How to stream YouTube audio on a locked iPhone
Find out how to stream just the audio from a YouTube video while your iPhone is locked.
- Webby Award ("How To, Explainer, and DIY Video"); Folio Changemaker Award, 2020
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If you lock your iPhone or switch apps while playing a video, both the audio and video cut out immediately. It's a huge annoyance if you're one of the many people who uses YouTube for music, listening to long interviews, or even guided workouts.
According to some reports, Google might be adding the option to multitask while streaming audio. Other reports suggest YouTube is launching a dedicated "Music Pass" subscription service.
Until then, there's an easy hack that'll let you listen to just the audio of a video while your phone is locked, thanks to Reddit user Erjobi.
The workaround: Play a video, wait for the ad to finish, then tap the share button (not the plus sign). Tap "Message," lock your phone, and the audio will continue playing.
Another option is to use Jasmine, a free YouTube app for iOS. In Jasmine, play a video, then, lock your phone and click the home button. You should see audio controls at the top of the lock screen. Tap play, and the audio will stream.
If the reports are true, audio-only multitasking could come to the YouTube app soon. Until then, these workarounds should hold you over.