Xiaomi Removes YouTube Videos Play in Background Free Feature Know everything

Xiaomi has announced that it is removing a popular feature that allowed users to play YouTube videos in the background. YouTube Premium users who pay for ad-free streaming can play YouTube videos on other applications in picture-in-picture (PiP) mode or play just the audio in the background without the video. However, this feature of Xiaomi allowed users to have the same function for free. The move comes at a time when YouTube is restricting a number of third-party apps and features that affect their paying users.

The company has started Telegram channel Post announced that it will remove the Play Video Sound and Turn-Off Screen features in the Game Toolbox along with the Screen Off feature in the Video Toolbox via an over-the-air update. While Xiaomi hasn’t clarified why it’s removing these popular features, the post says the move is “due to compliance requirements.”

Especially this decision has come after several months when YouTube is trying to motivate more and more people to take YouTube Premium membership. It has attempted to deter the use of ad blockers by slowing down video playback speeds for users with ad blockers and making it much more difficult to remove ads.
Xiaomi has confirmed that the decision will affect all smartphones running MIUI 12, MIUI 13, MIUI 14 and the newly released HyperOS, including the Xiaomi 14, Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 12T. Notably, Xiaomi introduced the feature of supporting video playback without the screen being active with its MIUI 12 update in 2021.

A recent report claimed that YouTube may launch PiP mode for non-premium users outside the US. But the company has not confirmed any such information. Paid YouTube Premium subscribers using Xiaomi models affected by the feature removal will still be able to watch YouTube videos on PiP or background player mode.