The term "mini player" on YouTube can refer to a couple of different features. Depending on which one you mean, the method to turn it off (or understand its behavior) will differ. Based on the provided information, we can address the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature which allows videos to play in a small window outside the YouTube app.
Understanding the YouTube Mini Player Features
YouTube utilizes different types of smaller players:
- In-App Mini Player: This player automatically appears at the bottom right of the screen within the YouTube app when you scroll down on a video page or navigate to another page while watching a video. It keeps the audio playing and a small video preview visible.
- Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Player: This feature allows the video to continue playing in a small, resizable window that floats over other apps on your device, even when you leave the YouTube app. This is often referred to as the "continue watching" feature, especially for Premium subscribers.
The method to "turn off" the mini player largely depends on which of these you are referring to.
Turning Off the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Player
The provided reference indicates the steps for disabling the Picture-in-Picture functionality within the YouTube app settings. This feature is often associated with the "continue watching premium feature," which allows Premium users to leave the app and watch in a floating window.
Here are the steps to turn off the Picture-in-Picture player from within the YouTube app:
- Tap your profile avatar located at the top right corner of the YouTube app.
- Go to Settings. This will open a menu of options for the app.
- Select General. This section contains various app-wide settings.
- Toggle off Picture-in-picture. Find the option labeled "Picture-in-picture" (or similar, sometimes abbreviated as PiP) and tap the switch next to it to turn it off.
Note: As the reference mentions, disabling Picture-in-picture via these settings is how you turn off the capability for videos to continue playing in a floating window when you leave the YouTube app, including the "continue watching premium feature". Disabling this setting prevents YouTube from using the system-level PiP functionality.
The In-App Mini Player
The mini player that appears within the YouTube app when you scroll down or navigate away from a video page is a built-in design feature. There is no specific setting within the YouTube app to permanently disable this particular in-app mini player.
- How it works: This mini player is designed to allow you to continue browsing YouTube while still hearing and seeing the video you were watching.
- Stopping it: The in-app mini player will automatically stop and disappear if you:
- Navigate back to the full video page.
- Close the YouTube app completely.
- Start playing another video.
Since it's an integrated part of the user interface, you cannot toggle this specific behavior off through settings.
| Feature | Behavior | How to Control/Stop |
|---|---|---|
| Picture-in-Picture | Floats outside the app over other screens. | Disable via Settings > General > Picture-in-picture. |
| In-App Mini Player | Appears within the app at the bottom right. | Cannot be disabled via settings; stops automatically. |
To turn off the floating mini player (Picture-in-Picture, including the "continue watching premium feature"), follow the steps provided in the "Turning Off the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Player" section, navigating through your avatar to Settings, General, and toggling off Picture-in-picture.
