Why Background Playback Matters: Playing YouTube Music in the background lets you enjoy songs while using other apps or locking your phone. Whether you have YouTube Premium or not, there are reliable ways to keep the music playing without interruption on Android and iOS devices.
Premium Users’ Advantage: YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium offer native background playback. Simply open the YouTube Music app, play your song or playlist, and switch to any other app. The music continues seamlessly, even when your screen is locked, ensuring a smooth listening experience.
Browser Trick for Free Users: Free users can still play YouTube Music in the background using a mobile browser. Open Chrome, Safari, or Firefox, visit YouTube or music.youtube.com, and enable Desktop Mode. This tricks the site into continuing audio even after leaving the browser window.
How to Enable Desktop Mode: On Chrome or Firefox, tap the three-dot menu and choose "Request Desktop Site." On Safari, tap “AA” in the address bar and select “Request Desktop Website.” Once enabled, start your video and exit the browser while retaining playback controls.
Use Notification Controls: After switching apps, playback may pause. Simply pull down the notification shade on Android or open Control Centre on iPhone and press play again. These system controls restore background audio and keep your YouTube Music running without returning to the browser.
Prevent Browser Shutdown: Some phones automatically kill apps running in the background. To avoid this, lock the browser in recent apps or disable battery optimisation for Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. This ensures uninterrupted background playback, especially during long listening sessions or screen-off use.
Final Tips for Smooth Playback: Keep your internet connection stable, avoid clearing background apps, and update your browser for best results. For uninterrupted, ad-free listening and offline downloads, consider YouTube Premium. Until then, these browser methods remain the most effective free workaround.
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