Watching YouTube videos on your iPhone has become a daily ritual for many of us, but sometimes you need to multitask while keeping that video playing. Let’s explore the different ways you can minimize YouTube on your iPhone, making your viewing experience much more flexible.
Using YouTube Premium for Background Play
The most reliable way to minimize YouTube while keeping your video playing is through YouTube Premium. When you subscribe to this service, you can close the app completely or lock your screen, and your video will keep playing in the background. Think of it like having a music player that happens to play your favorite YouTube content.
Picture-in-Picture Mode
Here’s a fantastic feature that many iPhone users don’t know about. If you’re running iOS 14 or later, you can use Picture-in-Picture mode to watch YouTube videos in a floating window while using other apps. To activate this:
1. Start playing a video in the YouTube app
2. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or press the home button on older iPhones)
3. The video will shrink into a floating window that you can move around your screen
Free Alternative Methods
If you’re not ready to commit to YouTube Premium, there’s a clever workaround using Safari:
1. Open YouTube.com in Safari
2. Play your video
3. Switch to desktop mode by tapping the “aA” icon in the address bar
4. Make the video fullscreen
5. Now you can use Picture-in-Picture mode even without Premium
Using Split Screen for iPad Users
While this isn’t technically minimizing, iPad users can take advantage of Split Screen viewing. This lets you watch YouTube on one side while working on something else on the other – perfect for productivity!
Tips for Better Minimized Viewing
To make the most of minimized YouTube viewing:
– Lock the floating window position by dragging it to the edge of your screen
– Double-tap the floating window to quickly resize it
– Swipe the mini player off the screen to close it instantly
Remember, some of these features might work differently depending on your iOS version and device model. I’ve found that the Safari method works particularly well when you need a free solution, though it might take a few tries to get used to the process.
The ability to minimize YouTube while continuing to watch content has transformed how we consume media on our phones. Whether you’re responding to messages, checking email, or browsing social media, you can keep your favorite content playing without missing a beat.
