Quick fix: Edge’s Picture-in-Picture window stays on top by default but can drop behind windows on certain triggers. Open edge://flags, search Picture-in-Picture, set Document Picture-in-Picture v2 to Enabled. Restart Edge. Now PiP window stays on top through any window-focus changes. As a fallback, use Windows 11’s Always on Top from PowerToys.

You start watching a YouTube video in PiP. Switch to another app for work. The PiP window drops behind that app. The standard PiP should stay on top — but Edge has known cases where it falls back. The flag fixes the modern behavior; PowerToys forces it through.

Symptom: Edge Picture-in-Picture window drops behind other apps instead of staying on top.
Affects: Microsoft Edge on Windows 11.
Fix time: ~5 minutes.

What causes this

Edge has two PiP implementations: legacy (Picture-in-Picture API for video only) and Document PiP v2 (Chromium’s newer always-on-top doc PiP). Legacy can drop behind certain full-screen apps. Document PiP v2 handles always-on-top more reliably. Some video sites use legacy by default; the flag forces v2.

Method 1: Enable Document Picture-in-Picture v2 in Edge flags

The first step.

Open Edge.
Type edge://flags in the address bar → press Enter.
In the search box: type Document Picture-in-Picture.
Find Document Picture-in-Picture v2. Set to Enabled.
Also enable Document Picture-in-Picture API if available.
Click Restart at the bottom.
Now PiP windows from supported sites use the new implementation. Always-on-top is more reliable.
Test: open YouTube. Click PiP button in player. Switch apps. PiP stays on top.

This is the native fix.

Method 2: Use PowerToys Always on Top for any window

For when flag isn’t enough.

Install Microsoft PowerToys from Microsoft Store.
Open PowerToys → Always on Top.
Enable. Default shortcut: Win+Ctrl+T.
Start PiP in Edge. The PiP window becomes the focused window.
Press Win+Ctrl+T. A blue border appears, confirming Always on Top is applied.
Now this window stays on top regardless of focus or app fullscreen state. Press Win+Ctrl+T again to release.
Custom shortcut: PowerToys Always on Top settings → rebind to any key combo.
Works for any window, not just PiP. Useful for sticky notes, calculators, reference docs.

This is the universal fix.

Method 3: Open video in floating Edge window

For old PiP-incompatible sites.

Some sites don’t support PiP at all (especially DRM-protected). Workaround: open in a small floating Edge window.
Open the video in Edge.
Right-click tab → Move tab to new window. New small window opens.
Resize to PiP-like dimensions (e.g., 400×225).
Position in corner.
Use PowerToys Always on Top (Win+Ctrl+T) on this new window.
For pseudo-fullscreen: F11 in the new window. Resize back smaller for the floating effect.
For sites that block PiP (Netflix, some streaming): this is the only Always-on-Top option.

This is the workaround for stubborn sites.

How to verify the fix worked

Start PiP from Edge (YouTube has a PiP button in the player).
Open another app fullscreen. PiP window stays visible on top.
Switch between apps. PiP doesn’t drop behind.
If using PowerToys: blue border around PiP window confirms Always on Top is applied.

If none of these work

If PiP still drops behind: Browser version: update Edge to latest. edge://settings/help. For DRM-protected content: Netflix, Disney+, etc., may disable PiP entirely. Use Method 3. For fullscreen games: exclusive fullscreen mode overrides Always on Top. Use borderless fullscreen / windowed mode in game settings. For multi-monitor setups: PiP may drop to background monitor. Drag to primary monitor. For Edge channels other than Stable: Beta/Dev/Canary may have different flag set. Use Stable. Last resort: alternative PiP tool: Floatube (Chrome extension), PIP-Video, or VLC’s standalone always-on-top mode.

Bottom line: Enable Document Picture-in-Picture v2 flag in edge://flags. For stubborn cases or unsupported sites, use PowerToys Always on Top (Win+Ctrl+T) on the floating Edge window.