Instagram is experimenting with a new way to keep Reels playing, even when you leave the app.
The platform has begun testing Picture-in-Picture (PiP) viewing for Reels, a feature that lets videos continue playing in a floating mini-window while users multitask across other apps.
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The update was first spotted by app researcher Radu Oncescu and later confirmed by Instagram. Users included in the test will see a pop-up notification with instructions on how to enable the feature.
For creators, PiP could be a subtle but important win. Longer Reels often risk drop-offs as viewers switch away to reply to a text or scroll elsewhere. With PiP, those same viewers could keep watching in the background, giving creators more time on screen and Instagram a bump in overall retention.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri hinted earlier this year that PiP might be on the roadmap, responding to a user question by saying he would “talk to the team and see if we can figure something out.” TikTok and YouTube already offer PiP, so the move also brings Instagram in line with its closest competitors.
For now, the feature is live only for a small test group, with no word yet on a broader rollout.