How to listen to YouTube in the background on Android without complications

If you use YouTube on your phone, you've probably wanted to listen to a video with the screen off or while doing other things on your phone. Podcasts, interviews, music compilations, or live streams that you just need to hear, not see. The problem is that, on Android, the official app cuts the audio as soon as you minimize it or lock the screen, unless you pay for YouTube Premium.

Fortunately, there are several tricks and alternatives that allow you to play YouTube in the background on Android without having to pay , as well as official paid options for those who prefer to go the "legal route" and avoid workarounds. Let's review all the methods used today, with their advantages, drawbacks, and a few other details worth knowing to avoid surprises.

Why YouTube doesn't let you listen to videos in the background for free

Before we get into the details, it's helpful to understand why the app cuts the sound when you exit it. YouTube blocks this feature because background playback is one of the main selling points of YouTube Premium , its paid subscription service. In other words, it's not a technical limitation of the phone; it's a business decision.

The consequence is that, on Android, if you use the free official YouTube app, the audio stops as soon as you open another app or turn off the screen . It doesn't matter if you just want to listen; playback pauses automatically to push you toward the paid plan.

However, on a computer you can lock the screen (laptops) or switch tabs and continue listening without problems. The same applies to certain browser combinations and special settings on your mobile device, which is precisely what we'll take advantage of with some of the tricks you'll see later.

YouTube Premium: the official (and paid) way to listen to YouTube in the background

Google's proposed solution involves subscribing to YouTube Premium , the paid service that unlocks several extra features not available in the free version. Among these, the most relevant for our purposes is background playback with the screen off.

With YouTube Premium, you can exit the app, open other apps, or lock your phone , and the audio will continue playing uninterrupted. Plus, ads are removed, and you can download videos for offline viewing.

YouTube offers different subscription options with prices that vary by country, but generally speaking, in Europe you'll find Individual, Family, and Student plans , each with different monthly fees. There's also a cheaper "Lite" plan in some regions, which doesn't include background playback , only ad removal, so keep that in mind.

An important detail is that many mobile carriers have agreements with YouTube to include Premium in some plans . It's worth checking with your provider because you may already have it or be able to add it at a lower price than the standard plan.

In addition, a free one-month trial is almost always offered to new accounts. During those 30 days, you have access to all the features: no ads, background playback, offline mode, and access to YouTube Music. Some people use multiple accounts for the trial, although this means sacrificing your viewing history and personalized subscriptions.

Brave: The easiest trick to listen to YouTube in the background on Android

One of the most convenient and effective methods for Android is to use Brave, a free browser available on Google Play (and also on iOS). Unlike Chrome or other mobile browsers, Brave includes the option to continue playing YouTube audio in the background.

The trick is to open the YouTube website in Brave instead of using the app . Once you enable background playback in your browser settings, you can turn off your screen or switch to another app, and the sound will continue to play as if you had YouTube Premium.

To set it up, simply go to Brave Settings → Media → Background playback and enable the option. From there, open youtube.com, choose the video you want, and play it normally from within the browser.

While the video is playing, you can lock your phone or switch to WhatsApp, Instagram, your browser, etc. , and the audio won't cut out. Plus, the Android notification bar provides the usual playback controls: pause, resume, skip, etc., making it very convenient to use.

A very practical use for this method is to create music playlists in your YouTube account and then open them from Brave. This way, you have something very similar to a music streaming service, but taking advantage of YouTube's enormous music catalog without having to pay for an additional subscription. And if you have connection problems, check out tips and tricks to improve your mobile connections.

Other browsers and a trick for desktop mode on Android

Brave isn't the only way. Some browsers, like Firefox or Chrome itself, allow you to play YouTube audio in the background by forcing the desktop version of the website , although it's usually less straightforward and doesn't always work as smoothly as Brave.

On Android, the usual trick with Chrome is to open youtube.com in the browser and enable the "View as desktop" or "Desktop site" option in the three-dot menu in the top corner. This loads the full version of the website, as if you were on a PC.

Once you have the desktop site active, choose the video you want and start playing it. When you exit Chrome, the audio will likely stop, but you'll see playback controls appear in the notification bar . Simply tap the Play button there to restart the sound, and it will continue playing even if you have another app open or the screen is off.

The behavior may vary slightly depending on the Android and Chrome versions you're using; if this is a concern, see how to prevent Android from disabling apps . It can sometimes be a bit unstable. Therefore, while the desktop mode trick usually works on both Android and iOS , it's neither as convenient nor as immediate as Brave's method.

