How to use picture-in-picture during a WhatsApp video call on your iPhone

How to use picture-in-picture during a WhatsApp video call on your iPhone

A new feature in Whatsapp will let you minimize a call so you can view it in a small window and still use your iPhone - it's a feature FaceTime has had a while.

Image: Foundry

A new feature has begun rolling out to the WhatsApp iOS app that users have long wanted: Picture-in-Picture. Now users will be able to minimize a WhatsApp video call to the corner of their screen so they can continue chatting while using another app.

While the feature has long been available for FaceTime, WhatsApp users will know that if they switched apps on their iPhone, the person they were talking to would see the video pause, although they could still hear you. The new update utilizes iOS’s picture-in-picture feature to minimize the video call into a small window that floats over your home screen and other apps.

How to use picture-in-picture for WhatsApp video calls on iPhone

Both Whatsapp (left) and FaceTime calls can be minimized into a picture-in-picture by swiping up.

Foundry

To turn on the feature, head over to the Settings app on your iPhone, then tap General and Picture in Picture, and flip the Start PiP Automatically toggle to green. Then make a video call using WhatsApp as usual. Once the call begins, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and the video will automatically shrink into a small window showing the call participant that can be moved to any corner of the screen.

The process is similar to the way FaceTime video calls work, although there are a couple of differences. For one, WhatApp shrinks the whole window, including the smaller window showing your face, while FaceTime only shows a video of the person you are calling. Additionally, as you can see in the image above, the quality of the FaceTime call is much better. But still, it’s a welcome, if not overdue feature to the WhatsApp iOS app.

If you’re looking for WhatsApp on other Apple devices, see How to get WhatsApp on a Mac and How to get WhatsApp on iPad.

To Use Picture-In-Picture During A Whatsapp Video Call On Your Iphone, Follow These Steps:

1.            First, Make Sure That Your Iphone Is Running Ios 14 Or Later, As This Is A Feature That Was Introduced In This Version Of The Operating System.

2.            Open The Whatsapp App On Your Iphone And Start A Video Call With The Person You Want To Talk To.

3.            While In The Call, Swipe Up From The Bottom Of The Screen To Access The Control Center.

4.            In The Control Center, You Should See The Video Call Window. Tap And Hold The Video Call Window.

5.            A Small Menu Will Appear With Several Options. Tap On The "Enter Picture-In-Picture" Option To Minimize The Call Window Into A Small Floating Window.

6.            You Can Now Move The Floating Window To Any Part Of The Screen By Dragging It With Your Finger.

7.            To Bring The Video Call Window Back To Full Screen, Simply Tap On It.

Note: If You're Having Trouble Entering Picture-In-Picture During A Whatsapp Video Call, Make Sure That The Feature Is Enabled On Your Iphone. You Can Check This By Going To Settings > General > Picture In Picture And Making Sure That The Toggle Is Turned On For The Whatsapp App.