Windows 10 gets floating video player so you never get any work done

We’ve all done that thing where we keep a video open in a separate window while we work, but now Microsoft wants to make it easier for you to multitask with an official picture-in-picture feature.

The latest Insider build of Windows 10 (15031) introduces a ‘Compact Overlay’ tool which developers can leverage, to create an always-on-top floating video windows. MacOS, iOS, and some Android phones already let you do this, so it’s about time Windows caught up. That said, don’t expect to be able to use it just yet; I’m running build 15031 on my desktop and don’t see the feature yet in any apps.

Microsoft says it will show up in the Movies & TV app and Skype in imminent updates. Hopefully Edge is in the books as well, as I certainly watch many more videos on the web than in the default video app.

Really though, this problem could also be largely solved by Microsoft simply adding an always-on-top function you can use with any windowed app. Besides the fact that I don’t want to wait for devs to code the feature into their apps, I often want to pin non-video things like Tweetdeck, RSS feeds, and my text editor so that I don’t get distracted when switching between windows, and I’d rather not have to use glitchy third-party software for it.

For now, I’m stuck doing the window resizing and rearranging dance. Perhaps for Redstone 3, Microsoft?

The other neat feature in the update is Dynamic Lock, which introduces the ability to automatically lock your computer when a Bluetooth device goes out of range. So if you live with sneaky roommates and have to head out in hurry, you don’t have to worry about them snooping around your computer once your paired phone leaves Bluetooth range.

For more on the updates in the latest Insider build, head on over to Microsoft’s blog below.

> Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 15031 for PC Windows Blog