Listening to YouTube in the background on Xiaomi: the full guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face an obsessive limitation: once you turn off the screen or fold the app, YouTube video playback instantly stops.This is annoying, especially if you're used to listening to podcasts, lectures or music without keeping your finger on the volume button. Officially, the feature is only available to paid YouTube Premium subscribers, but the Android ecosystem and the MIUI (or HyperOS) shell offer many workarounds.

There are several proven methods to bypass back-end blocking without paying for a subscription. Some require third-party software installation, others require just a little customization of your device’s system settings. In this article, we’ll look at the most effective ways, from simple browser tricks to advanced system modifications.

Before we get to the complex instructions, it is worth noting that the effectiveness of the method may depend on the version of the operating system and regional firmware. However, the basic principles of Android remain unchanged. 2026-2026 Years and for older devices.

Use of built-in browser functions

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use a mobile browser, which many users ignore by choosing a native app, but browsers often provide better control over media playback, and Google Chrome and Yandex Browser have built-in mechanisms for working in the background.

To do this, you need to open YouTube through the web interface. Once you start the video, just turn your browser or lock the screen. If the sound is gone, don't panic. Go back to the menu of running apps or lower the notification curtain, there should be a standard player. Press the Play button, and the audio will continue to sound.

But there's a caveat: By default, browsers may not allow background work to save charge. To fix this, go to your browser settings and find "Multimedia" or "Advanced" and you need to activate the option "Background play" or "Switch off sound."

• 🌐 Open YouTube in your browser and log in.
• 🔊 Turn on any video and turn the browser window.
• ⚙️ If the sound is gone, run it through the notification panel or widget.
• 🔋 Check the power saving settings for a specific browser.

⚠️ Attention: Browsers consume more power in the background than specialized applications. Make sure that the "No Limits" mode is selected in the battery settings for your browser, otherwise the system will force the process to stop through the browser. 10-15 minute.

This method is ideal for those who do not want to clog the memory of the device with additional APK-It works consistently on all versions. MIUI, including the latest security updates.

Configure system restrictions MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi shells are known for aggressive memory optimization, which often kills background processes. Even if you set up a browser or application, the system can force you to stop playback.

The first thing you need to do is find an app that you're listening to music through (browser or player), go to the Apps section, select the one you want, and go to Energy Saving, where it's critical to select No Limits mode. The standard Energy Saving mode will block YouTube from working when the screen is off.

The second important step is autorun. In the Permissions menu, find the Autorun option and activate it for your player, which will allow the system to correctly redistribute resources when you switch between tasks, and without that permission, the background process can be frozen.

Also worth checking is the floating window settings. In some versions of HyperOS, enabling the Always on top of other apps feature helps keep the audio stream active even when the interface is rolled down.

Once you do that, it will stop thinking of your app as "parasitic" and stop shutting it down, and it's a universal solution for all kinds of tasks, not just YouTube.

Third-party clients and modified versions

If the built-in methods seem uncomfortable, third-party customers come to the rescue, they are modified versions of the official app, from which ads are cut and premium features, including background play and Picture-in-Picture, are unlocked.

One of the most popular solutions is the ReVanced project, which is not a ready-made application, but a patcher that imposes modifications on the original application. APK-YouTube file. The installation process requires care: you need to download the original APK from a verified resource (e.g. APKMirror), then apply patches through the ReVanced manager.

Another option is pre-built builds like YouTube Vanced (although the project is closed, its forks are alive) or NewPipe.The latter is a fully open project that does not require Google services, which provides high anonymity and low battery consumption.

⚠️ Attention: Download APK-files only from official repositories on GitHub or verified sites like APKMirror. Installing modified software from random Telegram channels can lead to theft of Google account data.

Using such clients formally violates the terms of use of the YouTube service, and although there is no mass ban for this, the risk of blocking the account theoretically exists, so use additional profiles to log in.

Mi Video app and system player

Xiaomi’s firmware preinstalled its own Mi Video player (often referred to as “Video”). Few people know that it can play YouTube links and has a built-in background playback feature that works even better than in a browser.

To do this, open the Video app, go to the Online tab, or click on the search icon. Type in the video title or paste in the link. The player will open the video in its interface. Now, if you fold the app or turn off the screen, the sound will continue to play.

The advantage of this method is deep integration with the system. Mi Video has all the necessary default resolutions and is not “killed” by the system as often as third-party software. In addition, it works equalizer and visualization of sound, characteristic of Xiaomi music players.

But there are downsides: the interface may contain ads, and logging into your Google account to save your browsing history in this player is unstable or absent, a solution for one-time listening rather than permanent use.

If you have global firmware, it might be called Background Playback in the player's settings. Make sure the switch is active.

Picture-in-Picture Mode (Picture in Picture)

PiP (Picture-in-Picture) technology allows you to display video in a floating window on top of other applications. Although it is not exactly "background mode" in its pure form (the screen is on, but the video is reduced), it is a great alternative for multitasking.

On Xiaomi smartphones, this feature is built into Android, but it is often blocked for YouTube. To activate it without mods, you can use “Backshops”: for example, run a video in your browser, ask for “Full version of the site” and turn the window — often this triggers native PiP Android mode.

You can also use Xiaomi's Floating Window app. Launch YouTube, swipe for the recent apps menu, click on the app icon from above and select "Floating Window." The video will shrink and hang over the desktop, allowing you to text in instant messengers.

• 📱 Run the video and fold the application in the task menu.
• 🖼️ Select the "Floating Window" mode).
• 📍 Move the window around the screen and change its size.
• 🔇 The sound remains even if you work in other programs.

This method is especially useful when you need to follow the progress of a video lesson or stream, while taking notes or responding to messages, the screen continues to consume energy, as the image remains active.

Specialized audio players for YouTube

There is a separate category of apps designed specifically to listen to YouTube as music: they don't show video (or show minimalistly), saving traffic and battery, and examples include ViMusic, InnerTune, SimpMusic.

These apps use the YouTube Music API, but they are not limited to creating playlists, listening to albums in the background, and even downloading tracks for offline listening (via cache), which is ideal for Xiaomi users, as these apps weigh a little and do not load the processor.

The installation is simple: download APK from GitHub, install, grant permission to access the network. No complex MIUI setting is usually required, because these applications are tailored to the audio stream. They automatically get media priority.

The key difference between these players is that they do not require a Google account for basic functionality, which preserves your privacy and eliminates the risk of blocking the main account for using modified software.

The interface of such programs is usually minimalistic, made in the style of Material You, and looks great on AMOLED screens, saving battery power.

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Tip: If you use Bluetooth headphones, turn on the option “Absolute Volume Level” in your Bluetooth settings. This synchronizes the volume of the phone and headphones, preventing sudden jumps in sound when switching apps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The most stable and safe way to use it is to install a specialized audio player (ViMusic/InnerTune) or competent setting of the browser with the "No restrictions" mode in MIUI.