Alex Ruben
How To Play YouTube Music in Background Mode
Listeners often want to keep the music going in the background while messing around on their phones or just doing other stuff. If you’ve got a YouTube Premium subscription, it’s pretty straightforward — you can pretty much play YouTube Music in the background without a hitch. But, yeah, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Maybe the music stops unexpectedly, or the background playback just doesn’t seem to work anymore. This guide is here to help tackle those annoyances so you can keep enjoying your favorite tunes seamlessly across both iOS and Android devices. You’ll get step-by-step on what needs tweaking and how to fix common hiccups.
How to Fix YouTube Music Background Playback Issues
Method 1: Confirm YouTube Premium Subscription & Settings
This one’s kinda obvious but worth double-checking. Background play is a Premium feature, so make sure your subscription is active and valid. If it’s expired or paused, the background playback will die on you.
- Head over to YouTube or YouTube Music app.
- Tap on your profile icon in the top right.
- Select Paid memberships — check that your subscription is current. Sometimes it lapses without noticing.
- Make sure in Settings / Background & downloads (inside the app), the toggle for Background play is set to Always on. In some cases, this setting is off or set only for Wi-Fi.
This prevents music from stopping when the app isn’t actively on your screen. It applies more on Android, but on iOS, you want to make sure Background App Refresh is enabled for YouTube Music.
Method 2: Check Permissions & Background App Refresh (Android & iOS)
Kind of weird, but permissions can mess with background playback. Especially on Android, if you’ve restricted app background activity, the music might get cut off.
- On Android:
– Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > YouTube Music > Permissions.
– Make sure everything needed for background activity is allowed, especially Overlay or Battery optimization.
– Also, check Settings > Apps & notifications > Special app access > Battery optimization and disable optimization for YouTube Music. - On iOS:
– Visit Settings > General > Background App Refresh and ensure YouTube Music is toggled on.
On some setups, disabling battery saver modes or optimizing settings helps fix that “music stops after a few seconds” nightmare. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
Method 3: Use the Correct Playback Method & App Behavior
Sometimes, the issue is just how you’re trying to play music. If you’re on Android, opening the app, playing a song, then tapping the home button should do it — but if you’re using some browser or different app, that could break background playback.
- Make sure you start playing music inside the YouTube Music app, not just a browser link or embedded player.
- When you hit home or switch apps, the music should keep playing with a notification or in the control center.
- If it doesn’t, try pressing the pause and play again, or restart the app.
Pro tip: On Android, it helps to clear the cache of the YouTube Music app from Settings > Apps > YouTube Music > Storage > Clear Cache. This sometimes resets wonky playback issues.
Method 4: For Android, tweak the Developer Options or Use ADB Commands
If background playback is still being stubborn, and you’re okay with nerdy tricks, you can try enabling some hidden options. Like enabling Force activities to be resizable in Developer options, or using ADB commands to override app restrictions.
- On your PC, set up ADB (Android Debug Bridge).
– Connect your device via USB (make sure USB debugging is on in Settings > Developer options).
– Run:adb shell am force-stop com.google.android.apps.youtube.musicthen restart the app. - Sometimes, tweaking the sqlite database or specific system settings helps, but that’s diving deep in the rabbit hole.
Not sure why it works, but on some machines this helps fix background playback that just doesn’t stick.
Other Tips & Warnings
If you’re still having trouble, try these quick checks:
- Disable power saving mode entirely during playback — it often culls background processes.
- Ensure your device isn’t set to restrict background activity in Battery / Battery Optimization
- Update both your OS and the app—sometimes bugs get patched and this fixes weird issues.
- Try reinstalling the app if it keeps acting up; corrupted caches or settings can sometimes cause global weirdness.
Summary
- Double-check your YouTube Premium status and background playback settings.
- Make sure app permissions and background refresh are enabled.
- Use the app for playback, not a browser link, to ensure stability.
- Explore developer options or ADB if on Android for stubborn cases.
Wrap-up
Playing YouTube Music in the background isn’t rocket science, but it’s got enough quirks that troubleshooting helps. Most of the time, a quick settings check or a restart can do the trick. If all else fails, reinstalling or adjusting permissions seems to make a difference. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours for someone and keeps your tunes flowing without interruptions. Good luck — and may your playlists never stop.