Google could make picture-in-picture for Chrome much better

Google is constantly adding new features and capabilities to Chrome to enhance the experience. Now, the company is working on a feature that will make multitasking even easier. Google Chrome will be getting some advanced PiP (picture-in-picture) mode capabilities.

Chrome allows you to use the PiP mode for videos. This will minimize the video that you’re watching into a small window within the window. This is great if you want to have a video on while you’re surfing another page.

When you minimize the video, you’re able to drag it to any position on the screen and resize it. You’re even able to drag the video outside of the Chrome window. Also, the video will stay up when you minimize the window. If you want this functionality, you’ll have to install the Chrome extension. You can install it using the link below. This is an official extension straight from Google.

Install the PiP Chrome Extension

Google will add advanced PiP capabilities to Chrome

The PiP function is already useful, but the company wants to take it a step further. Instead of capping this feature at videos, it seems that Google wants to let you minimize any webpage. So, you’ll see the page pop up as a little window within your window. The company is calling it Document Picture-in-picture, and it’s in testing right now. This means that there’s a chance that you won’t see the feature just yet.

These advanced PiP capabilities are being tested in the latest beta version of Chrome V. 111. If you have that version of the browser, you can check and see if you can try out the feature. If you can, you’ll want to be sure that you give the company feedback on the feature.

Along with letting you minimize full web pages, the company wants to add even more functions to the video PiP function. As it stands, when you minimize a video, there aren’t any options that you can perform with the video. However, Google is thinking of adding functions including the ability to “Like”/”Dislike”, a video progress bar, and captions function.
This will give you more options for actions to perform without having to maximize the video.

Google will be testing this out for about half the year, according to the reports. It’s expected to remain in trial until version 115. After that, we expect the feature to officially launch to the public in June this year. That’s a while to wait, but you can enable this feature now if you’re using Chrome Canary.

What you have to do is paste chrome://flags/#document-picture-in-picture-api into the search bar. You’ll be taken to a page with all of the flags that Google is working on for Chrome. You’ll see the PiP feature highlighted. In the little dropdown to the right of it, click on Enabled. In order for it to apply, you’ll need to relaunch the program. You can click the little blue button on the bottom to automatically relaunch the program.

At the moment, there really won’t be any sights that support the feature, but, hopefully, you’ll see some as time goes on.