New updates are added at the bottom of this story …
The original story (published March 15, 2021) follows:
Some YouTube users with Android smartphones have noticed that the screen does not time out after playing a video.
Generally, after the video is finished, the phone screen should automatically turn off after a set time which is usually 2-5 minutes but can be changed by the user.
But after a recent update of the YouTube app for Android, this is not happening according to several reports.
(Source)
Yes, something must have changed recently. I usually fall asleep listening to youtube in the background. I woke up yesterday with a dead battery. (Source)
Same problem. Started recently. I own the Galaxy S10 +. But it appears to be an app issue and not a device issue. (Source)
I have the same problem. Too bad. I really don’t want to damage my battery or my screen by letting it display the same image for 8 hours. (Source)
Since the issue has arisen recently and is not specific to any particular smartphone, it’s likely that YouTube is to blame rather than any OEM.
Google, or rather YouTube, has yet to publicly acknowledge the problem. However, a Samsung Korea mod has shared some details suggesting that YouTube may be aware of the issue.
(Source)
While the mod comment’s translation (Korean to English) doesn’t seem quite accurate, it does highlight the fact that if and when YouTube fixes the problem, you just need to download and install the latest one. version of the YouTube app on the Play Store.
But if you’re not ready to wait for an official update, there are a few workarounds you can try in order to resolve the issue for now.
Workarounds for YouTube Android app screen timeout issue
Uninstall YouTube app updates: The best way to fix the issue is to simply uninstall the YouTube app updates as reported by an individual on Reddit.
Go to the applications settings, click on YouTube then on the button with the information of the application (battery storage, etc.), press the 3 dots and uninstall the updates, solved the problem for me (Source )
This makes perfect sense as the issue only appeared after a recent update to the YouTube app. Therefore, getting rid of the latest updates would bring back the screen sleep function as usual.
Install YouTube 16.05.38: While uninstalling all updates is the easiest solution, it also means you might end up with a dated YouTube app.
So if you want most of the new features, Android YouTube app version 16.05.38 should fix the problem while providing most of the new features, as another individual pointed out on Reddit.
(Source)
Download: YouTube 16.05.38
As usual, we’ll post an update once the bug is fixed or if YouTube shares additional details regarding the screen timeout issue on the Android app.
In the meantime, you can follow the status of all bugs and issues on YouTube by going here.
Update 1 (March 18)
In the meantime, YouTube community experts suggest that affected users share their comments (by heading here) with the team directly.
Update 2 (March 20)
An individual suggested using YouTube Vanced until the issue was resolved. Of course, YouTube Vanced has a lot of other advantages over the official app, so it seems like a decent workaround until the problem is fixed.
Just getting YouTube Vanced works fine for me (Source)
Apart from that, you can also work around the problem by watching videos directly through the YouTube mobile site on the browser of your choice as reported by another Redditor. You will need to turn off autoplay for this to work.
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