YouTube blocks browser workarounds: Background playback now exclusive to Premium

YouTube Premium not only removes ads but also enables background playback when the screen is turned off or the app is minimized. This helps preserve battery life and makes it easier to use a smartphone (the Samsung Galaxy S26 is currently priced at around $608 on Amazon) for other tasks – such as browsing or messaging – while listening to music or podcasts. Until now, many users have avoided the nearly $14 monthly subscription fee. Ad blockers took care of ads, while various browser workarounds allowed background playback without paying. These methods are no longer effective, however, which could make a YouTube Premium subscription more attractive to many users going forward.

The foundation of most workarounds was accessing YouTube through a browser. Since late January, however, the streaming platform has also introduced new security measures on that front. Common tricks such as desktop mode, picture-in-picture, or special add-ons no longer work. As soon as the screen turns off, the browser is minimized, or the tab moves to the background, playback stops. This affects mobile browsers including Samsung Internet, Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi, and Microsoft Edge.

Google has officially confirmed the change to Android Authority, stating that background playback is a YouTube Premium-exclusive feature and will now be strictly enforced across all platforms to ensure consistent usage. The community response has been overwhelmingly critical. On Reddit, many users accuse YouTube’s parent company, Google, of deliberately degrading the free experience to push users toward a Premium subscription. At the same time, discussions around new scripts, add-ons, and modified clients have already begun. For many, it feels as though the long-running cat-and-mouse game between users and the platform is entering yet another round.