If you’ve been refreshing your package manager’s sources recently, then you might’ve stumbled upon a new and free jailbreak tweak called FrontestPiP by iOS developer @ChromiumCandy (uz.ra) that claims to change how Picture in Picture works on your device.
Curious about what the tweak did, and confused by the tweak description noting “PiP will be shown in the front,” I messaged the developer for some clarification. Once explained to me, I had a better idea about the purpose of FrontestPiP and why someone might want it for their device.
To start, Picture in Picture mode normally appears over the top of every app that you use, including on the Home Screen. When I installed the tweak, I didn’t notice any different behavior, but that’s because I didn’t understand the tweak’s purpose initially, hence my contact with the developer.
It was explained to me that there are certain interfaces in iOS and iPadOS that become prioritized over Picture in Picture, such as Control Center or PullOverPro. Picture in Picture then becomes hidden underneath those interfaces, which defeats the entire purpose of a floating video window.
The developer went on to explain that FrontestPiP hooks the windowLevel of the UIWindow – the foremost interface you’re using – and then ensures that the Picture in Picture interface is always in the foreground so that the user’s viewing experience is never interrupted.
In short, it makes sure that no other interface on your iPhone or iPad comes between you and your Picture in Picture viewing experience – including those interfaces that would normally be prioritized over Picture in Picture. You can refer to the screenshot examples above for visual references.
Those interested in giving the FrontestPiP tweak a try can download it for free from uz.ra’s personal repository via their favorite package manager app. The tweak supports jailbroken iOS 15 and 16 devices.
Not using uz.ra’s repository just yet? You can add it to your package manager app starting right now by using the URL provided to you below:
https://uz-ra.github.io/
Are you going to be enhancing your Picture in Picture mode with the FrontestPiP jailbreak tweak? Let us know why or why not in the comments section down below.