Instagram is testing a new Picture-in-Picture feature for watching reels, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Tuesday. The feature allows users to watch reels in a small, floating window on their screen while browsing other apps to allow for multitasking.
The feature was first spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu. Users who are part of the test will see a pop-up notifying them about the new feature and how to turn it on.
While Picture-in-Picture is great for multitasking, it also has the potential to increase retention for longer videos, especially in the era of shrinking attention spans. For example, if someone comes across a long reel, they could have it playing in the background while doing other things like responding to a text or browsing X.
Apps like TikTok and YouTube have had support for Picture-in-Picture for quite some time.
The addition of a similar feature in Instagram could give creators a better chance of retaining audiences for their longer content. And for Instagram, this would mean more time spent in its app.
The launch of the test follows comments made a few months ago by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who suggested the feature could be coming soon. At the time, Mosseri said he would “talk to the team and see if we can figure something out” in response to a question asking: “When will IG offer PiP (picture in picture in picture) like TT and YT?”
Instagram is testing the feature with a small group of users to start. As with any test feature, it’s unclear when or if Instagram plans to roll it out more widely.
