You’re watching a YouTube video, you want to check another video in the feed — but tapping it immediately stops what you’re playing. There are a few ways to keep the current video going while you browse, depending on whether you’re on mobile or desktop.
Short Answer: On YouTube desktop, open the new video in a new tab. On the YouTube app (Android/iPhone), YouTube Premium unlocks picture-in-picture and background play. For free options: use YouTube in a browser tab on mobile (Chrome on Android, Safari on iPhone) to get background play and PiP.
On Desktop (PC/Mac)
This is the easiest scenario. YouTube on a desktop browser doesn’t stop your video when you navigate the page. The trick is to open new videos in a new tab:
- Right-click any video thumbnail → Open link in new tab
- Or middle-click (mouse scroll wheel click) on any thumbnail to open it in the background
Your current video keeps playing in the original tab while the new one loads silently in the background. When your current video finishes, switch to the new tab.
On Android — Free Options
Method 1: Use YouTube in Chrome Browser
The YouTube app doesn’t allow picture-in-picture for free users. But the Chrome mobile browser does. Open youtube.com in Chrome, start playing a video, then request the desktop site (three-dot menu → Desktop site) for background play to work properly. When you go to your home screen, the video continues.
Method 2: Firefox for Android with Background Play
Firefox on Android supports background play for YouTube without any extensions. Open YouTube.com in Firefox → play a video → press the home button. The audio keeps playing. Tap the browser notification to return.
Method 3: NewPipe (Android Only)
NewPipe is a free, open-source YouTube frontend app. It supports background play, picture-in-picture, and no ads — all without a YouTube account. Not available on Play Store; download from their official site or F-Droid.
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: NewPipe app showing a video playing with background play controls in the notification bar
On iPhone — Free Options
Method 1: Safari Background Play
Open youtube.com in Safari on iPhone. Play a video, then press the home button or swipe up. The audio continues playing in the background. Control playback from the lock screen or Control Center.
For picture-in-picture: after the video starts playing in Safari, tap the PiP icon that appears on the video (the rectangle with an arrow). The video floats in a small window over other apps.
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: iPhone Safari showing YouTube with the picture-in-picture icon on the video player controls
YouTube Premium — The Official Solution
YouTube Premium ($13.99/month) unlocks background play and picture-in-picture natively in the YouTube app. If you watch a lot of YouTube, it’s the cleanest experience — no workarounds needed. It also removes all ads and lets you download videos for offline viewing.
Quick reference:
Desktop → Open new videos in new tab | Android → Use Firefox or NewPipe | iPhone → Play in Safari and use PiP icon | Pay → YouTube Premium
Warning: NewPipe is not affiliated with Google/YouTube and is not available on the Play Store. Download it only from newpipe.net or F-Droid to avoid fake versions.
FAQ
Why does the YouTube app stop when I press the home button?
YouTube deliberately stops background play for free users to encourage Premium subscriptions. Browser-based workarounds bypass this restriction because browsers handle video playback differently.
Does picture-in-picture work on the YouTube app without Premium?
No, not officially. PiP in the YouTube app requires Premium. PiP via Safari or Chrome (browser) works without Premium on both Android and iPhone.
Will these methods work for YouTube Music too?
No — YouTube Music background play still requires a YouTube Music Premium subscription. The browser workarounds work for YouTube video content but not the YouTube Music app.
Quick checklist:
- ✅ Desktop: always open new videos in a new tab
- ✅ Android: Firefox or NewPipe for free background play
- ✅ iPhone: use Safari and tap the PiP icon on the video player
- ✅ YouTube Premium is worth it if you watch 10+ hours/week
Download NewPipe ↗ ↗Try YouTube Premium
Conclusion
On desktop it’s simple — just use new tabs. On mobile, the browser workaround (Safari on iPhone, Firefox on Android) is the best free solution. NewPipe is the most feature-complete free option for heavy Android YouTube users. For more tips on getting the most from YouTube, check our YouTube tips guide.