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3 Ways to Fix YouTube Music App Not Playing in Background

Quick Tips
  • If you don’t have a YouTube Music/YouTube Premium Subscription, you won’t be able to play content in the background.
  • Enable autostart (Android) and Background App Refresh (iPhone) to ensure YouTube Music functions in the background.
  • Try clearing the cache from YouTube Music, and ensure there aren’t any problems with the network connection on your device.

Basic Fixes

  • Check Internet Connectivity: Ensure your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network or cellular data with good signal strength and an active plan.
  • Update YouTube Music: Update the YouTube Music app from the Play Store or App Store for a bug-free experience.
  • Reinstall YouTube Music: If you face persistent issues with background playback, it may occur due to a few corrupted files, and reinstalling the app will help you fix it.

Fix 1: Buy YouTube Premium

You can’t play music in the background unless you purchase YouTube Music or YouTube Premium membership. Using the Premium Version of YouTube also provides you access to all features of YouTube Music.

Fix 2: Check Background App Permissions for YouTube Music

Playing music without using YouTube Music is a background operation. Therefore, if you have disabled YouTube Music to run in the background, you can’t play music without opening the app.

Enable autostart for YouTube Music in the background on Android devices and Background App Refresh for YouTube Music on iPhone.

On Android

Step 1: Tap and hold the YouTube Music app in the app launcher and tap on App Info.

Step 2: Tap on Battery Usage.

Step 3: Turn on Allow Background Activity and Allow auto-launch.

On iPhone

Open the Settings app, go to General > Background App Refresh, and enable it for YouTube.

Fix 3: Clear Cache

YouTube Music may be affected by bugs present in cache files, and clearing it might enable you to listen to audio in the background again.

On iPhone

Offloading an application on your iPhone removes temporary data, including cache and junk files. However, it maintains all the other essential data, such as your sign-in information, in-app downloads and purchases, etc.

Step 1: Open the Settings app and tap on General > iPhone Storage

Step 2: Scroll down, select the YouTube Music app, and tap on Offload App. Tap on the Offload App once again to confirm.

Step 3: Now, tap on Reinstall App.

On Android

Step 1: Tap and hold the YouTube Music app in the app drawer.

Step 2: Tap on App Info > Storage Usage and select Clear Cache.

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Last updated on 30 June, 2024

1 Comment

  1. I’m looking for help in making YouTube videos on an iPhone 14 pro. The whole iPhone thing is new to me and the videos I have been making aren’t working the same way on this phone. So maybe you know how to fix the issue for me? I add the video, chose music and it’s when I want to adjust the music that the video no longer plays so I can’t sync the music to the action. Any suggestions? Thank you.

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