Firefox can also take advantage of this feature and, in addition, allows you to install extensions that further improve the experience with YouTube in the background, as we will see later with certain specific add-ons.

Screen split: YouTube visible while using other apps

Another native Android feature is split-screen mode . It's not exactly "hidden" playback or screen-off mode, because the video continues to play, but it allows you to work with another app simultaneously without interruption.

Most recent Android phones offer a gesture or button to show recent apps : it's usually accessed from the bottom of the screen, either with a dedicated button or by swiping up. Entering this menu will show you all the apps running in the background.

In that view, locate YouTube, press and hold its icon or app card, and select the split-screen option (usually represented by two stacked rectangles) . Then, choose the second app you want to use simultaneously: a browser, social media, email, etc.

From that point on, your screen will be split in two , with YouTube playing in one half and the other app in the other. You can adjust the relative size of each area, depending on whether you want to give more prominence to the video or the other application.

This mode doesn't allow you to turn off the screen while keeping the audio playing, but it's very useful if you want to continue watching the video while browsing, chatting, or checking other information without playback stopping when you switch apps.

PiP mode and VPN: floating mini-window and country restrictions

The Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature reduces the video to a small floating player that you can move around the screen while using other apps. Android has supported PiP since versions like Oreo, and YouTube leverages it as one of the benefits of its Premium service.

Under normal circumstances, you need a YouTube Premium membership to use Picture-in-Picture (PiP) with all types of videos on the mobile app. The process is simple: you're watching a video, you exit the app, and instead of stopping completely, it minimizes to a small window that you can drag and reposition over other apps.

However, there is a geographical peculiarity: in the United States, YouTube allows PiP mode for free for certain content even if you don't have Premium (with significant limitations, for example, it does not apply to music videos and there may be other restricted cases).

From countries like Spain, some users resort to a VPN that gives them a US IP address (for example, services like NordVPN and similar ones) to trick the app and activate free Picture-in-Picture (PiP). This practice works in many cases, although it has drawbacks: potential content restrictions (videos only available in your country will no longer be viewable), slower connection speeds, and latency issues. Therefore, it's advisable to consider the importance of internet latency before trying this, and keep in mind that YouTube could change this policy at any time.

It's worth remembering that even when Picture-in-Picture (PiP) is enabled, not all videos support it: music videos are often excluded, as is certain content protected by specific agreements . Therefore, while the VPN trick might be tempting, it's neither a perfect nor a guaranteed long-term solution.

Third-party apps to listen to YouTube in the background on Android

In addition to browsers and native system features, there's a whole ecosystem of third-party apps specifically designed to play YouTube in the background . Some are no longer maintained, others are frequently updated, and many are downloaded as APKs from outside the Google Play Store, with the risks that entails.

One of the best-known was YouTube Vanced , a modified version of the official YouTube app that added several features: background playback, ad blocking, recovery of the dislike counter, and other advanced settings. Although it was very popular for a time, the project was discontinued and no longer officially updated.

The main problem with these modified apps is that installing them usually requires downloading APKs from unofficial websites and granting special permissions. This opens the door to potential security issues, such as malware, spyware, or apps that steal personal data. If you prefer to avoid risks, review how to disable background apps before trying unofficial alternatives.

Therefore, although YouTube Vanced and similar alternatives offered an excellent experience, it's not a recommended option for most users due to security concerns and compliance with YouTube's terms of service . Even so, it's important to mention it because many people still find references to this application when searching for how to listen to YouTube in the background.

On iOS, things get more complicated, but tools like X.App have emerged, a Picture-in-Picture video extension that allows you to send content from YouTube or Chrome to an environment where a floating window is forced and playback continues. Even so, it also depends on Apple's limitations, and again, it's wise to be careful about what you install and from where.

Browsers compatible with PiP and plugins on Android

Returning to the topic of browsers, Android has long supported a native Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode that some apps and browsers know how to take advantage of. Firefox for Android is one of them: it allows you to shrink videos to a small floating window thanks to this system feature.

When using YouTube from Firefox, you can activate this mini-window to continue watching content while using other applications. The problem is that if you close the floating player, the video stops and the audio cuts out , limiting its usefulness if you only want to listen to the sound in the background with the screen off.

To solve this problem, there are extensions like Video Background Play Fix , which can be installed in Firefox and allows YouTube videos to continue playing in the background, even if you don't have the floating window on screen.

