iMovie 10.1.16 picture in picture

I don't know of any tutorial that is more detailed than the step by step link that I sent. Where in the process are you having difficulty? It is possible, also, that the feature is not functioning properly. I can't tell because because you have not described the steps that you are doing.

The procedure is to place your PiP clip in the timeline above the background clip. Then you select the PiP clip by clicking on it. That will make the overlay icon (that looks like overlapping squares) appear in the toolbar at the upper right of your screen. Click on the overlay icon and a selection box will appear below and to the left of the overlay icon. It will show Cutaway as the default selection. Click on the little v in the selection box and you will get a drop down menu that gives you a Picture in Picture option. Click on the Picture in Picture option and the PiP clip that you placed above the background clip will appear inserted into the background clip on the preview screen. You can adjust the size and position of the inserted PiP clip. Then click on the blue reset button in the upper right hand edge of your screen to apply your settings.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, you cannot stack PiP insertions by putting multiple PiP clips on top of each other. As you have found, stacking the clips will make the one immediately below it disappear. To overlay one PiP clip on another you must first share out to your desktop the movie that contains the first PiP and then import that shared out movie back into your project. Then you can insert another PiP on top of the newly imported movie.

Try working your way through the procedure. If what I describe does not happen at each step, then post back and we'll see if we can identify the problem.

If you think that iMovie is possibly malfunctioning, then try deleting preferences. It is a safe procedure that will not cause loss of data or disruption to your projects. To delete preferences, open iMovie while holding down the Option and Command

keys and select to delete preferences in the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects. Now see if the PiP function works properly.

In the case of a malfunction, you can also try creating a whole new project and see if the PiP function works there. Sometimes glitches can happen that are confined to just one project.

-- Rich

PiP can only be added sequentially. They can’t be overlayed to appear simutaneously. That is, one PiP appears, then another, then another. If you want to overlay them you need to insert the first PiP, then share it out to embed the PiP, then import that clip into your project and add the next PiP over the embedded clip. Then share out again and import into the project to add the next PiP. You can create an auxilliary project to facilitate the process.

— Rich

Hi, frmcclure,

Take a look at this help tutorial that explains how to use the Picture in Picture feature:

https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mova1aaa682b

-- Rich

O.K. I now finally see what you are describing. The only way that I can replicate the issue is if I drag the second clip into the upper timeline, but in the process dip it too low so that it partially overlaps the first clip below. Then it will replace the lower clip like you describe. Try placing the second clip into the lower timeline, side by side with the first clip. Then move it up to the upper timeline, sliding it into place. See if that works.

Unless the above cures it, what is happening in your situation shouldn't be happening if iMovie is functioning correctly. Sometimes a corrupt preference can cause issues like that, but you already have deleted preferences and tried a new project and that did not cure it. Or perhaps the issues is related to the new updates. You might also check to confirm that your OS and software versions are up to date.

Try opening iMovie in the Guest account on your Mac and see if you can add a clip to the upper timeline without replacing the clip below.

You can also try opening iMovie in a new library and creating your project there.

If still no luck, try redownloading iMovie. To update/redownload iMovie 10, drag your iMovie 10 app from the Applications

folder into the trash, but do not empty the trash. Sign in to the app store and open your purchases folder by clicking on your name at the bottom of the app store side bar. You will see your purchases displayed, including iMovie 10. Redownload/update

iMovie from there. If not successful, drag your present iMovie app out of the trash and return it to the Applications folder.

All else failing, the only other suggestion I have is to contact Apple Support and see if the savvy techs there can help. They have the capability of remotely accessing your computer that we cannot do here. To contact Support, click on the Contact Support item in the upper right hand corner of this forum's screen. Navigate to a place where you can put in your phone number.

Best of luck with this.

-- Rich