To listen to an interview without having the phone panel on, a song or any other video: it is possible to play content on YouTube with the screen off and without the need for YouTube Premium. There is no need for apps or modifications either, just a browser: Google itself enables the possibility on smartphones. Even in Chrome.
I admit that I am not a big fan of watching long videos unless they are very specific tutorials, although sometimes I do access device analysis; some videos that I often leave in the background to listen to them without seeing them, the audio is usually enough for me. And having a trick to do the same with the screen off seems basic to me, without having to install strange applications: since I discovered it, it has been among my favorites. The curious thing is that it works with its own Google Chrome on Android, also in Safari on the iPhone.
Google Chrome lets you listen to videos with the screen off
I know it seems strange that Google itself enables a method in its browser to circumvent one of the advantages of YouTube Premium, but it is like this: Chrome allows you to access background playback without having the smartphone panel active. And it works perfectly, I can confirm it, both on Android and on the iPhone.
What do you need to work the magic? Well, your phone, nothing more. Since it already comes with a web browser as standard, you have more than enough: it works on Google Chrome on Android and Safari on iPhone. Although Almost any other mobile browser is also valid: You don’t have to go back to the default browser if it no longer convinces you.
Let’s see the procedure, it is really simple:
- Open the web browser on your mobile.
- Go to settings and select computer or desktop mode. On Android you must click on the three upper menu points, on iPhone on the lower “AA” icon.
- Load the YouTube website and Make sure the cover does not open in the mobile app.
- Once you have the YouTube website loaded, go to the Google Chrome settings and select “Add to home screen”: this way you will have a different shortcut to the YouTube application, for when you want to watch videos with the screen off. For iPhone, share the video using the icon below and choose “Add to Home Screen.”
- Now you just have to search for the video you want and play it. Then, go to the desktop of your mobile: you will see that playback is paused in the notification area.
- Press play from said notification area and the video will continue playing. Turn off the screen and you will have no problem hearing it.
The above is a universal, simple, free, legal and application-free way to listen to YouTube videos with the screen off. You don’t need YouTube Premium and it works with the standard browser itself, a trick worth having on hand.
Cover image | Ivan Linares
In Xataka Android | The lightest YouTube app is from Google, you don’t need to download it and it lets you listen to videos with the screen off