It can be said that what many users had long expected has finally happened. YouTube has begun blocking background audio playback when the service is accessed through third-party mobile browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. After the change, videos can still be played, but playback stops as soon as the browser is sent to the background or the screen is turned off — even if the user manually activates Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode.
Until now, many users had been bypassing background-playback limitations by forcing the desktop version of YouTube in a mobile browser or by using operating-system-level PiP features to listen to music or podcasts without keeping the app in the foreground. Under the new restrictions, content continues playing only while the browser tab with the video remains active on screen.
YouTube says the change is intended to standardize the user experience and to enforce access rules for features reserved for YouTube Premium subscribers. Premium has traditionally offered background playback without ads, and blocking the feature in mobile browsers is also meant to encourage users to upgrade to the paid subscription.
Some users report that the issue affects only third-party mobile browsers. In the native YouTube app — and on desktop versions of the service — background playback remains available under the existing rules, provided the user has an active YouTube Premium subscription.
The restriction also affects users who relied on various “workarounds,” such as forcing the desktop site in a mobile browser, which previously made it possible to keep audio playing with the screen locked. After the change, this behavior can no longer be achieved without switching to the app or paying for a Premium account.
It is not yet clear whether YouTube is rolling out the restriction simultaneously in all markets worldwide, although users in multiple countries have already reported the problem. The company has not issued an official statement on whether background playback in mobile browsers might be restored in the future, or when further changes could be introduced.