Dina Bader: YouTube Picture in Picture support returns to Safari on iOS 14

It was previously limited to Premium users.

What you need to know

YouTube has returned Picture in Picture mode to iPhone.
You can now use the feature on iOS 14, but only through Safari.
The feature had previously only been available to Premium accounts.

YouTube has restored iOS 14 Picture in Picture support to its website for all users, according to new reports.

Tonight, the YouTube website has started allowing iOS 14 devices to use the built-in Picture in Picture functionality for its videos even without a Premium account.

This is an apparent reversal of a change that YouTube explicitly made following the release of ‌iOS 14‌ which blocked such behavior. At that time, YouTube would only allow that capability for users with Premium accounts. Tonight's change means that any YouTube visitor can use Picture in Picture in Safari.

As the report notes, YouTube the feature previously worked with the beta release of iOS 14. In September, it emerged that YouTube seemed to have switched off the feature for most users, instead reserving it for Premium account holders.

Picture in Picture in iOS 14 stopped working on iPhone for videos on YouTube’s website. YouTube videos embedded elsewhere still work fine. pic.twitter.com/8vTFy4u3Ut
— Eric Slivka (@eslivka) September 18, 2020

Now, in another U-turn, YouTube appears to have re-enabled the feature such that all users can now access it. Unfortunately, there is still no indication that YouTube is planning to bring this feature to the YouTube app for iOS, which means viewers who want to enjoy PiP are stuck using Safari for the time being.

Picture in Picture was one of the most yearned for features on iOS, even though it has been around on the iPad for some time.

Apple announced iOS 14 back at WWDC and released it in September to the public.

Apple has recently released the second iteration of the iOS 14.2 beta to developers.