What YouTube's Mini Player Does and How to Open It
YouTube's mini player is a small, floating window that plays video in the corner of your screen while you browse other tabs or windows. Instead of closing the video when you leave YouTube, the mini player keeps it running so you can watch while you work, read, or shop online. On a PC, you can open it in three ways: right-click the video and select "Mini player", click the mini player icon (a small rectangle) in the video controls, or press the M key on your keyboard while the video is playing.
The mini player appears as a resizable box that floats above your other windows. You can drag it anywhere on your screen, make it larger or smaller, and move between browser tabs without stopping playback. It works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari on Windows and Mac.
Key Takeaways
- Open mini player by right-clicking the video, clicking the mini player icon in the controls, or pressing M on your keyboard.
- You can resize the mini player by dragging its edges and move it anywhere on your screen by dragging the title bar.
- Mini player keeps playing when you switch browser tabs or open other windows, but pauses if you close the YouTube tab.
- The mini player works on both Windows and Mac computers in all major browsers.
- You can close mini player by clicking the X button or pressing M again.
Opening Mini Player Using the Video Controls
The easiest way to open mini player is through the video player itself. Look at the bottom right corner of the YouTube video while it plays. You will see several icons: a gear (settings), a rectangle (fullscreen), and to the left of those, a smaller rectangle icon. That smaller rectangle is the mini player button. Click it once, and the video shrinks into a floating window.
This method works whether the video is playing or paused. The mini player opens at a default size in the bottom right corner of your screen, but you can move and resize it when ready after opening.
Opening Mini Player with a Right-Click
Right-click anywhere on the video itself (not on the title or comments below). A menu appears with several options. Look for "Mini player" in that menu and click it. The video will shrink into the floating window. This method is useful if you cannot see the mini player icon clearly or prefer using the context menu.
If you do not see "Mini player" in the right-click menu, make sure you are right-clicking directly on the video area, not on the video title, description, or comment section.
Using the Keyboard Shortcut
Press the M key while a YouTube video is playing and in focus (meaning the browser window is active and you have clicked on the video). The mini player opens when ready. Press M again to close it and return to the regular player. This is the fastest method once you memorize the shortcut.
The keyboard shortcut works only when the YouTube tab is the active window. If you are typing in another program or browser tab, pressing M will not trigger the mini player.
Resizing and Moving the Mini Player
Once the mini player is open, you can change its size and position. To move it, click and drag the title bar (the top edge where the video title appears) to any location on your screen. To resize it, position your cursor at any edge or corner of the mini player window until the cursor changes to a resize arrow, then drag outward to make it larger or inward to make it smaller.
The mini player has a minimum size—you cannot shrink it smaller than roughly 200 pixels wide. There is no maximum size limit, so you can expand it to fill most of your screen if you want. The position and size you set will not be remembered the next time you open mini player; it resets to the default bottom-right corner and size.
What Happens When You Switch Tabs or Windows
The mini player continues playing video even when you click to a different browser tab. You can open a new tab, search Google, check email, or shop online, and the mini player keeps running in the corner. This is the main reason to use mini player instead of just playing the video normally.
However, if you close the YouTube tab entirely, the mini player closes with it and playback stops. The mini player is tied to that specific tab, not to YouTube as a whole. If you want to keep watching while you close other tabs, keep the YouTube tab open in the background.
Closing the Mini Player
Close the mini player by clicking the X button in the top right corner of the floating window. You can also press M again to toggle it off and return to the regular video player on the YouTube page. Either method stops the mini player and returns you to normal viewing.
If you close the mini player and then want to watch the video again, click back to the YouTube tab and the video will be paused where you left it. You can resume playback or open mini player again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use mini player on YouTube while watching in fullscreen?
No. Mini player and fullscreen are separate modes. If you are in fullscreen, you must exit fullscreen first (press F or Escape) before you can open mini player. Once mini player is open, you cannot enter fullscreen mode.
Does mini player work with YouTube Premium?
Mini player is available to all YouTube users, whether you have a free account or YouTube Premium. Premium does not unlock mini player—it is a standard feature for everyone.
Will the video keep playing if I minimize my browser window?
Yes. The mini player continues playing even if you minimize the browser window, as long as the YouTube tab remains open. You can minimize the browser and the mini player will float on top of your desktop.
Can I open mini player on a video that is paused?
Yes. You can open mini player whether the video is playing or paused. The video will remain in whatever state it was in when you opened mini player.
What if the mini player button does not appear in the video controls?
Make sure you are using an updated browser and that JavaScript is turned on in your browser settings. If the button still does not appear, try refreshing the YouTube page. If the problem continues, try a different browser to see if mini player works there.