Firefox 160 Picture-in-Picture Playback Speed: How to Find the Control

If the speed control is missing from Firefox’s floating video player, enlarge the player before changing any settings. Firefox 160 added playback speeds from 0.25× to 2×, but Mozilla says the option appears only when the Picture-in-Picture window is medium-sized or larger. Resizing the browser behind it leaves the floating player the same size.

The Firefox 160 release notes date the desktop Release channel update to November 10. The steps below help you tell whether you need a bigger player, a newer browser, or a different video to isolate the problem.

Check which window you opened

Firefox 160 also introduces an early Mini Window feature for keeping a tab or part of a page on top. For video speed, start from the video’s Picture-in-Picture control. You should have a floating player for the video itself. If you can still see the surrounding article, comments or navigation inside the floating window, go back to the source page and open the video player directly.

Open the video and enlarge the floating player

1. Play a video in desktop Firefox. Move your pointer over the video and look for Firefox’s Picture-in-Picture button. The Mozilla player guide shows how to open and use it.
2. Open the floating player. Drag one of its corners outward and move the pointer over the player to reveal the controls.
3. Find the playback speed setting and choose a rate that fits the task. For a familiar lecture, try a moderate increase. For a demonstration with a small on-screen detail, slow the clip down while you follow the action.

Mozilla describes the size threshold in relative terms. If the control is still hidden, enlarge the floating window further and check again. Start there before looking for advanced browser preferences.

Work out which control is missing

• No button on the source video. Check the Firefox Picture-in-Picture controls setting, then try a second video. This helps isolate the browser setting from behavior on a particular page.
• Floating player opens without a speed setting. Increase the floating window size. If it still does not appear, check the installed desktop Firefox version and update through your usual browser or package manager. TechPulse’s Firefox update guide explains how to check the browser version.
• One site behaves differently. Compare with a video on another site using the same Firefox build and player size. Record the URL, browser version and which control is absent. That gives you a clearer starting point than a description such as “PiP is broken.”

Choose speed based on what you need to notice

For a tutorial, listen at normal speed when the narrator introduces a new term. Slow down when they demonstrate a short sequence you need to copy, then return to normal speed for the explanation. If a small corner window leaves no room for the rate selector, make it large enough to adjust while you work. You can also return to the original tab if you need the page’s transcript or other controls.

Prepared with AI assistance using Mozilla’s release notes and support documentation. The usage examples are illustrative. Read the TechPulse editorial policy.