Another browser mentioned as an alternative is Dolphin Browser . By downloading it from its official website, you can open YouTube from there and, in certain settings, minimize the browser and continue listening to the content . Its behavior depends on the Android version and the browser itself, but it can be another option for those who prefer a dedicated browser.

In any case, compared to these somewhat more technical alternatives, Brave's approach is usually simpler, more stable and more convenient for most users , since everything comes fairly integrated without the need to install external extensions.

Use VLC and external players to listen to YouTube videos as audio

Another very interesting option for Android is to use external media players like VLC. The well-known player with the orange cone icon also exists in a mobile version, and it has features designed precisely for what we're interested in: playing content as background audio.

With VLC installed, you can go to YouTube, choose the video you want, and use the Share → Play with VLC option . The video will open within the VLC app, and from the menu at the bottom, you can select Play as audio , which only plays the sound.

Once you've done this, if you exit VLC or turn off the screen, the audio continues playing uninterrupted . It's an elegant way to transform YouTube videos into a kind of audio track without needing to download anything or violating the platform's terms as much as other, more aggressive solutions.

Besides VLC, there are apps on Google Play specifically designed to minimize video playback in a small window or play it in the background . For example, apps with names like "Minimize Video in Background" or "Advanced Minimizer Background Player for YouTube" display the video in a floating window or convert it to audio while you continue using your phone.

These tools let you search for your favorite videos directly from their interface, play them, and then minimize the player to a floating window at the bottom of the screen . This way, you can continue using other apps normally while the music, interview, or podcast plays uninterrupted.

As always with third-party apps, it's crucial to carefully review the ratings, permissions, and privacy policy before installing anything, and prioritize apps with a good reputation and downloaded from official sources like Google Play.

Listen to YouTube in the background on iPhone: free options

Although this article focuses on Android, many of the questions come from iPhone users who also want to listen to YouTube with the screen off without using YouTube Premium. On iOS, the options are somewhat more limited, but there's a simple trick that usually works.

The key is to use Safari instead of the official YouTube app . You have to manually type www.youtube.com into the address bar to prevent the native app from opening. Once on the website, search for the video you want and play it.

While it's playing, you can open a new tab in Safari using the tabs icon and the plus sign . If everything goes well, the audio will continue playing even when the main tab is not visible, which is a first step towards keeping it playing in the background.

Then, on an iPhone with a physical button, you can press Home; on newer models, you swipe up to go to the home screen . In many versions of iOS, the sound continues playing in the background, and if it stops, you can resume it from Control Center using the media controls that appear when you swipe up from the top right or bottom corner (depending on the model).

From that point on, the iPhone can continue playing YouTube audio in the background while you use other apps, and even with the screen locked, without being logged into YouTube Premium. It's not a guaranteed method for all iOS and Safari combinations, but it's one of the most widespread tricks among Apple users.

YouTube Music: Listen to audio only officially with Premium

If you choose the paid option, in addition to the YouTube app itself, you have access to YouTube Music , Google's official app focused exclusively on music content. It's available for both Android and iOS.

Subscribing to an Individual, Family, or Student Premium plan includes ad-free access to YouTube Music with background playback and the ability to download songs. This app isn't suitable for all types of videos (it's limited to music and similar content), but in return, it offers an optimized listening experience with the screen off.

Within YouTube Music, you can search for and play your favorite songs, albums, or playlists. If you wish, you can switch to audio-only mode , which stops the video and only plays the sound, helping to save battery and mobile data.

Once this mode is activated, minimizing the app or turning off the screen will continue the music playing in the background . This is exactly the behavior many users are looking for when trying to force tricks with the main YouTube app, but in an official way, supported by Google.

The downside, of course, is that you won't be able to use YouTube Music to listen to videos that aren't strictly music-related , such as interviews, other types of live streams, tutorials, or podcasts uploaded only as videos. For that, you'd still need the standard YouTube app or one of the alternative methods already mentioned for Android.

In their day-to-day lives, many subscribers end up combining both tools: they use YouTube Music as a substitute for the typical Spotify to listen to music, and the "normal" YouTube app for everything else, with the added benefit of being able to lock the screen without cutting the audio thanks to Premium.

Ultimately, whether you use browser workarounds, external players, and third-party apps, or opt for the official subscription, the important thing is that you have a good range of options to listen to YouTube in the background on your Android device , adapt the solution to your needs (more or less technical, with or without payment), and get the most out of the world's largest video library, even when you just want to use it like a radio or podcast service.