YouTube is an essential app for iPhone users looking to watch video content, listen to music mixes, or even fall asleep to ASMR. However, unlike dedicated streaming apps, YouTube lacks native support for background play. The audio stops whenever you lock your screen or switch to another iPhone app.
This limitation is frustrating when you want to multitask or conserve battery life while enjoying YouTube. Who wants to drain their battery keeping a video front and center? Although Apple has tightened background restrictions over the years, there are still a few tricky methods to enable continuous playback.
As a technology consultant specialized in iOS and macOS, I‘ve helped dozens of clients configure background audio for YouTube. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll compare four advanced techniques using a technical expert lens:
- Get a YouTube Premium Subscription
- Cast to Devices with AirPlay
- Use Safari‘s Desktop Site Mode
- Download Videos for Offline Playback
I‘ll also troubleshoot common issues and provide iPhone power user tips for customizing your setup. By the end, listening to your favorite YouTube DJ set, ASMR track, or meme compilation while texting or gaming will be seamless. Let‘s get started!
The Craft of Background Audio on iPhones
Before diving into configurations, it helps to understand YouTube‘s infrastructure and how Apple grants background access.
YouTube relies on Google Cloud servers to stream billions of hours of content globally each day. Video gets encoded into multiple quality streams like 480p or 1080p. Audio and video comprise separate streams so playback devices only fetch the assets needed.
iPhones use system services like AVFoundation to allocate resources for media playback. By default, apps must remain open to keep accessing these avenues. However, Apple provides background modes that give special access even when minimized. Apps must request entitlement and justify the reason, usually based on the app‘s core functionality.
For example, Music app gets uninterrupted background audio access since music playback remains essential even in the background. In contrast, YouTube‘s main function is video, so they don‘t qualify for the same exemptions.
Over the last few iOS versions, Apple has grown increasingly stringent about closing background loopholes. For instance, version 14.5 removed the ability to play YouTube audio via AirPlay in the background. As a result, successfully keeping YouTube going requires clever configurations.
Method #1: Subscribe to YouTube Premium
The most straight-forward option is paying for a YouTube Premium subscription, which unlocks background play on mobile and ad-free viewing. Here are the step-by-step instructions to set it up:
- Open the YouTube app on your iPhone.
- Tap on your profile picture in the top right.
- Choose the "YouTube Premium" option.
- Select one of the paid monthly plans.
- Enter your payment method details.
- Confirm the transaction when prompted.
Once your purchase goes through, background audio will automatically work. To test it:
- Open a YouTube video as usual.
- Double tap the Home button to switch apps.
- Notice how the audio persists in the background.
- Even locking your screen should not interrupt playback.
The secret sauce here is YouTube servers automatically detect Premium status and keep streaming audio to devices seamlessly, even when minimized.
YouTube Premium costs $11.99 per month in the United States. For avid YouTube viewers, going ad-free while gaining offline and background perks is worthwhile. If interested solely in background music, however, cheaper alternatives exist without subscriptions.
Method #2: Cast Audio to External Devices via AirPlay
AirPlay is an Apple protocol that streams media from iOS devices to compatible displays, speakers, and receivers. One lesser known benefit is triggering background audio from apps lacking native support.
Because AirPlay hijacks the system audio, media continues transmitting to the target device in a seamless fashion. To leverage this for YouTube:
- Start playing any video in the YouTube app as usual.
- In Control Center, long press the audio card to show available outputs.
- Under AirPlay, select a compatible speaker, TV, or accessory to initiate casting.
I recommend using AirPods since connecting is seamless. However, casting to any external hardware should enable background listening.
Once transmitting via AirPlay, feel free to lock your screen, close YouTube, or switch iPhone apps without halting audio. Control media playback from Control Center or Apple Watch to avoid distracting pauses.
Although effective, relying on AirPlay does come with some downsides:
- Need a secondary device like portable speaker or Apple TV
- Streaming quality depends on WiFi signal strength
- Latency can cause sync delays for long periods
- Excess battery drain streaming wirelessly
Still, for occasional background listening, AirPlay to AirPods works reliably without recurring fees.
Method #3: Leverage Safari‘s Desktop Mode
Savvy iOS users know Safari has a secret weapon for troubleshooting finicky mobile sites: desktop mode. By switching the user agent profile, web pages render the traditional desktop experience instead.
Believe it or not, this trick can also enable YouTube background playback thanks to quirks in how desktop sites handle audio. To take advantage:
- Open YouTube in Safari on your iPhone.
- Tap the "AA" button in the search bar to reveal options.
- Choose "Request Desktop Website" from the prompt.
- Start playing any video as desktop YouTube loads.
- Now lock your screen or switch iPhone apps.
- Use media controls in Control Center to manage playback.
Although Safari will no longer show the video actively, audio continues transmitting in a background state. I attribute this to how desktop sites have access to broader APIs and resources. Safari must mimic a desktop browser environment to sustain the stream.
The biggest perk here is avoiding any subscriptions or wireless accessories to enable background listening. However, since desktop mode is unofficial, Apple may patch this loophole unexpectedly in future iOS versions.
I only recommend this method as a convenient stopgap measure. Serious users should consider more supported options like YouTube Premiumlong term, especially since patches could abruptly break Safari background playback during an iOS update.
Method #4: Download YouTube Videos to Your Library
YouTube Premium opens the door to saving videos offline completely via the download button. This grants full background playback without relying on persistent internet connectivity.
Downloading videos is perfect for situations like flights or congested subways where streaming quality suffers. YouTube stores downloads securely in the cloud tied to your account. Here are the steps to save your favorite YouTube videos offline:
- Make sure you‘re subscribed to YouTube Premium.
- Tap the download button visible below any video thumbnail.
- Choose between "Audio Only" or "Video" quality.
- Navigate to the downloads tab in Library.
- Select your saved videos and tap the play button to start listening offline!
A huge advantage with downloads is listening completely data-free without draining iPhone battery streaming media. Audio continues gracefully across app switches and device locks thanks to direct local access.
However, downloading eats up precious storage space quickly at over 100MB per hour for 1080p video. Manage disk usage diligently by periodically removing old media. Otherwise, enjoy YouTube just like standalone music with no singing along gaps!
Troubleshooting: Why Isn‘t Background Play Working?
Despite carefully following the guides above, background playacting quirky is an unfortunate reality. Before panicking, rule out common misconfigurations:
- Confirm you have an active YouTube Premium subscription
- Check AirPlay successfully connected to another device
- Validate Safari enabled desktop site permissions
- Download progress reached 100% for saved videos
Additionally, examine system factors like WiFi strength, iPhone storage capacity, or possible app bugs corrupting audio permissions after iOS updates.
As a nuanced approach, I suggest methodically re-testing while modifying one variable at a time. Isolate root cause by tracking what hardware, software or configurations reliably trigger problems.
Frustratingly, lingering iOS restrictions give Apple tight control limiting background playback arbitrary, no matter what clever workarounds users discover. Submit feedback and feature requests directly to YouTube and Apple engineering teams for the best chance of more native, seamless support someday.
Bottom Line
Although full-fledged background listening lacks native iPhone integration, YouTube power users have options like Premium, AirPlay, and Safari‘s desktop mode to maintain audio continuity while multitasking. Each approach carries unique trade-offs between convenience, reliability, and expense for accessing YouTube‘s vast media library in the background. Choose the method aligning best with your usage patterns.
Hopefully these advanced setup tips help you DJ, game, or create hands-free without constant YouTube interruptions. Share any other clever configurations that worked for stretching iOS‘ background restrictions! Let‘s collectively chip away at annoying playback limits in pursuit of cord-free focus.
