One of the Easiest Ways To Play YouTube in the Background on Android Is Going Away

It's why Google Maps and Waze are so popular, with the battle in the media category also getting fiercer. Spotify is often the top choice, but users have many more options to choose from, including Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, and others.

YouTube Music is Google's recommended solution for Android and Android Auto. It's the successor to Google Play Music, an unexpectedly popular pick for Android Auto users.

However, it's not a secret that many users don't use YouTube Music but stick with listening to their favorite tunes on YouTube. Most content available on YouTube Music is also live on the full YouTube version, and for drivers, the difference between the two is less important as long as they can listen to their favorite tunes.

YouTube also comes with major benefits over YouTube Music. For example, I'm a big fan of electronic music, and some of my favorite mixes for world-class DJs are only available on YouTube. As a result, whenever I want to listen to a recent mix, my only option is to load the YouTube app on my phone (because Android Auto and CarPlay versions are not available). I can then listen to the same content on CarPlay through the wireless connection to the infotainment system.

It's also the main reason I purchased YouTube Premium. While YouTube Music comes as an extra benefit, being able to play YouTube in the background was the main selling point for me.

It's no secret that many people turned to various tricks to run YouTube in the background without paying for a subscription. Getting the full package in exchange for a monthly fee is more convenient, and considering Google's struggle to spam non-paying users with ads, buying YouTube Premium makes sense. However, if you owned a Xiaomi phone, you could do this without turning to third-party hacks, as the Chinese tech giant offered a way to listen to YouTube in the background pre-loaded with the mobile device.

It was called "Play video sound with screen off," and it was available on most Xiaomi phones running MIUI 12 and later.

This option is now going away.

Xiaomi has quietly announced that the company will remove the feature from HyperOS, MIUI 14, MIUI 13, and MIUI 12 devices in the next batch of updates. You can already guess the reason. Xiaomi blames "compliance requirements" for the removal of this popular feature.

The company doesn't share more specifics, but Google might have requested Xiaomi to remove the feature. YouTube Premium is a money-making machine for the search giant, and Xiaomi offering a way to get a premium benefit, which customers otherwise must pay for, doesn't' sit well with Google. The Mountain View-based search company did not comment on Xiaomi's recent announcement.

With the Chinese tech behemoth pulling this super-popular feature, users who want to play YouTube in the background, no matter if they want to listen to their favorite tunes on Android Auto or like to keep a podcast running when they work out, will have to purchase YouTube Premium.

Of course, other free alternatives are still available, and it shouldn't be too difficult to find them if you know where to look. You can also block updates if you want Xiaomi's feature by all means, but running old software is a bad idea from a feature and security perspective. You will eventually miss out on everything that Xiaomi ships to its devices, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Google implementing its own block to prevent Xiaomi users from playing YouTube with the screen turned off.

YouTube on Android Auto

And since we're here, if you're looking for ways to enable YouTube on Android Auto, you can still do this using the methods that have been available for several years already.

Google has no intention of bringing a YouTube client to Android Auto, which makes no sense, considering that users can already watch videos on the infotainment system using various methods. Furthermore, YouTube is already available on Android Automotive, Google's embedded operating system, which is often considered an upgraded version of Android Auto. Android Automotive doesn't require a mobile device to run, as it must be installed from the factory by the car manufacturer.

While YouTube remains banned on Android Auto and CarPlay, YouTube Music is already available everywhere. With a subscription, YouTube Music provides access to millions of tracks, allowing users to listen to their tunes in the background and while driving.

The competition in this space is getting fiercer, especially as rivals Spotify and Apple are also betting big on competing products available everywhere, including the car with Android Auto and CarPlay, where the media app category keeps gaining ground.