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Show Someone How to Have YouTube Play in the Background on an iPhone

"Learn how to keep YouTube videos playing in the background on an iPhone with this simple tutorial! Keep listening to your favorite music while you use other apps on your device."

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Published Aug 6, 2022

Difficulty: Easy

Duration: 5 minutes

What you'll need: iPhone

Having the ability to play YouTube in the background on your iPhone can be extremely useful, especially if you need to multitask. For example, you could be listening to a lecture or tutorial video on YouTube and still be able to text or scroll through emails in other apps. Despite this convenience, many iPhone users don’t know that it is indeed possible to have YouTube play in the background of their device while they are doing something else on their phone. While there is no dedicated feature within the app itself allowing music to be played after closing it, there are some workarounds that can be used to enable playback after exiting out of the application. In this guide we will cover how to have YouTube play in the background on an iPhone with iOS 13 and earlier versions. We'll go over methods such as using Siri Shortcuts, utilizing Safari's hidden reader mode or downloading an external media player from the App Store so you can multitask without any interruptions.

how to have youtube play in background iphone

In order to play YouTube in the background on an iPhone, you should make sure to open the YouTube app, start playing a video and then hit the Home button. Once that is done, you can lock your phone and continue listening to the video while doing something else.

  1. Open the YouTube App on your iPhone.
  2. Find the video that you would like to listen to in the background.
  3. Tap the Picture-in-Picture icon at the bottom of the screen (looks like two squares overlapping).
  4. Slide up from off of the bottom of your display and tap play.

Our takeaway

In conclusion, learning how to have YouTube play in the background on an iPhone can seem like a daunting task. But it’s easier than you might think! The key is to know where the hidden switch is and keep your search-fu strong! Once that's done, you’ll be able to listen to all kinds of interesting lectures, music, and more while you work or even just hang out with friends. Having YouTube play in the background on an iPhone also makes for a fun party trick - show it off next time you're at a gathering and see who can figure out how to do it first!

FAQs

1. What versions of iOS are compatible with playing YouTube in the background?

To play YouTube in the background, a device must be running iOS 9 or later.

How do you set up iPhone settings to enable YouTube to play in the background?

To enable YouTube to play in the background on your iPhone, you will need to open the Settings app and select Notifications. From there, make sure that the Allow Notifications setting is enabled for YouTube, and then select Background App Refresh. Lastly, turn on Background App Refresh for YouTube. With these steps completed, YouTube should now be able to play in the background.

Are there any additional features available when playing YouTube in the background on iPhone?

Yes, some additional features are available when playing YouTube in the background on iPhone. These include the ability to control playback speed, create and save playlists, and switch between video and audio-only modes.

Can you listen to audio and play videos simultaneously when playing YouTube in the background on iPhone?

No, it is not possible to listen to audio and play videos simultaneously when playing YouTube in the background on iPhone. However, you can switch between audio-only mode (playing music only) and video mode (playing a video). Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to use both modes at the same time.

Is it possible to leave a page while continuing playback with YouTube in the background on iPhone?

Yes, it is possible. You can continue playback of your YouTube video by simply pressing the home button or switching apps, and the video will continue playing in the background.

This article was originally published on 6 Aug 2022 but has been regularly updated to keep the information current.
Kyle Crisp
Kyle has been using Apple products for over 25 years. He loves helping people learn how to use their Apple devices.
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