Enable VLC Picture in Picture (PIP) in Windows, Mac, Android – How To Tutorials

VLC media player is one of the most used video players in the world on both desktop and also on mobile devices and it supports all the major video formats. Do you want to watch a movie on a VLC pop-out player and also do something else while using your Windows PC or an iMac or a MacBook? Then you can use the PIP – Picture in Picture feature of VLC in Windows 10, macOS, or Chrome.

Contents

How to Enable VLC Picture in Picture (PIP) in Windows How to Enable VLC PIP ( Picture in Picture) on Mac How to use VLC Picture in Picture PIP Mode on Android VLC PIP Frequently Asked Questions How do I turn Picture in Picture mode On?How do you do picture-in-picture on Windows?How do you start Picture in Picture on Android?How do I change the Picture-in-picture window size in VLC?Are there PIP settings in VLC such as adjusting the opacity of the window?What are some troubleshooting tips for when PIP is not working on VLC?Can I use VLC PIP mode on different platforms such as Linux or ChromeOS?Can I use PIP mode with different file formats or streaming services?Can I use PIP mode with multiple videos at the same time in VLC?Can I use VLC PIP mode with different types of videos, such as live streams or 360-degree videos?Can I use PIP mode with different types of audio, such as podcasts or music in the VLC player?Conclusion

Follow the below Steps to Enable Picture in Picture Mode in the VLC player like in the screenshot below. The below tutorial works on Windows 7, 8, and Windows 10 Operating systems, and Apple macOS devices as well with the latest VLC Media Player version.

How to Enable VLC Picture in Picture (PIP) in Windows

To enable the VLC PIP feature and make the VLC video float above all other applications in your Windows computer follow the below steps one by one.

Step 1: Open the VLC Media Player application on your Windows or Mac device.

Step 2: Now open the video that you want to watch on your VLC media player.

Step 3: Once opened go to Tools -> Preferences -> Video -> check the “Always on top” option.

Step 4: Now the video you are watching will be floating on top of other windows.

Step 5: Then to make the video player look slim and hide the top Navigation bar Go to Tools >> Preferences >> Video and un-tick the Window decorations option

Step 6: To hide the top controls on VLC Press the Ctrl+H key when using the VLC player. If you want to show them again just press the Ctrl+H buttons again.

Step 7: Now to make the video stick to the side of the window drag the VLC window and drag it to the right corner or left corner until you see the resize window shrink to fit the corner of the screen. When it’s done leave the app to make it dock to the corner of the screen.

You might also like to read: How to Change Subtitles Position in VLC player

How to Enable VLC PIP ( Picture in Picture) on Mac

Step 1: Open the VLC Media Player App on your MacBook or iMac device.

Step 2: Now choose the video file you want to play on the VLC media player.

Step 3: When your video is playing you will get access to the options under the Video menu options. Now go to the Video option and select the Float on Top option.

Step 4: Now your video will float on top of all the other applications you are using on your Mac. Note that this PIP feature won’t work on full-screen Mac applications.

How to use VLC Picture in Picture PIP Mode on Android

The below tutorials will work on any Android smartphone with the latest Android releases starting from Android P which supports the PIP feature. Old Android devices won’t support this Picture in Picture PIP window feature.

Follow the below steps to use Picture in Picture ( PIP) on your Android smartphone when watching a video on the VLC player mobile application.

Go to the settings option inside the VLC Android app and choose the Play VLC Videos in the background option.
Once done go and play a video on the VLC mobile app and then choose the dots icons and choose to minimize player or PIP option symbol.
This will make the video play in a pip window while you browse the web or use any other apps so you can multi-task easily.

Also read: How to Change VLC Player Skin in Windows and MacOS

VLC PIP Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn Picture in Picture mode On?

The procedure is different based on the application you are using and the operating system. For the VLC Media Player you just how to choose the float on top option in the tools > View > Float on Top.

How do you do picture-in-picture on Windows?

In Windows to enable Picture in Picture easily follow the below steps
1. Download the VLC media player app
2. Open the video you would like to watch in Picture in Picture
3. When the video is playing go to Tools Option > Preferences > Video > Always on Top
4. Now you have to resize the VLC video Window and fit it in any place you want and it will stay above the rest of the applications.

How do you start Picture in Picture on Android?

1. On your Android device, download and install the VLC Media Player app from the Google Play Store.
2. Then go to the video you want to watch and play it in the VLC Media Player app.
3. Now when the video is playing in the VLC app on your phone in full screen, tap the Dots Icon, and choose the Picture in Picture option or Minimize option.
4. Now when you go to your Android Home screen the video will still be playing in a PIP window.

How do I change the Picture-in-picture window size in VLC?

To change the PIP window size in VLC, you can use the “Window” menu and select “Scale” to adjust the size of the PIP window. You can also use keyboard shortcuts such as “Ctrl + +” and “Ctrl + -” to increase or decrease the size of the window.

Are there PIP settings in VLC such as adjusting the opacity of the window?

Yes, VLC does have advanced PIP settings such as adjusting the opacity of the window. These settings can be found in the “Tools” menu and then click on the “Preferences” and then “Video” option.

What are some troubleshooting tips for when PIP is not working on VLC?

Some troubleshooting tips for when PIP is not working in VLC include checking that the “Always on top” option is enabled in the “Video” settings, making sure that the video file you are trying to use PIP with is compatible with VLC, and updating to the latest version of VLC.

Can I use VLC PIP mode on different platforms such as Linux or ChromeOS?

PIP mode may be available on other platforms such as Linux or ChromeOS, but it would depend on the specific version of VLC or any other media players that you are using on those platforms.

Can I use PIP mode with different file formats or streaming services?

PIP mode should work with most common video file formats, but it may not be compatible with some less common or proprietary formats. Streaming services may also have their own built-in PIP functionality that would need to be used instead of the PIP feature in VLC.

Can I use PIP mode with multiple videos at the same time in VLC?

It is possible to use PIP mode with multiple videos at the same time by opening multiple instances of VLC and adjusting the settings for each instance accordingly.

Can I use VLC PIP mode with different types of videos, such as live streams or 360-degree videos?

PIP mode should work with most types of videos, but it may not be compatible with certain types of videos such as live streams or 360-degree videos depending on the specific implementation of the feature.

Can I use PIP mode with different types of audio, such as podcasts or music in the VLC player?

PIP mode is primarily designed for video playback, so it may not work properly with other types of audio such as podcasts or music.

Conclusion

We hope that you were able to enable VLC PIP ( Picture In Picture ) floating video on your Windows computer, Mac, or Android smartphone.

Do let us know if you have any questions regarding VLC PIP feature in the comments section below.