How to Play YouTube in Background on iPhone
Are you tired of wasting battery life while watching your favorite YouTube videos? Do you want to multitask and take advantage of your iPhone’s built-in screen? Look no further! In this article, we’ll show you how to play YouTube in the background on your iPhone.
Enabling Background Playback on iPhone
To play YouTube in the background, you need to enable background playback first. Here’s how:
- Open the Control Center by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the Activity Control Center icon (it looks like a circle with an arrow and a down arrow).
- Tap the Performance tab.
- Scroll down and toggle the switch next to Background App Refresh to the "On" position.
Background App Refresh
Background App Refresh is a feature that allows your apps to refresh and update in the background, even if you’re not actively using them. This is useful for apps like YouTube, where you may need to refresh the video or load new content.
Installing Background Apps
Not all apps support background playback, so you may need to install third-party apps that enable it. Here are some apps that support background playback on YouTube:
- YouTube (official app)
- TubeBuddy (a popular YouTube browser extension)
- ReadMixListen (a YouTube app that allows you to watch videos while listening to music)
- TweetDeck (a Twitter app that supports background playback)
Background Streaming
Once you’ve enabled background playback and installed any required apps, you can start streaming YouTube videos in the background. Here’s how:
- Open the YouTube app and select the video you want to watch.
- Tap the Play button to start playing the video.
- The video will start playing in the background, and you can multitask while keeping an eye on the screen.
Playing Videos in the Background with Apps
Not all apps support background playback, but some popular apps like:
- Weather Underground (allows you to listen to radio stations while watching weather forecasts)
- CarPlay (allows you to listen to music while driving)
- Maps (allows you to listen to podcasts while navigating)
YouTube’s Background Playback Feature
YouTube also supports background playback on its own app. Here’s how to enable it:
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap the Menu icon (it looks like a hamburger icon).
- Tap Settings.
- Scroll down and toggle the switch next to Video playback to the "On" position.
Playing YouTube Videos in the Background with Background App Refresh
Unfortunately, not all YouTube videos support background playback with Background App Refresh. However, some videos do, and you can enable it by:
- Opening the YouTube app.
- Tapping the Menu icon.
- Tapping Settings.
- Scroll down and toggle the switch next to Video playback to the "On" position.
- Select the video you want to watch.
YouTube’s Background Playback Feature with Local Storage
YouTube also supports background playback with local storage, which means that the video will not be deleted when you put your iPhone into sleep mode. Here’s how to enable it:
- Open the YouTube app.
- Tap the Menu icon.
- Tap Settings.
- Scroll down and toggle the switch next to Video playback to the "On" position.
- Select the video you want to watch.
- Tap the Options icon (it looks like a three dots).
- Tap Local Storage.
Limitations of YouTube’s Background Playback Feature
While YouTube’s background playback feature is a great feature, there are some limitations to be aware of:
- Some videos may not support background playback due to copyright restrictions.
- Background playback may not work with videos that use the "Unlocked" format (known as "Bite-Sized" videos).
- Background playback may not work with videos that use the " 360-degree" format (known as "360" videos).
Conclusion
Playing YouTube videos in the background on iPhone is a great way to multitask and save battery life. By enabling background playback, installing background apps, and enabling background playback with local storage, you can enjoy watching your favorite videos without worrying about running out of battery. However, keep in mind that not all videos support background playback, and there are some limitations to be aware of.