Please consider supporting background video playback on mobile.
While at work, driving, going to sleep, etc., I would love to be able to start video playback and continue listening to the audio component of the video media even after I have:
navigated away from plex to another app
locked my mobile device or turned off the screen
accidentally done 1 or 2 above…
YouTube Red offers background video playback as a premium feature. I would be thrilled to have a similar feature included with my plex pass (or free if you prefer).
I second that I constantly have to use a Browser to be able to play my videos in the background I’m always at work listening to a TV show. I don’t even like listening to music it bothers me Plus it’s not engaging at all. let me get a hell yeah on this howmany time do you want to listen to the same thing over and over again. So I listen to comedies like South Park or family guy on shuffle. or I’m sleeping and I want the TV play I can’t sleep without it. but it’s something that all use constantly 24 hours a day but the only way to get it to work is to put it in the browser and then make it a full screen and then play with like my Bluetooth play button. This has only been possible since pie or oreo too. Before it didn’t work at all. I definitely want to put in my vote for background play.
I download a lot of documentaries, and the video part of the content is often secondary to the audio part of the content, so I am ok with listening to the audio while I work. Sometimes I am rewatching content I have already seen and can visualize it in my head. There are so many reasons why background play for mobile would be fantastic. I almost never actually watch the video while playing content on my phone.
If you want to see this implemented properly, take a cue from VLC mobile on iOS. When you background the app, it continues playing seamlessly. At a minimum, provide an option to either pause or not when the app is backgrounded. Tons of audio primary video content from webcasts and talks to training and lecture content.
Adding my vote for this feature. Music videos is another good example of why sometimes it is desirable to have music playing in the background with the screen off.
I know people talk about locking the phone and then unlocking it. That is great if you are listening to a long movie or something. But when the video finishes it does not play the next video in the playlist or shuffle if you are playing your whole library. It just stops playing.
Second whilst the task switcher overview is open, swipe down from the top of the screen to show the notification and shortcut area. Depending on your Android version you may have to swipe left or right to further reveal the Plex widget with the player controls. From that widget you can resume playback of your video whilst the app isn’t focused
Third with the video playback resumed, and with the task switcher and notification area still focused, click on the background area to return to the home screen. The video will remain playing, but you’ll now be on your home screen and can open other apps, or even lock and close the phone
Enjoy this clumsy workaround to achieve background playback on Android in the meantime, and hopefully we see proper first-class support for this in the near future
+1 I was about to suggest this but glad it’s already posted.
I happen to come across many cases to play video in background on my Android phone. Would be really nice to have!
as the title says, I want to have the option to only listen to the concerts on the go rather than wasting battery and bandwidth watching it. This could be really handy when you need another way to consume the content.
I would love to have an audio only option for videos that would function like a music player. Have the ability to lock the screen or switch apps all together without stopping the playback.
I am a visual person so when I am at work or going to sleep I like to listen to a series or movie I have seen to much I can tune out for who knows how long and not be confused when I tune back in and visualize the scene in my head. This would be great for saving data when the wifi doesn’t want to work and I forget to turn on my wifi at the end of the day and removing the temptation to look at the screen
I did a search for the request before posting and did indeed see a few requests, but they were all closed as duplicates. The original request post that are linked to are coming up with an error saying “this page doesn’t exist or is private”
i’d love this on ios (heck, apple watch, even). i kind of have a workaround for iphones and ipads, but it’s not a true feature. if you lock the device, it will stop the video. but, if you don’t unlock it, but just hit play on the lockscreen, you will get some of the benefits.
i’m going through an interview series right now where the visuals aren’t the meat, so, locking and listening while grocery shopping or whatever is great. BUT, (here’s the shortcoming),
if i want to put it in the background, though, it doesn’t work. so i can’t take notes, check items off my list, etc. BUT—i can use it a little bit.
I would love to have an Audio Only option for all playback devices, since it would be great for people who want to have something on the TV when going to sleep, without the constant distracting light changes.
I use my mobile (Android, but every OS would benefit) to listen to Plex videos on my commute. I would like to lock the phone (turn the screen off) during these times, but the show will stop playing. Could we have the option to keep the video playing in the background, when the screen turns off? It would operate in the same way that Plex music does on a mobile.
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