Is there a YouTube Music widget?

What is a YouTube Music Widget?

A YouTube Music widget is a small application that allows users to access and control YouTube Music directly from their device’s home screen or desktop. The widget gives quick access to YouTube Music without needing to open the full app, providing basic playback controls and song/artist information.

The purpose of a YouTube Music widget is convenience – it saves time by avoiding the need to launch the YouTube Music app every time you want to control music playback. Widgets allow you to quickly see what song is currently playing, skip tracks, play/pause, or open the full YouTube Music app for additional functionality. They provide an at-a-glance view of your recent activity in YouTube Music.

YouTube Music widgets are available on both mobile devices and desktop platforms. On mobile, the widget is accessed via the home screen alongside your apps. On desktop devices like Windows PCs, the widget appears in customizable widget panels and trays depending on your operating system.

In summary, a YouTube Music widget gives easy access to basic YouTube Music controls and information directly from your home screen or desktop, saving you time and providing convenience.

Does YouTube Offer an Official Music Widget?

YouTube does not currently offer an official music widget for desktop or mobile. The YouTube Music app itself does not have a widget, and YouTube has not released an official music player widget that can be used across devices.

There are some indications that YouTube may offer an official music widget in the future. Some code for a YouTube Music widget was discovered in a teardown of the YouTube Music app in 2020. However, this code has not yet materialized into an actual working widget from YouTube.

So as of now, YouTube does not have a first-party music widget for streaming music playback and control. Those looking for a YouTube Music widget will need to explore third-party options, which we’ll cover next.

Third-Party YouTube Music Widgets

Since YouTube does not officially offer a dedicated music widget, users have turned to third-party solutions. There are a variety of third-party widgets that allow you to access your YouTube Music library and control playback directly from your home screen.

Some examples of popular third-party YouTube Music widgets include YTMusic, YouTube Music Widget, and Music Widget for YouTube Music Player. These apps provide customizable widgets that let you do things like see what song is currently playing, skip tracks, play/pause, and launch YouTube Music.

The main benefit of using a third-party widget is gaining quick access to YouTube Music controls without having to actually open the app. They provide an easy way to manage music playback right from your home screen. The downside is having to install a separate app just for the widget functionality.

Example Third-Party Widgets

While YouTube itself does not offer an official music widget, there are several popular third-party options available. Some examples include:

Musixmatch – This Android widget allows you to control music playback and see song lyrics. It supports YouTube Music and other services.

Poweramp – Poweramp is a customizable Android music player that offers widgets to control YouTube Music playback.

AudioTube – A YouTube Music desktop client for Linux that includes a playback widget.

These widgets allow quick access to pause, play, skip tracks, see what’s currently playing, and more without needing to open the full YouTube Music app.

Pros of Third-Party Widgets

There are several benefits of using third-party YouTube music widgets compared to the basic built-in widget from YouTube:

More customization options – Most third-party widgets allow you to customize the appearance, size, colors, etc. to match your preferences. The default YouTube widget has limited customization.

More features – Third-party widgets often include extra useful features like lyrics support, playlists, queue management, notifications, etc. that go beyond just song title/artist.

Works with other services – Some third-party widgets work with music apps besides just YouTube Music, allowing you to integrate different services.

Better user experience – Third-party developers often optimize widgets for quick access to playlists, favorites, etc. leading to a smoother user experience.

Available on more platforms – Third-party widgets extend support beyond just Android and iOS devices, with options for Mac, Windows, Linux, web browsers, etc.

As one Reddit user commented, “I find third-party widgets to be cleaner, smoother and more feature-rich” [1]. The customization and extra features can really enhance the user experience.

Cons of Third-Party Widgets

While third-party YouTube music widgets can provide useful functionality not available in the official YouTube Music app, there are some potential drawbacks to using them:

Lack of official support – Third-party widgets are not created or supported by YouTube, so there is no guarantee they will continue working if YouTube makes changes to its platform. Relying on them could lead to problems down the road ^[1].

