"Apart from being inclined to stream tracks from popular music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, I am also an enthusiast of YouTube Music. I am now wondering how to play YouTube Music in the background so I can still use my device to access other sites. Is this possible? If so, how can I do it?"
We can’t deny the fact that the popularity of music streaming has given birth to the existence of music streaming platforms. Among the many popular ones are Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. But as most are aware, YouTube Music is also a top candidate in the industry. Aside from offering video content, which is what YouTube has been known for so long, it now has music content as well. Thus, many users are now also using YouTube more.
This article’s main topic would be how to play YouTube Music in the background. As with other sites and platforms, people are probably wondering if there is a way to still access and listen to YouTube Music while using other applications on a device such as messaging, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
If you have been a curious bee and are eager to find out how to play YouTube music in the background, that’s what we will be sharing with you here. Let’s begin!
Contents Guide Part 1: How to Play YouTube Music in the Background [With a YouTube Premium Account]Part 2: How to Play YouTube Music in the Background [Without a YouTube Premium Account]Part 3: Other Methods of Playing YouTube Music in the BackgroundPart 4: Additional Tip: A Tool to Save Spotify Songs ForeverPart 5: Summary
Part 1: How to Play YouTube Music in the Background [With a YouTube Premium Account]
Actually, the best way to play YouTube Music in the background is to get a YouTube Premium plan. The platform currently offers three paid plans that are priced differently depending on their unique features. There is a "Student plan" that would cost 6.99 USD per month, an "Individual plan" that’s priced at 11.99 USD per month, and a "Family plan" that’s at 17.99 USD.
By subscribing to any of these, one would enjoy an ad-free and uninterrupted music and content streaming experience. Access to YouTube Music is already free when using a YouTube Premium account.
The great thing that makes YouTube Music so popular is that one has the ability to listen to tracks even when the app isn’t active or when a phone’s screen is turned off. Just take note that the YouTube Music app is different from the main YouTube app. YouTube Music is solely limited to providing you with music contents and, thus, can’t play other videos.
Upon subscribing to a YouTube Premium account, you may now go ahead and follow the below steps on how to play YouTube Music in the background.
Step #1. Open the YouTube Music app and Start Listening to Songs
As previously mentioned, there is another app that would let you access YouTube Music’s content. Open your YouTube Music app (upon installing it and logging into your account). Utilize the “Search” function that is at the top-right area of the screen to look for the specific music that you’d want to listen to. From the results presented, tap the track to begin playing it.
Step #2. You Can Also Switch to “Audio Only” Option
Though optional, you may also choose to switch to the "Audio Only" menu. To do it, you can just tap anywhere on the window while playing the content and then press the "Audio" button on the screen. This will not let you switch to the audio-only mode, which would stop the app from showing the video.
Step #3. Start Playing YouTube Music in the Background
To cap off the process of how to play YouTube Music in the background, you may now minimize the YouTube Music app and just listen to the chosen track. You are free to use your device normally, as you used to, or have its screen turned off.
Part 2: How to Play YouTube Music in the Background [Without a YouTube Premium Account]
If you are not too keen to pay a monthly subscription fee for a YouTube Premium account, you are probably thinking of other methods of how to play YouTube Music in the background. Of course, there are always workarounds available that we can resort to. We will be highlighting a method here that you can apply when using your Android mobile device or an iPhone.
On an iPhone
Step #1. On your iPhone’s Safari, go to YouTube’s official website. You have to type in the URL of the platform so the app won’t show up. In case asked if you’d like to open the app, you just have to decline. Use the conventional method of looking for the specific content that you’d like to listen to in the background and start streaming it by tapping the “Play” menu.
Step #2. Try to open a new tab to see if the content will still continue playing. You will notice that it would!
Step #3. Move to the home screen by either tapping the “Home” menu or swiping up. Now, you may start using your iPhone as you normally do or even turn off the screen. The selected YouTube Music content will still continue playing in the background.
On an Android Mobile Device
When using an Android mobile device, there is just a slight difference in how to play YouTube Music in the background without a premium account. Presented below are the steps for your easy reference.
Step #1. Open the Google Chrome app on your Android mobile device and then go to YouTube’s official website. Press the “More” option from the top area (corner) of the screen. From the menu that would appear, the “Desktop site” box must be checked.
Step #2. At the top, there is a search bar that you can use to locate the specific YouTube Music content that you want to listen to.
Step #3. Once the content starts playing, go back to your Android device’s home screen. You have to pull down the “Notification bar” by swiping down from the top of the screen. The “Play” button must be pressed to let YouTube Music play in the background using your gadget.
Part 3: Other Methods of Playing YouTube Music in the Background
Aside from learning about YouTube’s Premium subscription plans, which is the best way of how to play YouTube Music in the background, as well as accessing content on devices via browsers, there are still a few other options that would let you listen to YouTube Music in the background. Listed below are some programs that you can use on your Android mobile phone. Just keep reading if you’re interested in them.
#1. VLC Media Player for Android
One of the most flexible and versatile apps of all is VLC. Many users were even delighted when it was made available on the Google Play Store. To use it, just install it on your mobile phone and then launch your YouTube app. Look for the specific content that you’d want to listen to and keep it playing in the background. Press the "More" option, and from the list, choose "Play in VLC".
#2. Minimize Play in Background
This is an app that has a “Minimized player” mode that would let you listen to YouTube content via a small window that can stay at the bottom of your phone’s screen. Because of this, you would be able to still use your device to perform or access other functions.
#3. Background Player for YouTube Vanced Minimizer
Apart from the first two apps, this one’s another app that could also let you listen to YouTube content in the background. This is also available on Google Play Store. This somehow works the same way as the previous app mentioned since a floating window for YouTube will be shown at the bottom of the screen while you use your Android mobile device for other purposes.
There is, of course, a possibility of seeing a lot more other apps that can help you with the process of how to play YouTube music in the background once you go over and search through the web. Additionally, there are even tools that let you download online YouTube videos to enjoy as you like.
Part 4: Additional Tip: A Tool to Save Spotify Songs Forever
Apart from YouTube Music, if you have been an enthusiast of Spotify streaming as well, you are probably wondering how it would be possible to keep your favorites forever accessible even without an active subscription plan. In this case, given that Spotify songs are protected by DRM, it would be good to rely on professional tools that can aid in getting the tracks unlocked and freed. You might want to consider using the Spotify Music Unlocker.
Spotify Music Unlocker is an app that can get rid of Spotify songs’ DRM protection and even help with their conversion to common formats like MP3, FLAC, WAV, and M4A. It even does lossless conversion, which will help assure you of high-quality output files. Moreover, it has an interface that’s simple enough to make it seamless to use.
If you’re looking for such a tool, Spotify Music Unlocker is a great one to consider.
Part 5: Summary
With regards to the process of how to play YouTube Music in the background, the most suggested method would be to get a premium YouTube plan to avoid any interruptions while streaming contents. One can also resort to using browsers if paying for a premium plan is "out of the budget".
Moreover, there are even some other tools that can be installed and utilized to ace the procedure. Some of the most commonly used ones were also presented in this article for your easy reference.
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Written By Rosie
Last updated: 2023-08-02