Google is developing an automatic picture-in-picture (PiP) function for its Chrome browser on Android. The feature, currently available only on the desktop version of the browser, is designed to automatically place active media into a floating window when a user switches tabs.
The forthcoming functionality was revealed through a recently merged Chromium commit that introduced a new flag for its activation on the Android platform. This feature is designed to operate similarly to its desktop counterpart. When a user is on a website with an active video or audio stream and navigates to a different browser tab, the media playback will not stop. Instead, the content will automatically transition into a floating mini-player positioned in a screen corner, continuing playback without requiring any manual action to initiate the PiP mode.
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This browser-based feature is distinct from the system-level PiP functionality available on the Android operating system. System-level PiP detaches media from its source application, creating a floating window that can be viewed over other apps or the device’s home screen. The new Chrome feature, in contrast, provides an experience that is contained entirely within the Chrome application. The floating media player will only be visible while the user is actively using the browser and will disappear if they navigate away from the app.
User control over this feature is expected to mirror the implementation on the desktop version of Chrome. On desktop environments, the browser prompts users with options to enable, block, or grant one-time permission for automatic PiP on a per-site basis. This allows for specific website settings to be configured and saved. It is anticipated that the mobile version of Chrome will adopt this same model, offering users granular control over which websites are permitted to utilize the automatic picture-in-picture functionality.
