diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/MainVideoPlayer.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/MainVideoPlayer.java
index 0dea47e56..8a4fb62da 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/MainVideoPlayer.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/MainVideoPlayer.java
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ public final class MainVideoPlayer extends AppCompatActivity
 
     @Nullable private PlayerState playerState;
     private boolean isInMultiWindow;
+    private boolean isBackPressed;
 
     /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     // Activity LifeCycle
@@ -191,6 +192,12 @@ public final class MainVideoPlayer extends AppCompatActivity
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void onBackPressed() {
+        super.onBackPressed();
+        isBackPressed = true;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected void onSaveInstanceState(Bundle outState) {
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(TAG, "onSaveInstanceState() called");
@@ -208,10 +215,18 @@ public final class MainVideoPlayer extends AppCompatActivity
     protected void onStop() {
         if (DEBUG) Log.d(TAG, "onStop() called");
         super.onStop();
-        playerImpl.destroy();
-
         PlayerHelper.setScreenBrightness(getApplicationContext(),
                 getWindow().getAttributes().screenBrightness);
+
+        if (playerImpl == null) return;
+        if (isBackPressed) {
+            playerImpl.destroy();
+        } else {
+            playerImpl.minimize();
+        }
+
+        isInMultiWindow = false;
+        isBackPressed = false;
     }
 
     /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -441,6 +456,20 @@ public final class MainVideoPlayer extends AppCompatActivity
             switchPopupButton.setOnClickListener(this);
         }
 
+        public void minimize() {
+            switch (PlayerHelper.getMinimizeOnExitAction(context)) {
+                case PlayerHelper.MinimizeMode.MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_BACKGROUND:
+                    onPlayBackgroundButtonClicked();
+                    break;
+                case PlayerHelper.MinimizeMode.MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_POPUP:
+                    onFullScreenButtonClicked();
+                    break;
+                case PlayerHelper.MinimizeMode.MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_NONE:
+                    destroy();
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+
         /*//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
         // ExoPlayer Video Listener
         //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////*/
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/PlayerHelper.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/PlayerHelper.java
index dbe0e9f46..f8d594114 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/PlayerHelper.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/player/helper/PlayerHelper.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.os.Build;
 import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
+import android.support.annotation.IntDef;
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
 import android.view.accessibility.CaptioningManager;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import org.schabi.newpipe.player.playqueue.PlayQueue;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.player.playqueue.PlayQueueItem;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.player.playqueue.SinglePlayQueue;
 
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
 import java.text.DecimalFormat;
 import java.text.NumberFormat;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import static com.google.android.exoplayer2.ui.AspectRatioFrameLayout.RESIZE_MODE_FILL;
 import static com.google.android.exoplayer2.ui.AspectRatioFrameLayout.RESIZE_MODE_FIT;
 import static com.google.android.exoplayer2.ui.AspectRatioFrameLayout.RESIZE_MODE_ZOOM;
+import static java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy.SOURCE;
+import static org.schabi.newpipe.player.helper.PlayerHelper.MinimizeMode.*;
 
 public class PlayerHelper {
     private PlayerHelper() {}
@@ -51,6 +55,14 @@ public class PlayerHelper {
     private static final NumberFormat speedFormatter = new DecimalFormat("0.##x");
     private static final NumberFormat pitchFormatter = new DecimalFormat("##%");
 
+    @Retention(SOURCE)
+    @IntDef({MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_NONE, MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_BACKGROUND,
+            MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_POPUP})
+    public @interface MinimizeMode {
+        int MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_NONE = 0;
+        int MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_BACKGROUND = 1;
+        int MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_POPUP = 2;
+    }
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     // Exposed helpers
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -173,6 +185,22 @@ public class PlayerHelper {
         return isAutoQueueEnabled(context, false);
     }
 
