How to Keep Listening to YouTube in the Background or With iPhone Locked

[gaximus]

Probably because Google is an extremely scummy corporation

The question was not Why do they do this? but Why are they allowed to do this? as in this should be an Apple choice, not a YouTube Choice.

My answer would be:
YouTube: We want to block users from listening to audio and video in the background in our app.
Apple: No, that goes against our API, and make the user experience worse for our users. If you want to be on our platform you need to abide by our rules, and not hurt our users. We care about our users.
YouTube: We were going to charge a lot for that feature, and you'd get 30%.
Apple: We'll change the API.

 

[Ateam043]

or just download the Brave browser to basically get YouTube premium for free to also block the ads.

 

[coolfactor]

It's just wrong that YouTube refuses to support PiP mode.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

This doesn't always work though.

God I cannot wait for sideloading. Guarantee one of the first things people are gonna do once sideloading finally arrives is port Youtube Vanced to iOS.

 

[Ethosik]

While not everyone can or wants to afford YouTube Premium, I think it’s worth it for ad-free and background play/picture-in-picture and YouTube Music. I just wish that Premium users weren’t still subject to YouTube’s engagement-maximization algorithms, since YouTube shouldn’t care as long as you pay.

Yep. YouTube accounts for about 80% of my entertainment so I’m more than willing to pay for premium just for having no ads. This is also why I will never watch cable again by choice. I hate commercials. Even the Superbowl ones.

 

[coolfactor]

I can easily do this with the app....

1. Play your video in the app
2. swipe up to go in to PIP
3. swipe down to access Notification Center video pauses. just press play on the NC media widget
4. Lock your phone and audio continues to play

How do you get YouTube to play in PiP mode? I've got a paid subscription, and only audio will play outside the app.

 

[Ethosik]

This doesn't always work though.

God I cannot wait for sideloading. Guarantee one of the first things people are gonna do once sideloading finally arrives is port Youtube Vanced to iOS.

As someone against side loading, this would be beneficial. I have no idea why YouTube decides to have background play, queues, etc behind a paywall.

 

[scheming]

I like this and don't have to click so much:

‎PiPifier

‎PiPifier is an Action extension for Safari that lets you use every HTML5 (thats about every web video on iOS) video in Picture in Picture mode. If you have an HTML5 video playing on any website like Youtube just press PiPifier in Safari's Webtools Menu to enable Picture-In-Picture for this video.…

apps.apple.com

And combine this with AdGuard to block ads and you're golden.

Alternatively, Brave browser's playlist feature is decent.

 

[karranz]

Or you could pay for premium which includes music, very important for Madrid supporters that don’t to have Spotify.

 

[JoeShades]

Any way to have you tube play in background on Apple Tv?

 

[StellarVixen]

Youtube blocking this in 3… 2… 1…

It’s been working for years now, but their mobile site is not as smooth and pleasant to use as their app.

 

[bigjnyc]

How do you get YouTube to play in PiP mode? I've got a paid subscription, and only audio will play outside the app.

I have the option to turn it on in general settings. I don’t even have premium

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

As someone against side loading, this would be beneficial. I have no idea why YouTube decides to have background play, queues, etc behind a paywall.

If I had to guess, I'd say music industry crap. Maybe they gotta pay royalties to have music hosted on Youtube

But then again it's become clear Youtube is just not profitable for Google. We already found out through reports that Google has been suffering net losses with Youtube, ever since #Elsagate when most advertisers pulled out.

YouTube Creators Say Video Revenue Down Up To 90%: ‘Something Is Definitely Off’

“It completely dropped,” says Hessel Broekstra, speaking about his YouTube ad revenue. “To get into numbers, I was hitting $100 days and it dropped down to like $6 days. So that is over 90% decrease, which is crazy.”

www.forbes.com

It would make sense why the moderation team is mostly ran by bots since they just cannot hire people due to how much money they're losing on Youtube each year.

 

[rgeneral]

Used vinegar. Strips AD and give you background music.

 

[iSayuSay]

While not everyone can or wants to afford YouTube Premium, I think it’s worth it for ad-free and background play/picture-in-picture and YouTube Music. I just wish that Premium users weren’t still subject to YouTube’s engagement-maximization algorithms, since YouTube shouldn’t care as long as you pay.

Problem is I already have Apple Music, so paying YT Premium that includes YT Music is redundant and waste of $$$. I love YT Premium, but dont want YT Music.

And no in my region there’s no Premium Lite, so if you want ad-free YT you also need to pay for YT Music.

 

[1applerules1]

Or you can do the not peasant thing and just pay for no ads, and background listening.

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

£1.34 for Premium coz I don’t live in the UK according to Google now

 

[Nikojas]

£1.34 for Premium coz I don’t live in the UK according to Google now

Where do you ” live “ now for that price?!

 

[MarkNewton2023]

While not everyone can or wants to afford YouTube Premium, I think it’s worth it for ad-free and background play/picture-in-picture and YouTube Music. I just wish that Premium users weren’t still subject to YouTube’s engagement-maximization algorithms, since YouTube shouldn’t care as long as you pay.

Absolutely true. YouTube premium is absolutely worth it for ad free. Our family does not like advertising interruptions during our movie/tv show watch on TV and other devices. Ad free feature is absolutely welcomed despite having to pay a bit in YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, etc. Keep calm and be happy with ad free feature on streaming services! 😊 Life is too short to be unhappy and not enjoying it!

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

Where do you ” live “ now for that price?!

Pakistan

 

[aries81]

Brilliant, now I can listen to the ads too!


Seriously but, I reckon this will soon face the axe as well.

 

[patjem]

These are the tips I would love to see more here! Refreshing.

 

[klasma]

Problem is I already have Apple Music, so paying YT Premium that includes YT Music is redundant and waste of $$$. I love YT Premium, but dont want YT Music.

The great thing about YouTube Music is that it includes music uploads by users, meaning you’re not limited to whatever the streaming service has or has not acquired from music labels. You get rare versions and recordings you won’t get on any other streaming service. To each their own, of course, but Apple Music is of no interest to me, even if it had decent player software.

 

[Belvoire]

Why does Apple actually tolerate iOS features being sold by developers for money?

 

[CyberGene]

Thanks for the Vinegar (and the Baking Soda companion app) suggestion! Works like a charm.