How to Play Audio Only on YouTube Music on PC or Mac

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 24, 2023 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to switch to audio-only mode while watching a music video on YouTube Music, using a desktop internet browser.

Things You Should Know

Navigate to YouTube Music in your web browser.
Select the video you want to play. Then, click the downward-facing arrow to minimize the video.
Close the mini video player. Note that this is a premium feature only available with a paid subscription.

Steps

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/41\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/41\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg\/aid10872168-v4-728px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":346,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":547,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Open YouTube Music in an internet browser. Type https://music.youtube.com into the address bar, and press ↵ Enter or ⏎ Return on your keyboard.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg\/aid10872168-v4-728px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

2
Click the video you want to play in audio-only mode. This will open the video, and start playing it in video mode.
- YouTube Music doesn't have an audio-only toggle in the web-based version like the mobile app, but you can minimize the video, and close the mini player to keep listening to the audio in some tracks.
Advertisement
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/14\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/14\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg\/aid10872168-v4-728px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":343,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":543,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

3
Click the white

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/8\/82\/Android7dropdown.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Android7dropdown.png\/30px-Android7dropdown.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":30,"bigHeight":30,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of an Android icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

icon on the bottom-right. You can find this button next to the Repeat and Shuffle icons in the lower-right corner of the page. It will minimize the video to the mini-player in the lower-right corner of the page.
- The arrow icon on the bottom-right will turn upwards when you minimize the video.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/73\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/73\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-4.jpg\/aid10872168-v4-728px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":344,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":545,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

4
Click the "X" icon on the top-right of the mini video player. When you minimize the video, and see the mini player on the bottom-right corner of the page, click the " X " icon in the upper-right corner of the video player to close it.
- This will close the mini video player, and continue playing the track in audio only.
- When you hover over the "X" icon and wait a bit, it'll say "Close mini player" on a pop-up label.
- This is a premium feature, and only available with a paid subscription to YouTube Music premium service. You won't see it without a paid YouTube Music subscription.
- This feature may not be supported in all videos.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/70\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/70\/Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-5.jpg\/aid10872168-v4-728px-Play-Audio-Only-on-YouTube-Music-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":348,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":551,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

This will expand the video screen again, and switch you back to video mode.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Log in

How to Play Audio Only on YouTube Music on PC or Mac

Things You Should Know

Steps

Expert Q&A

Tips

You Might Also Like

About This Article

Is this article up to date?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories