Playing YouTube videos in the background without a premium subscription can be a handy feature for many Android users. While the official YouTube app doesn’t allow this functionality, there are a few workarounds you can try to achieve it. One popular method involves using the Google Chrome browser on your Android device. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you play YouTube videos in the background without a premium subscription:
1. Open the Google Chrome browser on your Android device. If you don’t have it installed, you can download it from the Play Store.
2. Once you have Chrome open, navigate to the YouTube website by entering “youtube.com” in the address bar and tapping the Go button.
3. After the YouTube page loads, you’ll notice that the mobile version of the site is displayed. To switch to the desktop version, tap on the vertical three-dot icon located in the top-right corner of the Chrome browser.
4. From the dropdown menu that appears, select the “Desktop site” option. This will refresh the page, and you’ll now see the desktop version of YouTube.
5. Now, you can search for any video you want to play in the background. Enter your desired search term in the search bar at the top of the YouTube page and tap the magnifying glass icon or hit the Enter key.
6. Once you find the video you want to play, tap on it to open the video page. You’ll notice that the video will start playing automatically.
7. Now, here comes the trick to playing the video in the background. Simply press the home button on your Android device, and you’ll be taken back to the home screen while the video keeps playing in the background.
8. To control the playback, you can use the media controls in the notification panel or the lock screen. You can pause, play, skip, or adjust the volume without having to return to the YouTube app or the Chrome browser.
That’s it! You have successfully played a YouTube video in the background without needing a premium subscription. Enjoy listening to your favorite music, podcasts, or any other content while multitasking on your Android device.
It’s worth mentioning that this method relies on the desktop version of YouTube, which may not offer the same user experience as the mobile app. Additionally, Google could make changes to their website that might affect the functionality of playing videos in the background using this method.