I use YouTube a lot and oftentimes, I want to listen to a video while taking a walk with my headphones. But, as soon as I put my phone in my pocket, I accidentally pause the video or close the app. It got me curious if there were ways to keep YouTube playing even when the screen is off or a way to prevent accidental touches on the screen until I want to interact with it again.

I found a few methods that worked for my smartphones to address this issue. If you’re interested, just keep reading!

How to Lock YouTube Screen on Smartphones

Accidental touches can be annoying when you’re trying to enjoy YouTube. And, for parents, it doubles when your kids keep tapping and closing the app or pausing the video unintentionally. It would be great if there was a way to lock the screen to prevent these touches while still allowing the YouTube video to keep playing on your smartphone, right? Here’s how!

Android 

• Open the Settings app on your Android device.
• Scroll down through the settings options and tap on “Security”.
• Look for an option called “More Security” or “Advanced” and select it.
• In the “More Security” or “Advanced” section, find and tap on “Screen Pinning”.
• Toggle the switch next to “Screen Pinning” to turn it on and activate it.
• Now, open the YouTube app on your device.
• While on the YouTube app, tap the button to minimize or go to the background (usually the square or recent apps button).
• After tapping the background button, you’ll see a menu with different options.
• From the menu options, select “Pinning” or “Pin App”.
• Once you click on “Pinning” or “Pin App”, you’ll receive an on-screen notification confirming the screen pinning process.

iPhone

• Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
• Scroll down and tap on “Accessibility”.
• In the Accessibility menu, find and select “Guided Access”.
• Toggle the switch next to “Guided Access” to turn it on and activate it.
• Enable the accessible shortcut by tapping on “Accessibility Shortcut”.
• Tap on “Guided Access” in the list of options and select “Passcode Settings”.
• Set a passcode for Guided Access to ensure only you can exit it later.
• Now, open the YouTube app on your iOS device.
• Start playing a video and tap on the full-screen button to make it fill the entire screen.
• To lock the screen, triple-click the side button (usually the power or lock button) quickly.
• Triple-click the side button again to see the lock menu and enter your Guided Access passcode.
• In the lock menu, tap on “Options” and uncheck all the available options.
• Click “Done” to save the settings and exit the lock menu.
• You can now resume watching the video in locked mode without any interruptions.

How I Lock Youtube Screen Using Third-Party Apps

Third-party apps are another great way to lock your YouTube screen with ease!

1. Touch Lock

The touch lock app has a user-friendly interface allowing for easy activation and deactivation and does a great job at preventing accidental touches and unintentional interruptions. Here is how to use the touch lock on your device:

1. Open the Play Store app or apple store on your smartphone device.
2. Search for the “Touch Lock” app and install it.
3. Once installed, open the Touch Lock app.
4. Set up the app according to your preferences and make sure it’s running in the background.
5. Now, open the YouTube app on your device.
6. Start playing a video in the YouTube app.
7. To enable Touch Lock, go back to the Touch Lock app.
8. Return to your video, and you’ll notice that the video is locked as it resumes from where it stopped.

2.  Musi App

I discovered the Musi app, which I find enjoyable and efficient for my walks. It’s a fantastic music streaming app, possibly the best one I’ve ever used. It allows for both audio and visuals without any delays or long ad breaks.

There is a search tab in the Musi app that enables you to find and play videos from YouTube. It also allows you to lock your device while a video continues playing, enabling you to enjoy the content without needing to keep the app open. 

One disadvantage of the Musi app is that it does not provide an option to download songs or videos for offline playback. This means that you will need an active internet connection to stream music or videos using the app.