Instagram Trials Picture-in-Picture Viewing for Reels

Instagram is now testing a new Picture-in-Picture feature for viewing reels, as confirmed by the company to TechCrunch on Tuesday. This functionality allows users to watch reels in a small, floating window while using other apps, which enhances multitasking.

The feature was first identified by app researcher Radu Oncescu. Users included in the test will see a pop-up notification explaining the new feature and how to enable it.

Although Picture-in-Picture facilitates multitasking, it also has the potential to improve retention for longer videos, especially in an era of short attention spans. For example, if a user finds an extended reel, they can let it play in the background while doing other activities, like responding to a text or browsing X.

Platforms such as TikTok and YouTube have long supported Picture-in-Picture.

Introducing a similar feature on Instagram could offer creators a better chance to engage audiences with their longer content. For Instagram, this means users could spend more time on its platform.

This testing phase follows comments made by Instagram head Adam Mosseri a few months ago, who hinted that the feature might soon be available. At that time, Mosseri stated he would “speak with the team and see if we can come up with a solution” regarding the inquiries about when IG would implement PiP like TikTok and YouTube.

Instagram is starting the test with a limited group of users. As with any testing feature, it remains unclear when, or if, Instagram plans to roll it out more widely.