Usually when you are playing a YouTube video on your Android device the video stops as soon as you open another app. Wouldn’t it be amazing if the video continued to play in the background while you used other apps? In this article, we are showing you How to Play YouTube Videos in background on Android Phone or tablet.
Play YouTube Videos in Background on Android Phone or Tablet
As you may have noticed, it is no longer possible to Play YouTube Videos in the background using the YouTube App on your Android Phone or Tablet.
The option to play YouTube Videos has been disabled in the free version of YouTube App and is only available with YouTube Red which is a paid/subscription version of YouTube.
However, it is still possible to Play YouTube Videos in Background and we are providing below 3 different methods to Play YouTube videos in background on Android Phone or tablet.
- Using Chrome or Firefox Browser
- Using Free Music For YouTube App
- Using YouTube Red Service
Note: For methods 1 and 2 to work, you need to enable notifications for Chrome, Firefox or Opera browser.
Play YouTube Videos in Background Using Chrome or Firefox Browser
The easiest way to play YouTube videos in background is to make use of either Chrome or Firefox browser.
1. Open Google Chrome or Firefox browser on your Android Phone or tablet
2. Visit youtube.com and open the video that you wish to play in the background.
Note: In case you are being redirected to YouTube App follow the steps as listed under heading “Being Redirected to YouTube App”
3. Next, tap on the 3-dot menu icon and from the drop-down menu tap on Request Desktop Site.
4. Once the webpage reloads in its desktop version, play the video and exit the browser as soon as the Video starts playing (Do not force quit)
Note: If the video does not play for a long time, then skip to the middle of the video and once the video starts playing you can go back to the start.
5. Next, slide your finger down from the top of the screen to open Notification Center and then tap on the Play button (See image below).
You will see the YouTube Video playing in the background on your Android Phone. In-fact, you can even have the Video playing while your screen is turned off.
Being Redirected to YouTube
Follow the steps below, in case you are always being redirected to YouTube App while trying to access youtube.com website on your Android Phone or Tablet.
This is happening because your Android Phone is setup to always open YouTube as an App and not as youtube.com.
1. Tap on Settings on your Android Phone or Tablet.
2. On the Settings screen, tap on Apps (or Applications)
Note: On some phones, you may have to tap on Application Manager or Installed Apps to see the list of downloaded apps.
3. On the Apps screen, tap on YouTube
Note: In case the YouTube app is missing, try tapping on the Installed (or Downloaded) tab.
4. On the YouTube App screen, tap on Clear Defaults option located under Set as Defaults (or Launch as Defaults) heading.
After this, follow the steps to Play YouTube Videos in Background using Chrome or Firefox browser.
Play YouTube Videos in Background Using Free Music For YouTube App
The second method involves using an app called Free Music for YouTube which is available for free on the Google Play Store.
This app allows users to watch and listen to YouTube Videos in background while using other apps at the same time.
The Free Music For YouTube app is similar to Picture in Picture Mode for iPads, which also allows you to watch YouTube Videos in Background while using others apps at the same time.
1. Visit the Google Play Store and download Free Music For YouTube app on your Android Phone or Tablet (See image below)
2. After the App is downloaded, Open the app on your Android Phone or Tablet and search for the YouTube Video that you would like to play in the background.
3. From the list of results, tap on the video that you want to play and wait for the video to open in a small pop-up window.
Now with the YouTube Video playing, you can open any other App on your Phone and the Video will continue to play in the background.
However, the downside of using this App is that videos playing in background are displayed in a small hovering window. Closing this hovering window stops the video from playing in the background.
Play YouTube Videos in Background Using YouTube Red
As mentioned above, YouTube’s subscription service known as YouTube Red allows users to play YouTube Videos in Background on Android Phone, while simultaneously using other apps and also when the screen of the device is switched off.
YouTube Red also allows its users to download videos for offline use and also features Ad Free videos for a cost of $9.99/month.
You can try YouTube Red for Free by signing up for its free trial available at this link.
After signing up for the free trial of YouTube Red, you can start playing YouTube Videos in Background on your Android Phone or Tablet, without using any third party apps.