Google Took It Away, Microsoft Gave It Back: Background YouTube Without Premium Works Again in Edge

The mobile version of Microsoft Edge has function is going directly against YouTube’s latest policy changes. We’re talking about background video playback — that very feature that Google recently forced off for all smartphone browsers, leaving it only for paying Premium subscribers. Now, judging by the Edge Canary test build, Microsoft has found a way to give this option back to users for free.

Android owners who installed the experimental Edge Canary browser noticed that the YouTube audio keeps playing even after they minimize the app or switch to another tab. Until recently, the video hosting service strictly cracked down on this behavior on mobile platforms: if you tried to send the browser to the background, playback would stop and a notification would pop up telling you to get Premium.

It’s not clear yet whether this change in Edge is a deliberate move or a temporary bug in the Canary build that’ll get patched soon. But in practice, the feature works reliably: you can start a long podcast or a music mix, turn off your phone’s screen or open a messaging app — the audio keeps going without interruption. Given that the price of an individual YouTube Premium subscription went up again in several regions earlier this year, this workaround feels especially timely for budget-conscious users.

Apart from this hidden “bonus” with background mode, other improvements related to tab management have also shown up in the mobile Edge Canary version. The browser interface now has tiny audio indicator icons — just like the desktop version. If a page is playing a video or music, a speaker icon appears next to the tab title, helping you quickly scan through a dozen open sites and figure out which one is making unwanted noise. In addition, a long-press on a tab now brings up a context menu with a one-tap mute option. Before, you had to actually go into the page and hunt for the player’s volume slider.

There’s been no official comment from either Microsoft’s press office or YouTube representatives. It’s unknown whether this feature will make it into the stable version of mobile Edge available in app stores, or if Google will quickly update the web version’s code to block the loophole. In the meantime, users who don’t want to put up with paid restrictions can test the Canary build at their own risk, keeping in mind that test software can be unstable.

What’s your take on these kinds of “gray area” ways to bypass subscriptions? Do you think bringing back background playback is fair game, or is it just another reason for YouTube to tighten the screws on everyone? Share your thoughts in the comments.