Google looks like its getting ready to bring back a fan-favorite feature in its Messages app: the YouTubeminiplayer. After quietly pulling the plug on it last year, the company seems to be rethinking things, aiming for a smoother way to share and watch videos right inside your chats.The YouTube miniplayer let you play videos without ever leaving Messages without any app-switching or interruptions. First introduced in 2022, it vanished in 2024 with zero fanfare. Instead of watching videos in-line chatters were bumped out to the YouTube app. The reaction to its removal last year was a mixed bag. Some users didnt mind heading straight to YouTube, but plenty missed the convenience of staying in the chat.Recommended VideosNow, fresh clues from recent app teardowns by researcher AssembleDebug at Android Authoritypoint to the feature making a potential comeback. Code spotted in the latest beta builds hints that Google could be working on a new and improved picture-in-picture player for YouTube links inside Messages. Specifically, Messages beta version 20250319 reveal strings of code that refer to YouTube in particular.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThis lines up with YouTubes own miniplayer redesign from late 2024, which added better resizing, repositioning, and multitasking. AssembleDebug was able to bring back the picture-in-picture player in Messages using an activity toggle, but videos did not play when tested. This does make it seem more likely, however, that the intention is to restore functionality.Googles move to bring the player back shows theyre listening to user feedback. Theres no official word on when the feature could roll out for everyone, and its still unclear if youll be able to turn it off if youd rather open videos externally.For millions of Android users who rely on Messages to juggle conversations, this is one of those small updates that could make things feel a bit more effortless, so its something to keep an eye on. With the recent switch to RCS messaging, it could be one of many changes to make the app sweeter, like the recent update that lets you unsend messages.Editors Recommendations