YouTube has announced an upgrade to its most affordable paid subscription, Premium Lite, adding two features that users have long demanded, background playback and offline downloads.
The update comes to India and several other global markets and is expected to roll out fully over the coming weeks.
In an X post, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said: "Over the next few weeks, we're introducing new features to our @youtube Premium Lite tier. You'll soon be able to enjoy most videos offline and in the background, in addition to most videos ad-free. Excited to keep giving our subscribers more flexibility to choose the YouTube experience that's right for them."
Until now, YouTube Premium Lite mainly offered a reduced-ad experience compared to the free version. However, it did not allow users to play videos in the background or download content for offline viewing.
Background Playback Now Available
According to a report by engadget.com, under the upgrade, Premium Lite subscribers will be able to play videos in the background.
This allows videos to continue playing even when the phone screen is locked or when users switch to another app. The feature is expected to be useful for content such as podcasts, interviews, lectures, educational videos and long discussions that do not require constant on-screen viewing.
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Offline Downloads Added
The company has also reportedly enabled offline downloads for Premium Lite users. engadget.com reported that subscribers can now download videos using Wi-Fi or mobile data and watch them later without an internet connection. This feature is particularly relevant for commuters, travellers and users living in areas with unreliable network connectivity.
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YouTube has said the rollout of these features will be completed in the coming weeks across all regions where Premium Lite is currently available.
Price of Lite Tier
The YouTube Premium Lite is priced at Rs 89 per month. The full Premium Individual plan costs Rs 149 per month, while the Family plan is priced at Rs 299 and the two-member plan at Rs 219 per month. The annual Individual Premium plan costs Rs 1,490.
What New Features You Get In Premium Lite?
With the latest update, Premium Lite subscribers receive:
- Background playback for most non-music videos
- Offline downloads for viewing without internet access
- A reduced-ad experience on general content
- Access to categories such as gaming, news, fashion, cooking and educational videos with fewer ads
- However, advertisements will continue to appear on music videos and music-related content.
Despite the upgrade, Premium Lite does not include ad-free music streaming. Subscribers do not get access to YouTube Music Premium, which remains part of the full Premium plan. Music video background playback and audio-only playback within the YouTube Music app are also excluded from the Lite tier.
What's There In Full Premium?
The full Premium subscription includes ad-free YouTube Music, background play for music videos, audio-only playback in the YouTube Music app and additional playback controls. These features are not available to Premium Lite users.
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