Hey there! Do you ever get frustrated when listening to YouTube videos on your iPhone and the audio suddenly stops when you switch to send a text or check email? Yeah, pretty annoying.
The default YouTube app doesn‘t allow playing media in the background like the Music or Podcasts apps do. But workarounds exist to get uninterrupted playback while multitasking.
In this guide, I’ll showcase several methods to seamlessly keep listening to YouTube music, podcasts, lectures and more while using other iPhone apps. Ready to finally achieve background bliss? Let’s get started!
Why Listen to YouTube Audio in the Background Anyway?
Before jumping into the step-by-step how-to, you may be wondering — why enable background audio playback in the first place?
Well, a few great reasons:
- Listen to curated music playlists, albums, and music videos hands-free
- Multitask while streaming long YouTube podcast episodes
- Keep watching tutorial or class videos while taking notes in another app
- Conserve battery life by only playing audio and turning off the screen
The ability to play media audio in the background is a staple feature on iOS. Apps like Music, Podcasts, Audible, and third-party options like Spotify offer this capability.
Unfortunately, the native YouTube app falls short here…
Why the Default iPhone YouTube App Lacks Background Playback
You‘ve likely experienced this limitation first-hand. Start playing any YouTube video on your iPhone and then press the home button or switch to another app. Poof! The audio abruptly stops.
This occurs because the native iOS YouTube app doesn‘t enable audio playback unless the app remains open and in the foreground. Think of it like a web browser — if you click away, the video stops.
YouTube likely implements this limitation to encourage upgrading to its Premium paid subscription (more details in a bit). But thankfully workarounds exist to reclaim background listening for free.
Now let‘s dive into step-by-step guides for each method…
Method 1: Upgrade to YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium provides official background play with other bonuses too.
One straightforward option for enjoying YouTube audio in the background is upgrading to a Premium paid subscription. This removes ads, offers offline viewing, and also enables seamless background playback.
Here’s an overview of what you get alongside behind-the-scenes listening:
| YouTube Premium Features | Monthly Price |
|---|---|
| Ad-Free Video Watching | $11.99 |
| Video & Music Downloads for Offline Access | |
| Uninterrupted Background Audio Playback | |
| Commercial-Free YouTube Music Streaming |
For $11.99 per month, Premium provides quite the value bundle. Let‘s walk through getting it set up:
Step 1: Navigate to the YouTube Premium signup page on your iPhone’s web browser. Tap through if you’re redirected to the mobile YouTube app.
Step 2: Select the level of membership you want. The individual plan works for most people.
Step 3: Input your payment method and Google account credentials. Voila! You’re now a full-fledged Premium subscriber.
Once upgraded, background audio and ad-free viewing work systemwide by default.
Pretty straightforward right? Although if paying a monthly fee doesn‘t suit your fancy, some alternative workarounds exist too…
Method 2: Use the iPhone Safari Browser Workaround
Tap the "Request Desktop Site" option to use this handy workaround.
This clever workaround leverages the iPhone’s Safari web browser to deliver background YouTube playback without a Premium account.
See, mobile and desktop sites often differ in functionality. Requesting the desktop version on Safari unlocks additional options unavailable in the standard mobile interface — like keeping media playing as you switch browser tabs or apps.
Let’s enable it:
Step 1: Open Safari on your iPhone and navigate to YouTube.com
Step 2: Tap the “aA” button next to the address bar and select Request Desktop Website
This loads the desktop site, complete with YouTube‘s massive video library.
Step 3: Tap a video to start playback per usual
Step 4: Press your iPhone‘s home button or swipe to another app
The audio keeps playing uninterrupted! Feel free to lock your phone too and control playback via the lock screen.
Of course, a limitation here is that only audio works in the background. Video playback gets cut off since desktop sites don‘t fully support mobile browsers.
But for music playlists or podcast listening, it gets the job done without paying!
Up next, a third free option…
Method 3: Cast to External Speakers via AirPlay
Stream audio to devices like Apple TV for ad-free background listening.
In addition to the Safari method, you can also stream YouTube audio in the background via AirPlay. This wirelessly beams content from your iPhone to compatible speakers, smart TVs, and other media devices.
For example, connect to an Apple TV or HomePod in another room to keep listening as you move about the house. Steps below:
Step 1: Start playing any YouTube video in the default iOS app or Safari browser
Step 2: Tap the AirPlay icon (box with downward triangle)
Step 3: Select the device to stream to from the menu
Step 4: Accept any pairing prompts on the receiving device
That‘s it! The iPhone now streams your YouTube audio to the external hardware. So feel free to lock your phone, close all apps, or walk away while the music plays.
Just take note that only audio transmits; you won‘t see accompanying video on the destination display.
The benefit is leveraging potentially higher quality speakers all while multitasking on your iPhone. Yet bandwidth requirements may also introduce minor lag or buffering. But an excellent free option nonetheless!
So in summary…
- YouTube Premium: Paid account option with bonuses
- Safari Workaround: Free but video-only method
- AirPlay Streaming: Free audio-only background listening
Now time for an FAQ lightning round!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are answers to several common background audio questions:
How many people actively use YouTube?
Over 2 billion monthly users! That‘s almost 30% of the internet population. YouTube sees over 1 billion hours watched daily.
What‘s the difference between streaming and downloading?
Streaming plays media from remote servers on-demand. It requires a steady internet connection and entails slight lag. Downloading transfers full media files locally allowing ad-free, offline playback.
Is background listening legal on YouTube?
YouTube specifically prohibits downloading and reusing content without permission thanks to copyright law. But personal streaming-only background listening falls within bounds. Just don‘t re-record or redistribute.
I hope this guide covered everything you need to finally play YouTube audio in the sweet, sweet background on your iPhone! Let me know if any other questions come up.
