IOS Youtube Background streaming no longer works except in forum links

alcoholbob

Diamond Member
May 24, 2005
6,380
449
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So apparently IOS background streaming stopped working a couple days ago in. This has something that has worked for years on IOS (it's never worked on Android AFAIK). I know it hasn't worked in Safari for awhile, but it's worked with Firefox ever since a couple days ago. I have an iphone 6. I have T-mobile, and I know it's not a vender thing because I checked with some relatives with earlier iphones and sprint, verizon, and AT&T and none of them can background stream either on their iphone 4s and 5s like they used to be able to. It used to be I could stream youtube videos on the background with the phone locked or the browser minimized.

What I'm referring to is an example below:

Infuse-3.4-for-iOS-background-audio-playback-iPHone-screenshot-001.png


I can't figure out if this is something that Youtube did to try to generate Youtube Red revenue (since its a selling point that you can background stream by paying $9.99 a month) or if it's something Apple did.

What I do know is this, if I play video from a embedded forum link, I can still background stream. That tells me for some reason, when played from a embedded forum link instead of directly streaming from youtube, it still works, which means someone has programmed some shenanigans to only make this not work when you a using a phone on youtube's website directly, but didn't realize the possibility someone could be playing from an embedded forum link. Anyone know of any free forum software or forums where I can make tons of forum posts containing nothing but embedded youtube links? Haha
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
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Just tried it on my work iphone 6 and it works fine, so I don't know what to tell you. Worked on wifi and on cell just to make sure.

If you go to Settings -> Youtube, do you have background and cellular data turned on for the app?

Also, just as a fun fact, this has worked on android for a few years now too
 

alcoholbob

Diamond Member
May 24, 2005
6,380
449
126
Just tried it on my work iphone 6 and it works fine, so I don't know what to tell you. Worked on wifi and on cell just to make sure.

If you go to Settings -> Youtube, do you have background and cellular data turned on for the app?

Also, just as a fun fact, this has worked on android for a few years now too

Really? It doesn't work on any of my Samsung tablets, Android DAPs, or Samsung S8 without the use of 3rd party apps, and the google searches on Android background streaming recommend buying Youtube Red.

Also I'm not sure why you are asking me to checking the Youtube app settings when Youtube Red's selling point for $9.99 is background streaming. Hint: I'm not interesting in paying for youtube red.
 
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gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,739
454
126
What country are you in? Both my Galaxy s8 and iPhone let me stream YouTube in the background. I don't pay extra for YouTube red so I'm not sure what's different. I asked you to check your settings to see if that's why you can't stream in the background.

Edit: actually... I'm starting to wonder. I do pay for Google play music, and that might include YouTube red. *Searching* Yup, that's why. Apparently I've had access to YouTube red this whole time and didn't realize it. My mistake