12 have built-in support for this feature at the kernel level of the system, while older devices may require additional actions.
System requirements and device preparation
For a floating window to work properly, your smartphone must meet certain technical criteria, primarily the operating system version: Picture-in-Picture mode is officially supported starting with Android 8.0 Oreo. On older versions of Android, the system playback feature on top of other applications may be absent or unstable, requiring the installation of alternative clients.
Xiaomi device owners also need to make sure that the system settings do not turn off special features for background processes. MIUI shell is known for its aggressive battery optimization, which can force YouTube to close when trying to fold it.
⚠️ Note: If you have a global firmware version installed, some features may be called differently than in the Chinese version. MIUI. Keep a close eye on the menu context when searching for the right items.
Check for updates to the YouTube app itself through the Google Play store. Often, developers release patches that fix folding bugs or add support for new window formats. An outdated version of the client is one of the most common reasons why videos don't go into thumbnail mode.
- 📱 Make sure that the Android version is not lower than 8.0.
- 🔋 Turn off the hard power savings for YouTube.
- 🔄 Update the app through the official store.
- 📡 Check for a stable internet connection.
It takes only a few minutes to prepare the device, but it greatly increases the chances of success. Ignoring the basic requirements can lead to the fact that none of the methods proposed below will work. Always start diagnosing the problem by checking these fundamental parameters.
Activate through YouTube’s settings
The easiest way to get a small window is to use the app's built-in features, but there's an important caveat: Officially, Picture-in-Picture mode is unlimited only for YouTube Premium subscribers. If you subscribe, you just go to the app's settings, select General, and activate the Picture-in-Picture switch.
For users without a paid subscription, the situation is more complicated, but not hopeless. In some regions and certain versions of the application, the feature can work for free if it is enabled in hidden laboratory functions. To access them, you need to open a profile, go to settings, select General, and find experimental features where the PiP for all videos option sometimes occurs.
⚠️ Note: The free PiP feature may not be available in all countries due to Google's licensing restrictions.If the option is not available, the phone's system settings can help circumvent this restriction.
Also worth checking for app permissions. In your Android settings, look for the "Special Features" or "Additional Permissions" section and make sure YouTube has a "Above Other Apps" resolution. Without that permission, the system will block the floating window even if everything is on inside YouTube itself.
☑️ Checking YouTube settings
If standard methods fail, you can try to clear the app cache. Sometimes accumulated temporary files conflict with new interface features. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → YouTube and choose to clear the cache without deleting your account data.
Use of MIUI and HyperOS system functions
Xiaomi shells have a unique feature: they allow you to force applications to run in a floating window, ignoring the wishes of the application itself. This is achieved through the Floating Windows function. To activate this mode, open YouTube, then swipe from the bottom up to open the menu of recent applications, and click on the app icon from above.
From the menu that appears, select the option “Floating window” and the video will continue to play in a small window that can be moved around the screen and resized, which works on almost all Xiaomi models, including the budget Redmi and Poco series, as it is part of the system interface, not a YouTube feature.
| Action. | The result | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Swipe and retention | Opening of the recent menu | Basic navigation |
| Clicking on the icon | Calling the context menu | Access to window modes |
| Choice "Floating" | Launch in the window | It works without Premium. |
| Stretching the angle | Change of size | Adaptation to content |
Another useful tool is the Sidebar, which, if enabled in the Special Opportunities settings, you can launch YouTube, roll it up through the Control Panel, then open the Sidebar and select any other application, and automatically put the video into thumbnail mode so that it doesn't override the content of the second app.
Importantly, HyperOS has made window management even more flexible, so you can now lock a floating window so it doesn't disappear when you clear the memory, or turn it on the full screen in one motion, making video viewing on Xiaomi smartphones one of the most convenient on the Android market.