January 31, 2026
Background play? Pay up
YouTube blocks background video playback on Brave and other Browsers
YouTube paywalls screen‑off listening on mobile — users rage, a few say it still works
TLDR: Google confirmed it disabled screen‑off playback in mobile browsers for non‑Premium users, killing a popular workaround. Commenters are furious, a few say it still works for them, and others trade hacks like picture‑in‑picture—fueling a fight over paywalls, consistency, and whether YouTube just turned free listening into a subscription perk.
YouTube just hit the mute button on a beloved freebie: Google told Android Authority it tweaked the site so non‑subscribers can’t keep videos playing with the screen off in mobile browsers. Translation: if you’re not paying for YouTube Premium, that background listening trick in Samsung Internet, Brave, Vivaldi, or Edge? Gone. The community reaction was instant heat. One user went full caps‑lock energy with “Fuck google,” while another piled on with “I so hate what they’ve become.” Others grumbled about constant “are you there?” pop‑ups on music videos, calling it a vibe-killer.
But it’s not all torches and pitchforks. A lone voice chirped “still works for me,” sparking a mini‑civil war between “it’s broken for everyone” and “maybe it’s rolling out.” Some are swapping survival tips: try picture‑in‑picture (a tiny floating video) in certain browsers, or weird window‑dragging tricks. Over on Brave’s GitHub, devs confirmed background play suddenly failed, though at least one user claims it came back. The big narrative? Fans say YouTube is sealing the loopholes to push Premium, fresh off a crackdown on third‑party apps like NewPipe. Now millions who used YouTube as a free pocket radio face a choice: subscribe, keep the screen on, or hunt for hacks.
Key Points
- •Google confirmed it updated YouTube to block background playback in browsers for non-Premium users.
- •Background playback previously worked for some users on mobile browsers like Samsung Internet, Brave, Vivaldi, and Microsoft Edge.
- •Users report audio stops when minimizing the browser or turning off the screen; Samsung devices show a brief “MediaOngoingActivity” notice.
- •Troubleshooting steps such as enabling PiP, ensuring JavaScript is on, and clearing cache did not resolve the issue.
- •Brave’s GitHub issue confirms the failure; one user reported a fix, and users are advised to monitor browser updates.