Play videos in the background issue
It seems I have a rather unique problem, which at this point in time has got me confused. I have the same version of firefox android nightly installed on two different android product's, I have it on my android tablet & my android phone. On my tablet, when I'm watching a video on youtube and turn the screen off, the audio portion of the video keeps playing. But on my phone, as soon as I turn the screen off the audio stops immediately. So far I can't determine why this is happening, I'm liking the new browser..but I'd like it more if I could get my phone to function like my tablet.
All Replies (5)
Hey David,
Does the audio still play on your phone when you navigate away from the Firefox App, or is it only when you lock the screen?
Hi, What happens is instead of playing thru the firefox browser, it switches to a different application that I have installed on my phone. The app is vanced YouTube that is free and has a large user base.
If you would like Youtube videos to play directly in the Firefox Browser instead of redirecting you to Vanced, try going to your Firefox Settings and turn the Open links in apps option off. Now when you go to a Youtube video, open the Firefox menu (the 3 dots menu) and turn on the Desktop Site option. Now the video should play with your screen off.
Youtube automatically stops mobile users from listening to videos with your screen off, so this makes your device behave like a computer, which negates this blocker.
If you are wanting Youtube videos to be playing through Vanced (which should support background play), try the following steps
1.) Open your device settings and go to the Apps section. 2.) Tap the three dots in the top right corner and select Special Access. 3.) In Optimize Battery Usage, turn this option off for whichever app you are wanting to be able to play Youtube videos in the background (i.e. Vanced, Firefox, etc.). 4.) In Draw Over Other Apps, turn this option on for the same apps. 5.) In Picture-in-Picture, ensure the same apps are set to allowed. 6.) If the above doesn't help, try going into Allow App While Data Saver On and enable the same apps here. Please note that this may lead to increased data usage on your phone.
Now try playing videos, lock the screen, and see if it works. This may not work if videos are playing directly in the Firefox Browser, as mentioned previously, Youtube automatically prevents audio from playing when the mobile device's screen is off.
Hi Ballison, In response to your question, on my phone it navigates away from the browser and opens up in a application I have installed on my phone. This is the app I'm referring to : https://vanced.app/, this app has a great deal of user's. I think what bugs me the most is how firefox behaves differently on my phone and my tablet. On my tablet I currently have this version installed Nightly 200214 08:03 (Build #2015722945). And on my phone I used to have the same version installed, but then someone told me about this version : https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid/ so now that's what I have installed on my phone. But the only way that youtube videos continue to play in the background is if I have it set in desktop mode with the browser or if not it will automatically switch over to the vanced app and then it plays in the background.
Youtube blocks Firefox any any other mobile browser from playing in the background by default. Likely to direct people to YouTube Red their streaming service. You can use an addon to fix this Youtube behavior.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/video-background-play-fix/