How do I play YouTube audio in the background?

Playing YouTube audio in the background allows users to listen to music or other audio content without having the YouTube app open and the screen on. This can save battery life and allow people to multitask or do other activities while listening.

There are several reasons users might want to play YouTube audio in the background:

• Listen to music playlists, albums, podcasts, etc. while doing other tasks on their phone
• Save battery life by not having the screen on
• Avoid video data charges if they only want to listen to the audio
• Continue listening to audio content while using other apps
• Avoid interruptions and distractions from incoming notifications and on-screen controls

With the right methods and tools, playing YouTube audio in the background can provide an efficient hands-free listening experience.

Enabling Background Audio Playback

One way to enable background audio playback on YouTube is by getting a YouTube Premium subscription. YouTube Premium allows you to play YouTube videos and music in the background on mobile devices and in browsers for an ad-free experience. According to YouTube, YouTube Premium costs $13.99/month for an individual plan or $22.99/month for a family plan that allows up to 5 household members.

Another option is to purchase individual songs or albums on YouTube Music. When you purchase music, you can play it in the background without a YouTube Premium subscription. Songs typically cost $1.29 each and albums usually range from $7-12 on YouTube Music.

Using a Web Browser

There are several browser extensions that can simplify the process of playing YouTube audio in the background on your computer. The easiest option is to install an extension like YouTube Audio Only for Chrome or Firefox. This will add a button to YouTube videos that allows you to open or download just the audio stream in a new tab without any video.

With this extension installed, navigate to any YouTube video, click the “Audio Only” button below the video, and the audio will begin playing in a minimal pop-up player that you can minimize or close while the audio continues in the background. Some popular audio-focused YouTube extensions include Equalizer for YouTube which lets you customize the audio output, and solves the issue of how to play YouTube audio in the background on desktop browsers.

Even without extensions, most desktop browsers like Chrome and Firefox allow you to open just the audio stream by right clicking on the video timeline and selecting “Open Audio in New Tab.” This will also open only the isolated audio track that you can play with the browser window minimized.

Using a Mobile App

Mobile apps like NewPipe, SkyTube, and LibrTube allow you to play YouTube audio in the background on your phone or tablet. These dedicated YouTube apps have some key advantages over browser extensions:

• They are designed specifically for mobile use, with intuitive interfaces optimized for smaller screens.
• They tend to be more full-featured, with additional capabilities beyond just background playback like downloading videos and audio.
• Since they function as standalone apps instead of browser add-ons, background audio playback tends to be more seamless and reliable.
• Mobile apps keep playing audio even when you switch to other apps on your device.
• Options like NewPipe provide increased privacy and remove ads from the YouTube experience.

Overall, using a dedicated mobile app can provide a superior solution for listening to YouTube audio in the background on phones and tablets compared to browser-based methods. Just install the app, open YouTube links inside it instead of the regular YouTube app, and enjoy audio, ad-free, even when minimized or multitasking across other apps. Popular choices like NewPipe and SkyTube have excellent reputations within their user communities.

Using a Music Streaming Service

One way to get your YouTube playlists and music into Spotify, Apple Music, or another streaming service is by using a dedicated third-party transfer service. Services like TuneMyMusic and Soundiiz allow you to easily transfer your YouTube playlists, likes, albums, artists, and more directly into Spotify or another supported music service.

These transfer services typically offer a straightforward process where you connect or sign in to both your YouTube and Spotify accounts. Then you can select specific playlists, albums, artists etc. to transfer over. The service will automatically match and add all the available tracks from YouTube into the destination platform like Spotify.

The major benefit of using a dedicated transfer service is convenience. After the initial setup, you can quickly move multiple YouTube playlists or your entire music library into Spotify with just a few clicks. These services also match the songs accurately and you don’t have to manually search for each track. Most also offer free transfer options for a limited number of songs.

