Listening to music videos, podcasts or lectures in the background is one of the most sought-after features for Xiaomi smartphone owners. The standard YouTube app limits this option by requiring a paid Premium subscription, which forces users to look for workarounds. Owners of MIUI and HyperOS devices have several technical capabilities to activate background play without unnecessary costs.
There are many ways to get around blocking, from using third-party browsers to installing modified versions of a client application. Each method has its own advantages, level of complexity and potential risks for an account. In this article, we will discuss in detail the current solutions that work at the moment.
Some methods require minimal system setup, others require the installation of additional software from unverified sources, and data security and operating system stability should remain a priority when choosing how to activate background tasks for a video service.
Using the Mi Browser browser to play
The easiest and safest way to listen to video in the background on Xiaomi smartphones is to use an embedded or third-party mobile browser. The web version of the platform often allows you to continue playing audio even after the screen is locked, if you properly configure the page settings. This does not require the installation of doubtful APK-file-holding.
Open your Mi Browser or Chrome browser and go to the video service site. Run the video and deploy it to the full screen so that the site recognizes the device as desktop or tablet. In some cases, you need to manually switch the site version to Full through the browser menu, hiding the mobile interface.
- 🌐 Open your browser and go to the video hosting site.
- 🖥️ In the settings menu, select “Pc Version” or “Full Version».
- ▶️ Run the video and turn the browser or block the screen.
- 🎵 Playback control will remain on the lock screen or in the notification curtain.
Importantly, when you fold your browser, Android may try to close the process to save energy. To avoid this, you need to lock the application in memory. To do this, open the menu of running applications, find the browser window and click on the lock or select the "Place" option.
⚠️ Note: When using the browser method, advertising can be displayed in full, and the video quality is sometimes automatically reduced to standard due to the limitations of the mobile version of the site.
This method is ideal for those who do not want to change system files or install third-party clients, but the stability of the work depends on the updates of the browser itself and changes in the code of the video service web page.
Installation and configuration of YouTube ReVanced
The most functional solution for Xiaomi users is to install a modified version of the app known as YouTube ReVanced. APK-file by adding Premium features including background playback, ad blocking and return of the dislike counter.
The installation process requires care, as the project is not distributed through the Google Play store. APK-A specific version file and a ReVanced Manager patcher, and then a patching process takes place, where the necessary modules are embedded in the application code.
☑️ Checklist of ReVanced installation
The key advantage is full integration. You keep using your primary Google account, the interface is still familiar, but the functionality is expanding. Background playback works natively: just log out of the application or turn off the screen.
However, there is a risk of Google blocking the account for using modified software, although in practice such cases are rare when using current versions of the patcher. Also, it is worth considering that automatic updates through the Play Store will break the work of the modification, so auto-update for this application should be disabled.
Where to get safe APK-file?
Alternative clients: NewPipe and LibreTube
For users who are worried about privacy and don't want to use their primary Google account in modified clients, there are open source alternative apps.NewPipe and LibreTube are lightweight clients that don't require installing Google Play services for their work.
These apps do not use the official YouTube APIs in full, but instead stream content through alternative backends (e.g. Piped for LibreTube), which ensures high speed and no advertising. The background game feature here is implemented by default and does not require additional settings.
| Characteristics | NewPipe | LibreTube | Official YouTube |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background reproduction | Yeah (embedded) | Yeah (embedded) | Only the Premium. |
| Log in to a Google account | No (import subscriptions) | No (via Piped) | Required. |
| Advertising | Absent. | Absent. | Present. |
| Comments and likes | Limited. | Partially. | Full access |
The main disadvantage of these solutions is that you can't fully synchronize your browsing and subscription history with your main account in real time, so you can import a list of subscriptions, but the algorithmic recommendations won't work because they're tied to your user profile.
However, listening to music in the background is one of the most stable options, with apps consuming significantly less CPU and battery resources compared to the official client, which is critical for the budget models of Redmi and Poco.
Configuring energy saving MIUI and HyperOS
Even if you use the legal method through a browser or paid subscription, aggressive battery optimization in the MIUI and HyperOS shells can interrupt sound playback when the screen is off.The system seeks to complete background processes to save charge, leading to a sudden stop of audio.
To prevent this, you need to manually configure the energy saving settings for a particular application. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the browser or YouTube client you are using. Go to Activity Control or Energy Saving.
- 🔋 Select “No Limits” mode for background work.
- 🔒 Enable the AutoStart option so that the application is not blocked by the system.
- 📱 Lock the application in memory through the multitasking menu (lock icon).
Newer versions of HyperOS also include an “Augmented Memory” feature that can conflict with background tasks for heavy applications. If the sound is interrupted, try turning off the virtual memory extension in the About Phone settings or, conversely, increase it if the device has little RAM.
⚠️ Attention: No Limits Mode significantly increases battery consumption. Use this setting only for applications that you really need to run in the background all the time.
It’s also worth checking the notification settings. Make sure the app allows notifications to be displayed on the lock screen and in the curtain, otherwise the playback control panel may not appear.
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If the sound is interrupted when you connect Bluetooth headphones, try developer options to change the Bluetooth codec or disable the Absolute Volume, as MIUI sometimes conflicts with audio transmission protocols.
Comparison of methods and possible problems
The best method depends on your priorities: security, convenience or functionality. Official methods through the browser are the most secure, but less convenient. Modified clients provide the best experience, but require trust in the developers of the patch.
A common problem is desynchronizing audio and video or suddenly stopping after a Xiaomi system update, in which case cleaning the app cache or reinstalling the modified version to a more current one can help. VPN, As the service can block background requests from suspicious IP-address.
If you use a Smart TV or Android TV set-top box from Xiaomi, the methods may be different, and the most common method is the Cast from the phone, where the phone acts as a remote control and the sound comes directly from the TV, which also allows you to listen to content in the background on the smartphone itself.
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The most stable and secure solution for long-term use on Xiaomi is the bundle: YouTube ReVanced + the “No Limits” setting in MIUI.