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YouTube Blocks Popular Workaround for Screen-Off Audio
29 Jan
Summary
- YouTube is blocking background playback via third-party browsers.
- Users of Samsung Internet, Brave, Vivaldi, and Edge are affected.
- This change is likely to push users towards YouTube Premium.
YouTube has implemented a change that is blocking a widely used workaround for background playback. This workaround previously enabled users to listen to audio from YouTube videos with their device screens turned off.
Users who relied on third-party browsers such as Samsung Internet, Brave, Vivaldi, and Edge have reported that this functionality has ceased working. This simultaneous failure across multiple browsers strongly suggests a deliberate action by YouTube to disable the workaround.
The company officially limits background playback on mobile devices to its Premium subscribers. Consequently, targeting this workaround aligns with YouTube's strategy to drive Premium subscriptions. Users attempting this method now find that video playback stops shortly after their screen goes dark.
