How do you play media with screen off on Android?

Introduce the Topic

Playing media with the screen off is a useful feature on Android that allows you to keep listening to audio or video without draining your battery by keeping the screen on. With the right settings and apps, you can play music, podcasts, videos and more while your phone’s screen is off or locked.

There are a few different ways to achieve media playback with the screen off on Android devices. The options include using picture-in-picture mode, third party apps, modifying system settings, adding a custom lock screen, enabling developer options, creating Bixby routines, using automation apps, and customizing the volume keys.

In this guide, we’ll explore the main methods for continuing media playback with the screen turned off on Android phones and tablets. With the right setup, you can save battery life and conveniently enjoy entertainment without constantly waking your device.

Enable Picture-in-Picture Mode

Picture-in-picture (PiP) mode is a feature introduced in Android 8.0 Oreo that allows you to watch video in a small window while simultaneously using other apps. With PiP, you can continue playing media with your device’s screen turned off.

To enable PiP, start playing a video in a supported app like YouTube or Netflix. Tap the PiP button, which is usually shown by a small box with arrows coming out of it. This will shrink the video down into a small movable window that floats above other apps.

Once PiP is activated, you can turn your screen off and the audio will keep playing. The video window will disappear with the display off, but the playback persists in the background. This allows you to save battery life while still listening to videos or music.

PiP is useful for multitasking scenarios like listening to a podcast while checking email, or playing music from a video while using navigation. Just remember to enable PiP first before turning off the screen.

Use a Third Party App

There are many third party apps available on the Google Play Store that allow you to play media with the screen off on Android. Some popular options include:

Rocket Player – This app has a pop-up window feature that lets you play videos in a small window while using other apps. It supports background audio playback.

MX Player – One of the most popular Android video players, MX Player has a “Pop-up Play” feature to enable picture-in-picture mode for multitasking.

PlayerXtreme – This app can play media files and playlists in the background even with the screen turned off.

Other options like BSPlayer, KMPlayer, and GOM Player also support background audio and video playback.

Modify System Settings

One way to play media with the screen off is to modify your Android device’s system settings. You can go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Special app access and look for the “Modify system settings” permission.

Here, you can allow apps like media players to modify system settings like “Stay awake” and “Do Not Disturb.” Enabling these permissions will allow the app to keep the screen awake or ignore Do Not Disturb while media is playing in the background.

As noted in the Comparitech article, you should be careful about which apps are allowed to modify system settings, as it can impact your device’s performance and security. Only enable this permission for trusted media apps that you want to use for background playback.

You can also manually modify “Stay awake” and other relevant settings yourself in Settings > Display > Advanced. Just be aware this will apply globally instead of just when your chosen media app is running.

Use a Custom Lock Screen

One way to play media with the screen off is by using a custom lock screen app that has music playback capabilities. Apps like Always On AMOLED and Ambient Music Playback allow you to customize your lock screen with widgets and controls for media playback.

These apps replace your default lock screen with their own custom designs. Many include options to show album artwork, playback controls, and notifications for the currently playing song or podcast. This allows you to easily control music without turning your screen on.

The advantage of using a dedicated lock screen app over the default lock screen is you can customize the design and layout. You can emphasize the music playback features you want quick access to. Just be aware some lock screen apps contain ads or lack certain customization options unless you upgrade to a paid version.

Enable Developer Options

One way to keep your Android screen awake with media playing is by enabling Developer Options. Developer Options allow you to configure advanced settings on your phone. To enable Developer Options:

1. Open Settings and go to About Phone. Scroll down to Build Number and tap it 7 times. This will enable Developer Options in your Settings menu.

2. Go back to Settings and open Developer Options. Scroll down and enable Stay Awake.

With Stay Awake enabled in Developer Options, your screen will stay on while media is playing even if you turn the screen off. The display won’t turn off until media playback is stopped or paused (1).

A downside of this method is it will drain your battery faster since the screen is always on. But it’s a handy built-in option if you want your music or videos to keep playing with the screen off.

Use Bixby Routines

One of the easiest ways to play media with the screen off on your Android device is by setting up Bixby Routines. Bixby Routines allow you to automate different actions and settings based on various triggers.

To set up a routine for media playback with the screen off:

1. Open the Bixby Routines app on your Samsung device.
2. Tap “Add routine” and give it a name like “Media Playback Off.”
3. Under “If,” select “Application opened” and choose your preferred media app like Spotify, YouTube, etc.
4. Under “Then,” select “Media volume” and drag the slider up to your desired volume level.
5. Also under “Then,” select “Keep screen turned off” and toggle it on.

With this routine enabled, your selected media app will automatically play at the defined volume even when your screen is off. You can create multiple routines for different apps and situations.

According to users on Reddit and Samsung forums, Bixby Routines provides an easy way to continue audio playback with the screen off [1] [2]. Just be sure to allow the Routines app necessary permissions.

Try Automate App

The Automate app allows you to create custom flows and automations on Android. One way to play media with the screen off is by using an Automate flow to disable the screen timeout and keep the screen active while music or audio is playing.

You can create a flow in Automate that detects when an audio app starts playing, then disables the screen timeout by setting it to never turn off. When playback stops, it can re-enable the normal screen timeout delay. This keeps the screen awake only when needed for playback.

Some users have reported issues with playback stopping when the screen locks after enabling this Automate flow. You may need to disable battery optimizations for Automate and grant it background permission. But this approach generally works well for keeping the screen on during audio playback.

Use Volume Keys

One simple way to control media playback with your screen off is by using your device’s volume keys. On many Android devices, you can long press the volume up or down key to skip to the next or previous track in your playlist or podcast episode.

This functionality allows you to easily skip tracks without turning on your screen or launching any apps. It’s especially useful when listening to music or podcasts while driving, exercising, or doing other activities where you don’t want to handle your phone.

However, this volume key control is not enabled by default on all Android devices. You may need to turn it on in your phone’s settings. On Samsung Galaxy phones, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Media Volume Sync to enable this feature [1].

You can also use third-party apps like Button Mapper to customize your volume buttons to control media playback [2]. This gives you more granular control over how long you need to press the keys and what actions are taken.

Summarize Tips

There are several handy ways to get media playback with the screen off on your Android device.

A simple option is to enable Picture-in-Picture mode, which allows you to pop your video out into a small floating window. Just toggle on PIP mode and the video will keep playing after turning off the display.

Installing a third party app like Screen Off and Lock or BlackScreen is an easy workaround. These apps run in the background and cut off the display while maintaining audio.

You can modify system settings like ‘Stay Awake’ and ‘Keep Screen Turned Off’ to force media apps to keep running with the screen off. This takes more effort but works with most video and music players.

Custom lock screens like Music Lock Screen can embed controls to handle playback without unlocking the phone or turning on the display.

For maximum customization, use developer options or apps like Bixby Routines and Automate to trigger events like turning off the screen when certain apps are opened. This automates the process.

As a last resort, try using the physical volume keys on your Android device to control the playback of songs and videos without looking at the screen.

With the right settings and apps, you can enjoy music and shows even with the screen switched off and save battery life on your Android phone or tablet.