Have you ever been in a situation where you’re really into a song on YouTube Music, but as soon as you try to check your email or lock your phone to save battery, the music stops? Then you realise you cannot listen to YouTube Music without ads for free; this also involves listening with background play. Isn’t that frustrating? In most cases, background music and no ads are only available through a paid monthly subscription.
But there is a real, legit free workaround that actually works on both Android and iOS. In this post, I’ll show you the step-by-step process for how to listen to YouTube Music in the background, no ads for free, so you can unlock that premium listening vibe without spending a dime.
Why Use This Method?
Before moving into the “how,” let’s take a look at what makes this method work:
Conserve Phone Battery: The option to lock your screen while listening is definitely the biggest energy saver for mobile phones.
True Multitasking: Listen to YouTube for free while doing things such as browsing through social, replying to messages, or even when you play games.
No More Interruptions: This Method makes use of features that have been programmed in order to process web content in a way that is less disruptive than most users’ first attempt.
Legally Safe: Since you are not downloading any dangerous software to hack YouTube Music for your listening pleasure, this method is a safe way to listen without breaking any YouTube Music policy.
Step 1: Brave Browser – Listen to YouTube Music Without Ads
The key to this method is switching from the YouTube Music app to Brave Browser. Most other mobile browsers stop playing music when the app goes into the background or lock screen. Brave is designed to be privacy-friendly and supports this function well.
First open either the Apple Store on your iPhone device or the Google Play Store on your Android device.
Next find the Brave Private Web Browser in the app store.
Install the application – it is a secure and free browser that a lot of tech enthusiasts like.
Step 2: Setting Up YouTube Music
After installing Brave, we will not be using the YouTube Music app that is present on your mobile device anymore; we will simply be using the web browser.
Proceed to open the Brave Browser. In the URL bar, enter music.youtube.com and press Enter.
Tip: If your browser attempts to open YouTube Music through the YouTube Music app, do this – search for YouTube Music and the first link to show in search with YouTube Music, long-press on it and choose “Open in New Tab”.
Step 3: Accessing Your Personal Library
One of the greatest advantages of using this method is that you don’t lose any data.
Click the Sign In option at the top corner where your profile is.
Log in using your Google account, which is linked to your YouTube Music account.
Straight away, you can see all the songs you have liked, all the playlists you created, and your mix and more.
Step 4: Enabling Ad-Free YouTube Music in the Background
Alright, so let’s just make sure that the background magic is actually on.
In the Brave app, tap on those three dots in the corner (menu).
Go to Settings.
Look for the section where it says Media, or something like that. Make sure that “Enable Background Play” is toggled ON. This setting effectively tells the browser to maintain the audio stream, even when the app is not in focus anymore.
Step 5: Start Your Session
Find the song or even the playlist you want to play, then just play it. Once the music starts playing:
Make a swipe upwards so that you are on the home screen— the music should still be playing!
Put your phone in lock mode—yes, the music should still be playing!
Also, you can control the music right from your lock screen or notifications screen.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Q: The music stops when I lock the screen. What do I do?
Go to settings and select the menu, make sure Background Play is enabled, just like step 4 setup.
Reload the page: On your mobile devices, the web player may require a quick refresh in order for it to recognise the background permissions.
Q: Do I still get my “Wrapped” or Year-in-Review stats?
Of course, since you are logged into your Google account on the web browser, YouTube will keep track of the songs that you listen to, and your year-end statistics will be as accurate as before.
Q: What are the limitations of using YouTube Music with Brave Browser?
There are definitely limitations, and they include:
No Downloads: The major limitation is that you cannot download tracks to listen to them without Internet access. The only option for downloading content is the YouTube Music app itself, and it can be used only with a paid subscription. So to be able to use this service, you should have a stable Internet connection.
User Interface (UI): The fact that you use the mobile web version of the site means that sometimes the user interface won’t be as “responsive” as on the app. It can take time to scroll through a playlist in the web player.
Casting Limitations: Sometimes, it may be more difficult to cast music from the web version to your Chromecast or another smart speaker than to use the special “Cast” button from the official app.
Q: Is using Brave Browser to Listen to YouTube Music Without Ads for Free legal?
Yes, that is legal. All you are doing is browsing using a web browser that values your privacy and provides you with media controls. You are still visiting the YouTube Music website.
Q: Does this method work on both iPhone and Android?
Yes it does. The Brave web browser is available on both the App Store and Google Play Store and background music plays on both platforms.
Q: Will I still see my personal playlists and ‘Liked’ songs?
Yes, as long as you sign in to your Google account within the Brave browser your entire library, history and personalised recommendations will sync perfectly.
Final thoughts
The truth is that using the Brave browser will be the best option to listen to YouTube Music the way you like. No more waking up in your pocket with the screen turned on only to discover that you skipped a song.
To see how that works in real life, watch this full video tutorial here: Listen to YouTube Music for FREE: Background Play & No Ads.
And don’t forget to subscribe to Michael’s Digital World for more tips on making your digital life easier.
