Instagram to soon get TikTok-like picture-in-picture mode for Reels

Meta-owned Instagram is reportedly working on a new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature for Reels. The upcoming feature will enable users to watch

short videos

in a floating window while navigating other apps in their screen. The test confirmed by

Meta

, is presently available to a select group of users and marks a significant step towards improving

multitasking on mobile devices

. The test was first spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu, who shared screenshots of the feature on Threads.

How the feature works

The users selected for the testing phase will now notice a pop-up prompt inviting them to “Try Picture in Picture.” Once the feature is enabled, Reels can play in a small window which will remain active even after exiting the Instagram app. Users will also be allowed to toggle on or off the feature via the app settings menu.Instagram took a lot of time in introducing this feature as its rival platforms such as

TikTok

and YouTube already offer the same PiP functionality to its users. With the ability to run Reels in the background, Instagram aims to boost both engagement and retention. The feature may also help the platform in keeping the users engaged while watching long videos which otherwise users skip.

Why this feature matters for Instagram

With attention spans shrinking and multitasking becoming the norm, PiP could help creators reach wider audiences by keeping their content visible even as users switch tasks. For Meta, it’s a strategic play to increase time spent on Instagram and compete more aggressively in the short-form video space.Instagram head Adam Mosseri hinted at the feature months ago, responding to user requests by saying he’d “talk to the team and see if we can figure something out”. Now, that promise is taking shape.