Why is my Android YouTube app not playing in the background?

YouTube is one of the most popular video apps, allowing users to watch, share, and engage with videos on their mobile devices. The YouTube app for Android comes with useful functionality like the ability to play videos in the background while using other apps or when the screen is locked.

A common issue many Android users face is the YouTube app suddenly not playing videos in the background. When you exit the app or lock your phone, the audio stops playing. This can be frustrating if you regularly listen to videos or music in the background.

There are a few main reasons why YouTube may stop background play on Android devices. This includes restrictions by the app, system-level settings, issues with improper app closing, outdated app versions, and other technical problems. Understanding the root causes can help troubleshoot and resolve the background play problems.

Android App Restrictions

Android apps have background restrictions intended to preserve battery life and performance. Starting in Android 8.0 (Oreo), Google has imposed limits on what apps can do while running in the background (https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/background).

Apps are restricted from running background services when the app is idle. This does not apply to foreground services that the user is actively using. The restrictions allow the system to manage resources more efficiently and improve battery life by limiting background processing (https://medium.com/its-tinkoff/android-background-restrictions-b63e73fe508).

Additional restrictions in Android 10 and higher restrict when activities can be launched from the background. Apps must follow stricter rules to start activities when the app is not in the foreground. This also helps conserve system resources and battery (https://developer.android.com/guide/components/activities/background-starts).

YouTube App Settings

The YouTube app includes settings that allow users to enable or disable background playback. To access these settings on Android:

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner.
3. Select “Settings” from the menu.
4. Tap on “Background & downloads.”
5. Toggle the switch next to “Background play” on or off to enable or disable background playback.

If background playback is enabled in the YouTube app settings but still not working, there may be other factors at play. The YouTube app may require being updated to the latest version for background playback to function properly (1). Restrictions at the system or account level could also override the app settings and prevent videos from playing in the background.

System-Level Restrictions

Android operating systems impose certain restrictions on apps running in the background to optimize battery life. Beginning with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google introduced a feature called Doze mode that restricts background app activity when the device is unused for long periods. When in Doze mode, apps cannot access the network and their background processes are suspended.

In Android 9 Pie, background activity limits were expanded through Battery Optimization. Battery Optimization allows you to control which apps can run in the background. Apps not allowed to run in the background will be suspended when you are not actively using the device. You can configure Battery Optimization settings by going to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > Special App Access > Battery Optimization. Here you can choose which apps are “Not Optimized” and allowed full background access.

The YouTube app may have its background activity restricted on your device through Doze mode or Battery Optimization. Check your Battery Optimization settings and make sure the YouTube app is set to “Not Optimized” if you want it to play media in the background.

App Not Properly Closed

One potential cause of the YouTube app not playing audio in the background is if the app was not properly closed or suspended when you switched to another app. Android is designed to suspend apps running in the background to preserve battery life. However, sometimes an app does not fully close and continues running processes in the background.

When an app is not properly suspended, it can prevent features like background audio playback from working properly. This seems to especially be an issue with the YouTube app according to some user reports (source). If the YouTube app continues running in the background, it may interfere with the audio playback functionality.

To fix this, try fully closing out of the YouTube app by swiping it away from the recent apps list. Then reopen the app and try background audio again. Ensuring the app is fully suspended allows the background audio feature to work correctly in most cases.

Outdated App Version

One potential cause is having an outdated version of the YouTube app that lacks background playback support. Older versions of the Android YouTube app did not allow videos to play in the background.

According to this Digital Trends article, background playback first became available in version 12.49.56 of the YouTube app released in late 2018. Any version before this will not support background video playback.

To resolve this, check your YouTube app version in the Play Store and update it to the latest available. The newest versions of the YouTube app contain full background audio and video support.

Alternate Apps

There are some third party YouTube apps that allow background play, which can be used as an alternative to the official YouTube app if you want this functionality. Some popular options include:

YouTube Vanced – This modified version of the YouTube app has background play enabled. It also removes ads and provides other customizations. However, since development on Vanced has been discontinued, it can be hard to find a safe download source.

Newpipe – An open source YouTube client that supports background play and ad-free viewing. However, it lacks some official YouTube features like comments and subscriptions.

Firefox browser with extensions – Using Firefox with extensions like Video Background Play Fix allows background play for YouTube in the browser. This works across platforms but provides a more limited experience compared to a dedicated app.

Overall, third party apps provide background play at the cost of missing out on some official YouTube features. They also come with risks around security, privacy and stability since they are not officially supported. It’s a trade-off that users have to evaluate for themselves.

Other Technical Issues

Sometimes the YouTube app may experience software bugs that prevent videos from playing in the background properly. Users on Reddit have reported bugs where background playback works for one specific video due to a glitch but stops working for other videos (source). Restarting the app or device may help resolve temporary bugs like these.

Additionally, Google account restrictions can affect background playback abilities. Make sure background playback is enabled for your account, and check that your YouTube Premium membership hasn’t expired if you’re relying on that for background playback (source). Sometimes re-authenticating your account in the YouTube app settings can help resolve account issues.

Workarounds

There are a few workarounds that allow you to play YouTube videos in the background on Android without upgrading to YouTube Premium:

Picture-in-picture (PiP) mode – Enter PiP mode by tapping the home button while a video is playing. The video will shrink and float over other apps, continuing playback. Not all Android devices support PiP mode.

Maximize the video before backgrounding – Expand the video to fullscreen before pressing the home button. In some cases, the audio may continue playing after backgrounding the app this way.

Use a third-party app – Apps like NewPipe and Vanced offer background playback on YouTube videos without ads or paid subscriptions. However, these violate YouTube’s terms of service.

Upgrade to YouTube Premium – Paying for Premium unlocks background playback officially on mobile. But this isn’t viable for all users.

Trying the above tips may allow background audio on YouTube without paying. But functionality could change with future app updates.

Conclusion

There are several potential reasons why the YouTube app may not continue playing audio in the background on an Android device. The most common reasons are:

• App settings or permissions not enabling background play
• Device battery or data saving features limiting background activity
• The app not being properly closed so it can’t release resources
• An outdated version of the YouTube app that lacks full features
• Issues with the app itself or conflicts with other apps

To resolve this, start by checking the app’s settings and enabling ‘Background play.’ Also check for any system-level battery or data saver restrictions interfering with the app’s functionality. Make sure the app is fully closed via the recents menu when exiting. Update to the latest app version for full capability. As a workaround, consider using a capable third party YouTube app as an alternative. If issues persist across multiple apps, there may be a deeper system-level conflict to troubleshoot.