Tecno removes ‘play in background’ feature for YouTube: Here’s a solution

Tecno Mobile has established itself as a prominent smartphone brand in Africa, largely due to its affordability.
Over the past few years, Tecno has consistently introduced improvements.
Mainly in design, durability, and software features to enhance the user experience.
Notably, Tecno’s proprietary operating system HiOS has undergone several improvements.
Much so that it can be in the same conversation with the likes of Samsung’s OneUI, at least on a surface level.
HiOS even has its own set of ‘tricks’ and features that enhance the user experience.
Among these features, is the ability to play YouTube videos in the background.
A feature traditionally exclusive to YouTube Premium subscribers.
Tecno HiOS features
Some significant features of HiOS include:
- Background YouTube Playback: allows users to play YouTube videos in the background with the screen turned off.
- Floating Windows for Multitasking: enables users to open multiple floating windows for multitasking.
- Peek Proof: A feature that allows users to darken part of their screen to prevent unwanted viewing, ensuring privacy and security.
- Separate Notification and Quick Settings Section: HiOS separates the notification panel and quick settings (left and right) when you scroll down on your screen.
The standout feature among these was the Background YouTube Playback.
The playback feature provided users with a YouTube Premium experience without the need for a subscription.
YouTube background play removed
However, in a recent update in January, Tecno has unexpectedly removed this feature, to the disappointment of its users.
While the feature still works for other video-playing apps such as VLC and Tecno’s native gallery app, its removal from YouTube has left many questioning the rationale behind this move.
My guess is that the decision was influenced by pressure from YouTube to incentivize more users to subscribe to its premium service.
YouTube has been increasing its efforts to monetize its platform, including cracking down on ad-blocking software and restricting access to certain features for non-subscribers.
Alternative Background Play
In the meantime, Tecno users who still wish to enjoy background playback on YouTube can follow these steps:
- Open the desired YouTube video in a web browser (e.g., Edge, Firefox, Chrome).
- Set the browser to desktop mode.
- Play the video and exit the browser by tapping the home button.
- Scroll down to reveal your notification panel, where a mini-player for the video should appear.
- Tap play to continue listening to the video with the screen off.
While some Tecno users may be disappointed by the removal of the background playback feature for YouTube, this workaround can hold you down until you get a YouTube Premium subscription.