Last Updated: March 12, 2024, 13:22 IST
Xiaomi users were able to play videos in the background for free, but not anymore.
Xiaomi phones run on a customised version of Android which allows the brand to bake in more features than most Android flavours.
Xiaomi users get more features baked into their Android phones, and one of them is a popular YouTube feature which is reserved for the premium users. But if you have used a Xiaomi phone, that premium feature is available for free.
Now, it seems YouTube has realised the loophole and benefit that Xiaomi users get, which is why the mobile brand is finally removing the support. We are talking about the option to play YouTube videos in the background which has been offered as a part of the Premium service which comes with a monthly fee.
But Xiaomi users have been able to use this feature for free thanks to the MIUI integration that has gone unnoticed for a long time. The new update has been spotted recently, and the report here suggests Xiaomi is being forced to remove the feature titled, “Play video sound with screen off’ from the MIUI 14, 13, MIUI 12 and even the new HyperOS versions.
It has been mentioned that Xiaomi got compliance requirements, possibly from Google (which owns YouTube), to remove the feature to give parity to people who actually pay to use these features.
The fact that HyperOS is also added to the list for removal of this feature means the newly launched Xiaomi 14 and 14 Ultra models also lose the benefit of playing YouTube videos in the background for free.
The update for Xiaomi phones will be offered over-the-air in the coming weeks, and after that YouTube videos will only play with the screen turned off if these users pay for YouTube premium. YouTube offers other benefits for its Premium users, which includes access to ad-free videos, ability to play any track via the YouTube Music app and more.