How to play YouTube music in the background on iPhone and Android for free
IF you want to listen to something on the YouTube app while also doing other things on your phone then there are some steps you can take.
Of course, you could subscribe to YouTube Premium or but there are some more limited free workarounds to try.
On Android
Android users actually have two options.
The latest versions of the YouTube app for Android allow you to use Picture in Picture (PiP) to keep videos open while doing other things.
However, this doesn't apply to videos labelled as music.
To use PiP for a video not labelled music go to your Settings menu and select "Apps and Notifications".
Then click "Advanced" and then “Special app access” and “Picture-in-picture”.
Then find the YouTube app and make sure PiP is turned on for it.
When this is done you should be able to leave YouTube with a video still playing unless you specifically close it.
If you want to try and play a video that is labelled as music then you can attempt with the following steps which have worked for some users:
- Open YouTube via Chrome in a mobile browser
- Find the video you want to play and click on the three dots in the upper right hand corner
- Then select the "Desktop site" option
- Start the video again
- Then tap the Home button at the bottom of the screen and the video should stop playing
- Open your notifications by pulling down from the top of the screen
- You should see the video and if you do you can click play
On an iPhone
Playing YouTube videos in the background while on your iPhone is trickier.
Some methods that previously worked were said to be stopped by the iOS13 update.
One method that is said to work more times than not is as follows:
- Get YouTube up in Safari and find your video of choice
- Tap the "AA" symbol in the top left corner of the screen
- The click "Request Desktop Website" when this option pops up
- In this version of YouTube you should then start the video and swipe up to close Safari
- The video should stop playing
- Then you need to open the Control Centre by pulling down on the top right hand corner
- You should see the video loaded there and then you can click play and continue on your phone
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best...
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
In other news, Netflix has added PINs to profiles to stop family members or pals from messing up your recommendations.
Apple is reportedly planning a secret event for April 15 where a new iPhone could be announced.
And, Roku has launched a new app that gives you access to more than 10,000 movies, TV shows and documentaries.
What's your favourite app for listening to music? Let us know in the comments...
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