Privacy and security concerns – Granting third-party apps access to your YouTube account means sharing your data with another company. This introduces potential privacy and security risks if the app does not handle your information responsibly.

Limitations – Third-party widgets may lack certain features or capabilities compared to the official YouTube Music app and website. They are unlikely to provide a full-featured experience.

Bugs and glitches – Being unofficial, third-party widgets may have more bugs, glitches, or stability issues than the main YouTube Music app.

Ads and costs – Some third-party widgets display ads or require paid subscriptions for full functionality. The official YouTube Music app does not have ads (with Premium subscription).

Questionable longevity – If a third-party widget becomes unpopular, the developer may stop supporting it, causing it to break. Relying too much on them is risky.

While third-party YouTube Music widgets can be useful, the downsides need to be considered before using them. The official YouTube Music app remains the most stable and fully-featured option in most cases.

Customizing Third-Party Widgets

There are many options for customizing third-party YouTube music widgets to suit your needs and preferences. Popular widgets like KMusic and KWGT offer advanced settings to tweak the widget’s appearance and functionality.

For example, with KMusic you can change the widget size, adjust the text color and background, select the content to display (album art, track title, artist, etc.), and more. KWGT goes even further by letting you modify all design elements, from fonts and colors to the position and style of each widget component. There are hundreds of custom themes and templates to choose from.

Other popular customization options include adding playback controls, shuffle/repeat buttons, selecting auto-update frequency, and customizing click actions. With a bit of tweaking, you can create a tailored YouTube Music widget that perfectly matches your home screen aesthetic and needs.

Integrating a YouTube Music Widget

The easiest way to add a YouTube music widget to your website or blog is by using a third-party plugin. Many free and paid plugins are available that allow you to easily embed a customizable YouTube music player.

One popular free plugin is the Youtube playlist widget for website free and fast installation. This lets you embed a responsive YouTube playlist or channel feed on your site. You can customize the design, size, and playlist options.

To add this widget:

1. Sign up for a free Elfsight account.
2. Search for the YouTube widget and click Add to Site.
3. Configure your preferences like size, colors, playlist source etc.
4. Copy the embed code and paste into your website code.

Other free plugins like MediaElement.js also allow embedding responsive YouTube players. While premium plugins like WP YouTube Lyte provide additional customization and features.

With the right plugin, you can quickly add a YouTube music widget that engages visitors and enhances your website.

YouTube Music Widget Alternatives

While YouTube does not offer an official music widget, there are many alternative options for accessing YouTube Music content without a dedicated widget.

Popular music streaming services like Deezer, TIDAL, and Spotify have widgets available and can be used to play music from YouTube when connected to your YouTube account.¹

Apps like YouTube Music, YouTube Go, and online radio services like TuneIn allow quick access to YouTube Music without a dedicated widget.

On iOS devices, the YouTube Music app provides widget options for controlling music playback and accessing recommendations without having a specific YouTube Music widget.

While not a perfect replacement, these alternatives provide useful options for accessing YouTube Music content conveniently until an official YouTube Music widget becomes available.

The Future of YouTube Music Widgets

Potential developments for YouTube music widgets going forward:

YouTube has indicated in a June 2023 support thread that they are considering rolling out an official YouTube Music widget in the future, which would allow users to easily access their YouTube Music content directly on their home screens (source). This could eliminate the need for third-party widgets.

Based on a YouTube blog post in October 2023, we may see expanded lyrics functionality added to YouTube Music widgets, such as synchronized lyrics that scroll in time with the audio (source). This would improve the widget experience.

Widgets that showcase personalized recommendations and playlists tailored to each user may emerge as YouTube Music’s algorithms and personalization capabilities advance, as discussed on Reddit (source). This could make widgets more engaging and useful.

In summary, we may see official YouTube Music widgets, enhanced lyrics features, and more personalized recommendations in YouTube Music widgets going forward.