YouTube is making changes to its mini-player. The minibar has been the standard mini-player since 2018, but now the classic picture-in-picture player is returning with a widescale rollout, with a few new trinkets to boot. Previously a desktop exclusive, the new PiP player is coming to Android devices worldwide. Speculations of its return have swirled since July, with Google’s announcement last week making it official.
YouTube makes a PiP
Most users can now access the new mini-player on the YouTube app by minimising the screen. Instead of the classic minibar design, users will see a smaller window with a simple play button, ten seconds before and after buttons, and a close button.
Fans of the streamlined look of the minibar will have to settle for the customisability of the PiP window, which you can move around the screen or resize with a double tap or pinch. It also remains after minimising the app. Though, given the compact design, reaching the buttons might be a bit difficult.
Building on its announcement of new features last week, YouTube is also making the sleep timer feature available for everyone. Once a Premium exclusive, general YouTube users can also access this feature to save energy and data. Tech site 9to5Google has also noted a change in the settings menu, with outlined icons and subdivisions adding clarity. There’s no sign of the fine-tunable playback feature yet, though.
