How to Run YouTube in the Background on Xiaomi: Full Methods

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face an obsessive restriction of the popular video service: when you lock the screen or switch to another application, the sound abruptly breaks. This is a decision of the developers aimed at monetizing the YouTube Premium subscription, but owners of Android devices with a MIUI shell or HyperOS can bypass this lock. There are several proven ways to activate background play without disrupting the stability of the operating system.

In this article, we will look at legal and legal methods that allow you to listen to music or podcasts with the screen off. We will discuss the built-in browser functions, the use of special versions of applications and the system settings of Xiaomi. The safest way for a Google account is to use the web version through a browser with the image in the picture function or background. The choice of the specific method depends on your technical literacy and willingness to install third-party software.

Before we proceed to the complex manipulations with ADB or retrofitting APK-Files, you should try the regular system tools. MIUI It has advanced window management functionality that users often ignore, and properly configuring permissions can solve the problem without installing additional software. However, if standard methods fail, more radical but effective solutions will have to be adopted.

Using browsers for background listening

The easiest and most secure way to do this is to use a mobile browser, which is not root rights or complex setup. Modern web browsers like Firefox, Brave or UC Browser can emulate desktop sites and save audio stream when the application is folded, which is ideal for those who are afraid of blocking a Google account for using unofficial clients.

To start, you need to open the browser and go to the video service site. In the browser settings, it is important to find the item “Pak Version” or “Full Site Version” and activate it. After starting the video, you can turn off the browser or block the screen of the Xiaomi smartphone. In some cases, you will need to start playing through the controls in the notification curtain.

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Use Brave browser with ad protection enabled – this will remove video advertising and allow you to listen to content without interruptions, saving traffic and battery power.

It is worth noting that the sound quality in the browser can be limited by the settings of the web player. Some users complain about the lack of ability to select a bitrate above 128 kbit / s without authorization. However, for the background work of news channels or lectures, this is quite enough, and the stability of the connection plays a critical role here.

• 🌐 Open Firefox or Brave and go to Settings.
• 🖥️ Enable the "PC Version" mode in the site menu.
• ▶️ Run the video and fold the application to check the work.

If the sound is gone immediately after the screen is locked, check the power saving settings for a specific browser on Android. MIUI aggressively unloads background processes, so you need to give explicit permission to work in the background.

Setting up the “Picture in Picture” function on MIUI

PiP (Picture-in-Picture) allows you to display video in a floating window that remains active even when switching between apps. On Xiaomi smartphones, this feature is built into the system, but to work with YouTube often requires additional activation through an engineering menu or special commands.

By default, this option may not be available without a subscription on YouTube, but there are ways to activate the system PiP for any video. Sometimes it's enough to just run a video, swipe up to access the desktop and quickly click on the floating window. On new versions of HyperOS, the algorithms have become stricter, but the method still works in 80% of cases.

To ensure that you work, you need to allow display over other windows. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → YouTube. Find “Mastering on top of other apps” or “Floating window” and activate it. Without this permission, the system will force the video stream to close when you change focus.

⚠️ Note: On some global firmware MIUI PiP for video services can be software-locked at the regional level, and changing the region in the phone settings to the US or India will sometimes unlock this capability.

It's also worth checking if the full screen mode for the YouTube app is enabled in the screen settings. Sometimes the zoom conflict prevents the window from folding properly. If the standard player doesn't fold, try running the video, swiping home, and then immediately tapping the video preview in the corner to turn it into floating mode.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes.
• 🔍 Find YouTube in the list of installed programs.
• 🪟 Allow “floating window” and “displaying over other apps».

The effectiveness of the method depends on the version of Android and the specific build of the shell. On Android 13 and 14, window management is more stable than on older versions. If you have an old Redmi Note smartphone, performance can fall while working with a heavy app and video.

Installation of modified clients (ReVanced and analogues)

The most popular solution among advanced users is to install modified versions of the app, which is now led by ReVanced, the spiritual successor to the closed YouTube Vanced, which allows you not only to listen to music in the background, but also to block ads, return the dislike counter and turn on SponsorBlock.

The installation process requires care. You'll need original design. APK-YouTube file of a specific version and the patcher ReVanced Manager. APK from dubious sources is strongly discouraged, as they may contain malicious code.The safest way to use the official ReVanced Manager with GitHub, which will download the necessary components and apply patches.

Steps for installation:


1.Remove the official YouTube updates.




2 Download ReVanced Manager and the desired APK YouTube.




3. Run the patcher and select the desired modules (Background play, Ads, etc.).




4. Install the received file.

Once a patched application is installed, Xiaomi can issue security alerts, a standard reaction to apps not installed from Google Play, and must confirm the installation by allowing installation from unknown sources to the patch manager or file manager.

⚠️ Note: Using modified customers formally violates Google's terms of service. Although there is no mass account blocking, there is a risk.

It is important to keep an eye on updates. Each time you change the version of the main YouTube app, the patcher may stop working, requiring an update to the Manager itself or a change to the version of the target APK. Automatic update through the Play Market for the patched version must be turned off, otherwise the mod will be replaced with the original.

Use of alternative clients (NewPipe, LibreTube)

If you don't want to mess with patches of the original app, there are completely independent, open-source clients. A prime example is NewPipe or its more modern counterpart, LibreTube. These apps don't use Google's official APIs to their fullest, allowing them to bypass many restrictions, including background play and video downloads.

The main advantage of these customers is that you don't have to sign in to a Google account, so you can subscribe to channels and create playlists, but the data will be stored locally on the device, which provides a high level of privacy, but deprives you of synchronizing your browsing history with your TV or computer.

Installation is done through the F-Droid store or by downloading APK from GitHub. On Xiaomi devices, when you first start up, you may need to manually allow access to storage to save cache and settings. The interface of these applications is different from the usual one, you need to get used to it.

Performance of such customers on budget models Redmi is usually higher than the official application, as they are deprived of heavy trackers and advertising modules.

System settings of power saving Xiaomi

The MIUI and HyperOS shells are known for their aggressive memory management policies, and even if you set up the app correctly, the system can kill the sound playback process to save battery power, and to avoid that, you need to make changes to your energy saving settings.

Go to the Safety app (green zipper icon) that is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones. Go to Battery or Charge Consumption. Find your app (browser, YouTube mod or NewPipe) on the list and change the mode from Energy Saving to No Limits.

It is also useful to lock the application in memory. Open the list of running applications (swipe up and hold or menu button), find the window of the desired application and click on the lock in the corner, which will prevent it from closing when cleaning the memory with the “Trump” button.

• 🔋 Open the Security app.
• ⚙️ Go to the battery settings and find the app.
• 🚫 Select the "No Limits" mode».

Ignoring these settings on devices with 4GB of RAM or less leads to constant stops of sound. Prioritizes is the current active application, sacrificing background processes. On flagships with 12GB of RAM, the problem is less common, but also relevant.

Frequent questions and problem-solving

Even following the instructions, users may encounter nuances of how the software works. Here are the answers to the most common questions that will help correct typical errors. If one method failed, try a combination of power saving settings and an alternative client.

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Integrated approach: Installing a modified client + setting “No limits” in the battery + resolution “Above other windows” give 100% result on Xiaomi.

In conclusion, the choice of method depends on your priorities. If stability and security are important, use a browser or a paid subscription. If you want maximum functionality and no advertising, ReVanced will be the best choice. Remember to regularly update modified applications, as YouTube often changes its algorithms, breaking the functionality of third-party customers.