Facebook's new floating videos let you lurk and watch at the same time

Watching videos have always been a pain on Facebook. Hover over one and it starts playing silently requiring you to unmute them every time. Try to scroll away and it stops running altogether forcing you to stick around for the whole thing.

Well no more.

Facebook has introduced a new feature that lets users detach videos from their news feed and move them about anywhere within the constraints of the browser window. Users can activate the new feature by hitting the newly added pop out button located on the video navigation bar, just between the high-definition toggle and full screen switch.

Slight issue

Unfortunately, there are a few limitations including the fact that the floating window shrinks to a much smaller size compared to original video on newsfeeds.

Similarly, the controls reduced to a single play/pause button with a Like and Share button. At the same time users will lose the options to change the volume or your place in the video. Any floating video windows will also disappear as soon as you leave the newsfeed for another section of the social network such as your messages or a friend's profile page.

So far, Facebook has confirmed it is rolling out the new feature quietly for a small group of users.

"We've heard from some people that they'd like to watch videos while they scroll through News Feed," a Facebook spokesperson confirmed with TechRadar. "We're running a small test where you can create a smaller floating screen, which continues playing the video while you scroll through your News Feed."

While TechRadar staffers didn't have the floating feature yet, we created a composite for the lead image to simulate what a floating video would look like next to the Facebook newsfeed.

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Via Mashable