You won't want to miss out on the world-class speakers at TNW Conference this year 🎟 Book your 2 for 1 tickets now! This offer ends on April 22 →

This article was published on October 21, 2015

Listen to YouTube audio on Android with your screen turned off to save battery life


Listen to YouTube audio on Android with your screen turned off to save battery life

Even if you can’t find a song you want to hear on a streaming music service, you’ll probably find it on YouTube. The video platform is an excellent resource for finding tunes in a jiffy.

Unfortunately, YouTube’s Android app keeps the screen on while it plays videos, and chews through your battery in the process. Locking your device pauses playback. So how do you keep the music — and the good times — going without running out of power?

Grab Black Screen of Life, a free ad-supported app that turns off your screen when your proximity sensor (located on the front of your device, usually near the top speaker) is blocked. It’s not pretty, but it gets the job done.

Launch and activate it, then fire up a YouTube playlist and put your phone in your pocket or lay it face down, and voilà! Instant battery-efficient aural pleasure.

Of course, YouTube Music Key subscribers already enjoy this feature on Android, but the service is only available to Google Play Music All Access who signed up for the beta program.

This method is safe, easy and doesn’t require root access. If you’re looking to kick out the jams and all your favorite tracks are on YouTube, this is a great way to get the party started. It’s also perfect for catching up on lectures and tutorials while relaxing or running errands.

Black Screen of Life [Android]

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Also tagged with