Using a Video Downloader

One way to play YouTube audio in the background is by using a video downloader tool or website to extract just the audio portion of YouTube videos. There are many free online converters and downloader apps that allow you to enter a YouTube URL and download only the audio in MP3 format.

However, it’s important to consider the legality and risks of this approach. According to Is it legal to use YouTube to mp3 converters?, downloading copyrighted content from YouTube without permission is generally illegal. While downloading non-copyrighted content is allowed, it can be tricky to determine which videos are copyrighted. There is some debate around whether downloading just the audio for personal use may qualify as fair use, but the law is unclear.

To avoid potential copyright infringement claims, it’s safest to only use video downloaders for content you have confirmed is in the public domain or licensed via Creative Commons. Excessively downloading YouTube audio may also violate YouTube’s terms of service. Overall, while convenient, downloading YouTube audio has risks users should carefully consider.

Using an Online Converter

There are several websites that allow you to convert YouTube videos into MP3 audio files quickly and easily without installing any additional software. Some popular and reliable online YouTube to MP3 converters include:

• YTMP3.cc: A user-friendly converter with high-quality MP3 downloads and fast conversion speeds.
• OnlyMP3: Takes top spot for simplicity, efficiency and allows MP3 conversion without quality loss.
• Y2Mate: Widely used for its straightforward interface, fast speeds and ability to convert even lengthy videos.

The advantage of using an online converter is convenience – you don’t need to install any additional software and can quickly get MP3 files from YouTube videos. However, be aware of potential copyright issues when downloading audio this way.

Using Server-side Software

Self-hosted server-side software allows you to extract the audio from YouTube videos by downloading the full video and converting it on your own machine. Tools like youtube-dl can download videos and audio from YouTube and other streaming sites.

This method is more advanced and requires running software on your own server or device, but offers higher quality downloads and more control over formats. Youtube-dl is a popular open source command-line utility that supports various content sites and can download video or extract audio in many formats, including MP3 and FLAC.

The benefits of server-side software like youtube-dl include:

• Higher quality downloads by bypassing lower quality streams
• Support for many formats like MP3, M4A, FLAC, etc.
• Customization of parameters for ideal balance between quality and file size
• Ability to download entire playlists and channel uploads

The downsides are the complexity involved in setting up and operating command-line software. But for power users needing control and quality, local server-side software like youtube-dl is an excellent way to download YouTube audio.

Comparisons and Recommendations

There are pros and cons to each method for playing YouTube audio in the background. Here are some key considerations:

Using a Web Browser

Pros: Easy to set up, works on computer and mobile browsers, free
Cons: Audio stops if you close the tab or browser, keeps video streaming which uses data

Using a Mobile App

Pros: Made specifically for background audio playback, keeps screen off to save battery

Cons: Requires separate app download, mobile-only, may have ads

Using a Music Streaming Service

Pros: Can save songs and playlists for offline listening
Cons: Requires paid subscription, doesn’t work for all YouTube videos due to copyright

The best option depends on your usage. Casual listeners may prefer using a web browser for simplicity. Mobile users who listen throughout the day are better served with a dedicated app. Paid streaming services work well for saving songs, but have copyright restrictions.

No matter which method you choose, be sure to use headphones to avoid disturbing those around you.

Conclusion

We covered the main methods for playing YouTube audio in the background on both desktop and mobile:

• Using a web browser like Chrome or Firefox with extensions to enable background playback
• Using mobile apps like YouTube Music, YouTube Premium, or NewPipe to play audio
• Using a third-party music streaming service that pulls YouTube tracks
• Downloading the YouTube video’s audio track through online converters or downloader software
• Using server-side software like Plex to play audio files saved locally

The easiest options are to use a web browser extension if you’re on desktop, or install an alternate mobile app for background listening on your phone or tablet. For downloading a local copy of the audio, online converters provide quick one-off downloads while downloader software gives you more power and automation.

Keep in mind that downloading videos or extracting the audio without permission may violate YouTube’s terms, so proceed with caution. For personal use, background playback gives you a better listening experience without harming content creators.