How to Listen to YouTube With the Screen Off on Android and iPhone

YouTube apps for Android and iPhone stop playing when switching apps or locking your screen; however, you can overcome this limitation using several techniques.

One way is to use your web browser’s picture-in-picture feature; this requires keeping your web browser active while keeping video minimized into a corner of your screen.

What are some challenges of listening to YouTube with the screen off?

There are a few challenges to listening to YouTube with the screen off on an iPhone or Android device. First, the built-in YouTube app does not support this feature, so users need to rely on third-party apps or workarounds. Second, even with third-party apps, there may be some limitations, such as the inability to control playback or the quality of the audio. Third, some users may find it difficult to find a comfortable way to listen to YouTube with the screen off, especially if they are trying to do other tasks at the same time.

Play YouTube in the background with your web browser

YouTube is an immensely popular social media platform where millions of people come together to share daily life experiences, humorous videos, or newsworthy articles. Many users desire to play YouTube videos in the background while engaging in other tasks on their phones or tablets like playing games, texting friends, browsing the web, checking email, or reading news articles; unfortunately, however, the built-in YouTube app doesn’t support this feature, which can be particularly frustrating when trying to take care of other tasks such as making calls or sending messages without interrupting a video playback experience.

However, there are workarounds to play YouTube in the background on both iOS and Android devices. On an iPhone, using a third-party application that supports picture-in-picture mode will keep YouTube video playing in a small window while using another app – for instance, YubePiP (free, but asks to upgrade), MusicTube, or NewPipe may work well as examples.

Android users may try utilizing a browser with desktop site functionality to watch YouTube videos while minimizing their window. While this method generally works on most devices, older versions or changes to YouTube’s apps or website may prevent this type of playback.

If you want to keep watching YouTube videos while your screen is locked, consider subscribing to YouTube Premium for $14 a month – this will provide an ad-free experience, allow download videos in the background, and enhance YouTube Music.

Use third-party apps

There are multiple methods for playing YouTube in the background on Android. Some require accessing it through your web browser instead of the official app, while others provide more flexibility by offering control even when your phone is locked or in another app. All workarounds should abide by YouTube’s terms of service and respect content creators’ rights.

One OnePlus 3T user shared this tip in the 2-million-member r/Android subreddit, where it attracted over 5300 upvotes at the time of publication. The tip involves sharing videos from YouTube directly into VLC; once in VLC, users can listen while still being able to use other applications or lock their screen without interference from the video playback.

This method works on most Android phones with internet access and fingerprint locks enabled, though you will have to unlock them before viewing videos.

Chrome and Firefox offer you an alternative method for listening to YouTube without using its official app: desktop mode. Simply access YouTube on your phone’s browser, tap the three-dot menu at the top right, select a desktop site from there, and then switch back and forth between apps while enjoying watching videos in a small floating window with quick settings menu controls for playback control.

Play YouTube in the background by upgrading to YouTube Premium

As YouTube Premium subscribers can take advantage of this exclusive benefit, they can continue watching music videos, lectures, podcasts, and more even if another app or lock on their device is being used at the same time.

To access this feature, open up the YouTube app and tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Tap “Get YouTube Premium” to sign up – there will be a free trial offered so that you can experience it before committing to a paid subscription. Upon doing so, your feature should become active immediately across devices you use your account with.

If you’re having issues using any feature of YouTube Premium, make sure that your device is compatible and try clearing the browser cache or updating the YouTube app – if that fails please reach out to their help resources for additional support.

Third-party apps exist that let you listen to YouTube while keeping the screen off, like Float Tube on Google Play Store. It enables music videos to play in an invisible floating window for easy listening or relaxing in bed – an ideal solution for productivity or relaxation in bed while still having access to their playlists of favorite songs!

Get your stream on with YouTube in the background

YouTube is a vast library of music and podcasts. Unfortunately, when using it as your main music player, videos autoplay every time the screen goes dark – something which may become particularly frustrating if you are trying to keep a playlist or podcast playing while doing other tasks.

There are a few methods available to you for keeping YouTube audio running when your phone screen is off, including Android and iPhone workarounds as well as downloading third-party apps. But for optimal listening experience while your screen remains off, using Chrome Mobile browser to play videos directly on a desktop site or upgrading to YouTube Premium is the best solution.

To bypass this limitation, third-party apps like Float Tube and NewPipe or turning on the desktop site feature in YouTube’s mobile browser (Chrome) could help. You could also utilize Picture-in-Picture mode on PC to watch YouTube video while working with other applications simultaneously.

Additionally to these tips, try downloading third-party applications like YT Vanced that allow YouTube playback without using a web browser or YouTube Premium subscription. Some such as these third-party apps even run in the background and let you manage playback from your lock screen!

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a few different ways to listen to YouTube with the screen off on an Android or iPhone device. The best method for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If you want to be able to control playback and have access to all of YouTube’s features, then upgrading to YouTube Premium is the best option. If you’re looking for a free solution, then using a third-party app or browser workaround is a good option.