How to Listen to YouTube Audio in the Background on iPhone Without Paying for Premium
If you’re an iPhone user, you’ve probably run into this little annoyance: YouTube stops playing the moment you lock your phone or switch apps. It’s frustrating, especially when you just want to listen to music, podcasts, or lectures while doing other things. And of course, YouTube locks background play behind its YouTube Premium subscription, which costs $13.99 a month. Not exactly cheap if that’s the only feature you need, especially for YouTube Audio.
But here’s the good news—you don’t actually have to pay for YouTube Premium to listen in the background! There’s a simple trick that lets you keep the audio playing, even when your phone is locked or you’re using other apps. The best part? It works without any third-party apps or shady methods. All you need is Safari (or another web browser) on your iPhone.
Let me walk you through exactly how to do it.
Why Does YouTube Block Background Play?
YouTube has become the go-to platform for music, podcasts, tutorials, and more, but Google has put some of its most useful features behind a paywall. If you want an ad-free experience, background playback, or the ability to download videos for offline viewing, you’re expected to sign up for YouTube Premium.
While the service offers some great perks, not everyone wants to pay a monthly fee just to How to Listen to YouTube Audio while their phone is locked. Fortunately, this trick lets you get around that restriction—no Premium subscription required!
How to Play YouTube Audio in the Background on iPhone
The trick is using Safari (or another web browser) instead of the YouTube app. When you open YouTube in Safari and switch to desktop mode, your iPhone will treat the video like any other webpage, allowing background playback.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Open Safari on your iPhone and go to youtube.com.
- Search for the video you want to play.
- Tap the “Aa” icon (on the left side of the address bar).
- Select “Request Desktop Website” from the dropdown menu.
- Play the video and ignore any popups asking you to open the YouTube app. (You might have to watch or skip some ads first.)
- Lock your iPhone using the Side button. The audio will pause—but don’t worry!
- Simply tap the Play button in the Lock Screen media controls to resume playback.
And that’s it! Your YouTube audio will keep playing, even with the screen off.
How to Listen While Using Other Apps
Want to scroll through social media, check emails, or browse the web while listening? No problem! Once your video is playing, just swipe up (or press the Home button if your iPhone has one) to return to the home screen or switch apps.
If the audio stops, don’t panic—it’s easy to get it going again:
- Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right on newer iPhones or swipe up from the bottom on older ones).
- Tap the Play button in the media controls.
- If you have an iPhone 14 Pro or later, you can also tap play from the Dynamic Island.
This method lets you multitask freely while enjoying your favorite YouTube content. Whether you’re listening to a podcast, catching up on news, or just vibing to music, you don’t have to stay stuck in the YouTube app anymore.
Why This Hack Works
When you request the desktop site, YouTube behaves differently than it does in the mobile app. Unlike the app, which forces background playback behind a paywall, the desktop version doesn’t have the same restrictions—so your iPhone treats it like any other website with audio.
