How To Use Youtube In The Background On Your Smartphone

How to play YouTube in the background on Android

If you want to make use of your phone’s multitasking capabilities, you can use YouTube in the background by following one of these methods:

Method 1. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Mode

To use YouTube picture-in-picture mode on your Android device, you need a YouTube Premium subscription. 

• Once you have subscribed, you can go to the phone’s settings, where you will find the ‘Apps’ option. 

• Then select ‘Special app access’ or ‘Advanced’ and then tap on ‘YouTube.’ 

• Toggle on ‘Allow picture-in-picture.’ 

• Now, the settings must be enabled through the YouTube app. 

• Once you open the app, tap on your profile and then go to the settings. 

• Select ‘General’ or ‘Playback’ and toggle on the ‘Picture-in-picture’ setting. 

   

Method 2. Using Chrome or Brave Browser

• If using the Chrome browser, launch the browser on your phone and go to YouTube.com, the web version of YouTube.

• Search for a video and play it. 

• Then switch to desktop mode and wait till the video starts playing again. 

• Minimise the browser, swipe down the notification panel, and tap on the play button to resume playing the same video in the background. 

   

To use the Brave browser, download it from the Play Store. 

• You need to go to ‘Settings,’ then ‘Media’ and enable background play. 

• Tap on ‘Relaunch Now.’ 

• Open a video on YouTube with the browser, minimise it, and in the notifications panel, an option to play the video in the background will pop up. 

   

Method 3. Third-Party Apps

Many third-party apps can be downloaded if you want to enable YouTube background play on Android. NewPipe is one such app that is made for Android phones. 

• Download the app from the Play Store. 

• Search for the video you want to watch once you have opened the app. 

• Play the video and press the home button. The audio continues to play in the background. 

   

Method 4. YouTube Premium

• Once you get the YouTube Premium subscription, go to the settings.

• Under ‘Background & Downloads,’ the ‘Background Play’ option will be available. Select it.

• When you select ‘Always on,’ videos will play in the background. 

   

How to play YouTube in the background on iPhone

To understand how to play YouTube in the background on iPhone, take note of these two methods:

Method 1. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Mode with YouTube Premium

• Go to your iOS device’s settings. 

• Look for the ‘General’ option. 

• You will then find the ‘Picture-in-picture’ option.

• To turn it on, toggle on ‘Start PiP Automatically.’ 

• Now go to YouTube’s app settings and look for the ‘General’ option.

• Toggle on ‘Picture-in-Picture,’ and now you can take advantage of this premium feature on your iPhone. 

   

Method 2. Safari Browser Workaround

• Open the Safari App and navigate to YouTube.com. 

• Then tap the aA icon in the address bar and select ‘Request Desktop Website.’

• Play the video of your choosing and then exit Safari by pressing the home button. 

• Then swipe down to open the control center.

• Tap the play button in the media playback window. This resumes the audio from the video you were previously playing on Safari. 

   

Conclusion

Using YouTube in the background can be beneficial when you want to listen to specific podcasts, albums, or educational content while you continue with other tasks on your device. The feature helps enhance entertainment, helps boost productivity, and is excellent for multitasking. 

With the above-mentioned methods, you can run YouTube in the background for free or enable the feature with a YouTube Premium subscription. Take advantage of the step-by-step guide to maximise your YouTube experience.