What you need to know
- Xiaomi is removing a popular feature that allowed users to play YouTube videos in the background without a premium subscription.
- The decision affects devices running HyperOS, MIUI 14, MIUI 13, and MIUI 12, impacting models like Xiaomi 14, 13, 13 Pro, and 12T.
- Xiaomi attributes the removal to "compliance requirements," hinting at a possible involvement by Google in requesting the feature's removal.
Xiaomi is taking away a beloved trick that allows you to play YouTube videos in the background without paying for a premium subscription.
Xiaomi announced on its Mi Fans Telegram channel that it is ditching a feature that used to let devices with MIUI and HyperOS play YouTube audio with the screen off, as reported by Android Authority.
This change isn't sparing any Xiaomi devices running HyperOS, MIUI 14, MIUI 13, or MIUI 12. This means the Xiaomi 14, 13, 13 Pro, and 12T, among others, are affected by the move.
Xiaomi mentioned "compliance requirements" as the reason behind the feature removal. The Chinese phone maker refused to disclose additional details, but it's possible that Google had a hand in asking Xiaomi to ditch the feature.
We have reached out to Xiaomi for a statement, but the company was not immediately available to comment. We will update this article once we receive a response.
Since the beginning, one of the major perks of YouTube Premium has been the ability to play videos in the background even when the screen is off. If you're not shelling out $14 a month, the regular app doesn't let you enjoy this capability.
However, if you had a Xiaomi phone, you could pull off this trick without splurging on YouTube Premium. The Chinese tech giant had a built-in way on its smartphones to let you listen to YouTube in the background.
The company named it "Play video sound with screen off" in the video toolbox. In the game toolbox feature, it goes by the name "Turn off screen," and it made its debut with MIUI 12.
Then again, YouTube Premium is a cash cow for the search giant, and Xiaomi providing a workaround for a paid perk probably didn't go down well with Google.
Now that the Chinese tech giant has yanked this highly popular feature, users keen on playing YouTube in the background will need to bite the bullet and shell out for YouTube Premium.
