Chrome is making it easier to procrastinate by watching videos while you work
Chrome’s picture-in-picture mode is going to be faster to access
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The arrival of media controls in Chrome earlier this year meant that people usingGoogle’s web browser now had an easier way to control the playback of audio and video on the websites they visited. A handy little button appears in the Chrome toolbar when media is playing, and clicking this gives access to simple playback controls.
But now Google has something planned that will be welcomed by anyone who likes to keep a video playing in the background while they get on with other things. The company is currently testing the addition of a button to media controls that will make it much easier to access picture-in-picture mode.
The button doesn’t add any new features to Chrome, it just makes an existing option far more accessible. At the moment, picture-in-picture mode – which lets you view an online video in an always-on-top mini-player while you continue to browse the web – is a little awkward to use.
P-in-P mode is currently accessed by right-clicking on a video as it plays and selecting the relevant option from the context menu. On sites such asYouTube, which has its own custom right-click menu, this means having to right-click twice in order to get the correct menu to appear. But asAndroid Policenotes, there is a new P-in-P button appearing media controls in the Canary build of Chrome for Windows and macOS users.
Quick and easy pop-out video
The arrival of the button seems to be a case of Google integrating one of its own browser extensions into Chrome. The company already has thePicture-in-Picture Extension, and it looks as though the new button in media controls is exactly the same.
It makes a lot of sense to bring this option to the same place as other media controls, and it’s something that is sure to be welcomed by anyone whoIf you want to try out the new controls, you’ll need to downChrome Canary.
ViaAndroid Police
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Sofia is a tech journalist who’s been writing about software, hardware and the web for nearly 25 years – but still looks as youthful as ever! After years writing for magazines, her life moved online and remains fueled by technology, music and nature.
Having written for websites and magazines since 2000, producing a wide range of reviews, guides, tutorials, brochures, newsletters and more, she continues to write for diverse audiences, from computing newbies to advanced users and business clients. Always willing to try something new, she loves sharing new discoveries with others.
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