+    @MinimizeMode
+    public static int getMinimizeOnExitAction(@NonNull final Context context) {
+        final String defaultAction = context.getString(R.string.minimize_on_exit_none_key);
+        final String popupAction = context.getString(R.string.minimize_on_exit_popup_key);
+        final String backgroundAction = context.getString(R.string.minimize_on_exit_background_key);
+
+        final String action = getMinimizeOnExitAction(context, defaultAction);
+        if (action.equals(popupAction)) {
+            return MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_POPUP;
+        } else if (action.equals(backgroundAction)) {
+            return MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_BACKGROUND;
+        } else {
+            return MINIMIZE_ON_EXIT_MODE_NONE;
+        }
+    }
+
     @NonNull
     public static SeekParameters getSeekParameters(@NonNull final Context context) {
         return isUsingInexactSeek(context, false) ?
@@ -249,7 +277,6 @@ public class PlayerHelper {
      * System font scaling:
      * Very small - 0.25f, Small - 0.5f, Normal - 1.0f, Large - 1.5f, Very Large - 2.0f
      * */
-    @NonNull
     public static float getCaptionScale(@NonNull final Context context) {
         if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.KITKAT) return 1f;
 
@@ -322,4 +349,10 @@ public class PlayerHelper {
             return sp.getFloat(context.getString(R.string.screen_brightness_key), screenBrightness);
         }
     }
+
+    private static String getMinimizeOnExitAction(@NonNull final Context context,
+                                                  final String key) {
+        return getPreferences(context).getString(context.getString(R.string.minimize_on_exit_key),
+                key);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml
index bd0f04e9f..3e73738ed 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml
@@ -25,6 +25,22 @@
     <string name="screen_brightness_key" translatable="false">screen_brightness_key</string>
     <string name="screen_brightness_timestamp_key" translatable="false">screen_brightness_timestamp_key</string>
 
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_key" translatable="false">minimize_on_exit_key</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_value" translatable="false">@string/minimize_on_exit_none_key</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_none_key" translatable="false">minimize_on_exit_none_key</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_background_key" translatable="false">minimize_on_exit_background_key</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_popup_key" translatable="false">minimize_on_exit_popup_key</string>
+    <string-array name="minimize_on_exit_action_key" translatable="false">
+        <item>@string/minimize_on_exit_none_key</item>
+        <item>@string/minimize_on_exit_background_key</item>
+        <item>@string/minimize_on_exit_popup_key</item>
+    </string-array>
+    <string-array name="minimize_on_exit_action_description" translatable="false">
+        <item>@string/minimize_on_exit_none_description</item>
+        <item>@string/minimize_on_exit_background_description</item>
+        <item>@string/minimize_on_exit_popup_description</item>
+    </string-array>
+
     <string name="default_resolution_key" translatable="false">default_resolution</string>
     <string name="default_resolution_value" translatable="false">360p</string>
     <string name="show_higher_resolutions_key" translatable="false">show_higher_resolutions</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 5ee80536f..5ca88bd6f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -504,4 +504,11 @@
         <item>144p</item>
     </string-array>
 
+    <!-- Minimize to exit action -->
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_title">Minimize on application switch</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_summary">Action when switching to other application from main video player — %s</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_none_description">None</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_background_description">Minimize to background player</string>
+    <string name="minimize_on_exit_popup_description">Minimize to popup player</string>
+
 </resources>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/video_audio_settings.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/video_audio_settings.xml
index 6ec0da215..a547ffaf2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/video_audio_settings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/video_audio_settings.xml
@@ -90,6 +90,14 @@
             android:summary="@string/preferred_open_action_settings_summary"
             android:title="@string/preferred_open_action_settings_title"/>
 
+        <ListPreference
+            android:defaultValue="@string/minimize_on_exit_value"
+            android:entries="@array/minimize_on_exit_action_description"
+            android:entryValues="@array/minimize_on_exit_action_key"
+            android:key="@string/minimize_on_exit_key"
+            android:summary="@string/minimize_on_exit_summary"
+            android:title="@string/minimize_on_exit_title"/>
+
         <SwitchPreference
             android:defaultValue="false"
             android:key="@string/resume_on_audio_focus_gain_key"