YouTube has blocked background playback for users who are not subscribed to YouTube Premium, including users who previously accessed the feature through mobile web browsers. The platform removed a common workaround that allowed videos to keep playing while the browser was minimized or the phone screen was locked.
Background play no longer works in mobile browsers
YouTube’s background play stopped working on several third party mobile browsers, including Brave, Samsung Internet, Vivaldi and Microsoft Edge. Users began noticing the change in late January and early February, with audio cutting off shortly after switching apps or locking their screens.
YouTube confirmed this change and said that background playback is intended as a Premium feature and that the company “updated the experience” to reflect that policy across platforms.
Background play has long been a key reason people pay for Premium, especially for viewers who use YouTube for music, podcasts or long-form videos. In the YouTube app, background playback is already restricted for free users. However, browser workarounds created a gap that allowed some users to achieve similar behavior without paying.
Pushing to subscribe to Premium
Online discussion picked up quickly once the workaround stopped working. Some users said they relied on background playback for everyday listening. Others described looking for different browsers or tools, but reports suggest the restriction is being enforced broadly.
“Background playback is a feature intended to be exclusive for YouTube Premium members. While some non-Premium users may have previously been able to access this through mobile web browsers in certain scenarios, we have updated the experience to ensure consistency across all our platforms,” a Google spokesperson told Android Authority.