Xiaomi no longer lets you play YouTube videos in the background

The latest update rolling out to Xiaomi devices removes the ability to play YouTube videos in the background without subscribing to YouTube Premium, 9to5google reports. This has been one of the most popular features on Xiaomi phones, and customers are already upset about its absence.

One of the most frustrating aspects of watching YouTube videos is that the video stops playing once the screen turns off. Google solved this issue without YouTube Premium. However, it requires users to pay up to $13.99 monthly for individual tiers. On the other hand, Xiaomi brought this feature to users for free, making it a convenient and popular choice.

Xiaomi removes the feature to play YouTube videos in the background

Meanwhile, as Android Authority notes, the company announced on its Mi Fans Telegram channel that the “Play video sound with screen off” feature will be removed from MIUI devices due to “compliance requirements.”

“Due to compliance requirements, we regret to inform you that we have removed the “Play video sound with screen off” function in the video toolbox feature and the “Turn off screen” function in the game toolbox feature through Over-The-Air (OTA) updates,” Xiaomi added. The features first came to Xiaomi devices with the Android-based MIUI 12 update.

Xiaomi has also listed the impacted devices, including some of the company’s best-selling phones. Such as the Xiaomi 14 and 13 Pro. The full list of impacted devices is shown in the screenshot below.

The company has yet to reveal the real reason behind removing such a popular feature from its devices. However, mentioning “compliance requirements” might hint at the possibility that Google and other content distributors pressured Xiaomi to abandon the feature, sparking curiosity among users.

Google is using any possible way to make users buy a YouTube Premium subscription

Any user who wants to play YouTube videos in the background with a turned-off screen must buy a Premium subscription. An ad-free experience and video downloading are other perks you get for $13.99 a month. If you want to continue watching YouTube videos in the background, you can download apps tailored to this need, such as Black Screen.

This is not the first time Google has cracked down on any service that offers its premium perks for free. In November, YouTube announced it would prevent users from watching videos unless they turned off ad blockers.