How-To For Multitaskers: Search TikTok While On FaceTime

You’re FaceTiming with a relative, friend, or coworker, but the call is starting to drag and you have other things to get done? That shouldn’t be a problem.

The multitasking process is easy as long as:

• You have an iPhone 8 or a newer version, as most people do (iPhone 8 was released way back in 2017)
• The phone runs on iOS14 (the standard back in 2020) or a more recent release of the operating system
• You have the latest FaceTime and TikTok updates (upgrading to the latest versions would be helpful for multitasking)

In short, if you keep your apps updated and you’re not using an iPhone that should really be replaced, you’re good to go. (This multitasking method won’t work on Android phones, of course, since FaceTime is exclusive to Apple products. We’ll talk about Androids later.)

Ready to learn the secret?

How To Search on TikTok While on FaceTime

To get this done, you’ll be using the cool picture-in-picture feature that’s available in modern iPhones.

1. Start a FaceTime call (or receive one), and make sure you have a stable connection.
2. Swipe up on the screen (you’ll have to hit the “Home” button if you’re on an iPhone 8), and the FaceTime screen will appear as a small picture-in-picture window.
3. Open the TikTok app. The PiP FaceTime screen will still be visible.
4. To search, tap the “Search” icon (a magnifying glass) in the upper right corner of the screen, enter your search phrase in the search bar, and check out the results as you normally would. If the FaceTime window is covering the icons or search bar, you can drag it anywhere else on the screen you’d like. You can also resize the PiP screen by using two fingers to pinch out or in.

This doesn’t just work for TikTok searches. You can scroll your feed or use the app in any other way, and the FaceTime call will remain visible.

Bonus for iPad Users: How to Use TikTok While on FaceTime

Multitasking with FaceTime and TikTok is even easier when you’re on an iPad, because of the tablet’s split-screen feature.

1. Start your FaceTime call.
2. Swipe up slightly to show the iPad Dock.
3. Tap and hold the TikTok icon, and drag it to either the left or right of the main screen.
4. That will enable split-screen viewing, with your FaceTime call on half the screen and TikTok on the other half.
5. You can now use TikTok as usual while engaging with your call.

By moving the dividing line in the middle of the screen, you can resize the windows to fit your preferences; you can resize the windows by pinching them in or out; double-tapping on the PiP window will make it larger or smaller; and sliding the far edge of the PiP window will temporarily hide the call’s video while you can still hear the audio.

What If I Have an Android Phone?

You can do the same type of multitasking with Zoom or other video calls if you have a modern Android phone.

1. Initiate the call.
2. In “Recent Apps” view, tap the Zoom (or other video calling app) icon and then choose “Split Screen” from the menu that appears.
3. Your call will continue in the top half of the screen, and you can select TikTok or any other app from the menu displayed in the bottom half.
4. You’re ready to go.

If your Android phone has “Floating Window” mode, you can choose that option instead of “Split Screen,” and the video call will appear in a new window that can be moved or resized as desired.

Before trying this out, a few important tips: You need a strong Internet connection for the functions to work, the method works best if you’ve updated your phone and TikTok apps recently, low/restricted power modes may interfere with the multitasking process, and it’s smart to clear your cache and restart the device before an important call, to ensure best performance.

One more thing: be sure to mute your TikTok app before getting back on the video call. Your mother or daughter might be shocked to hear the TikTok video that accidentally starts playing when you open the app!