YouTube has confirmed it is working to resolve a bug in its mobile app that causes significant battery drain on Apple devices, even when the app is running in the background.

First covered by tech blog PiunikaWeb, the issue has been noted by several MacRumors forum members, as well as on Reddit and Twitter, and appears to be mainly affecting devices running iOS 11.1.1.

Screen Shot 5

Image via PiunikaWeb

In addition to battery drain, some iPhone users have reported that the YouTube app is causing their device to run much hotter than usual when watching videos, although the two issues don't seem to occur together in every case.


YouTube says it is aware of the problem and is "actively working" to come up with a fix for the app, although no timeframe was given. In the meantime, affected users are advised to watch YouTube videos in their web browser of choice.

Tag: YouTube

Top Rated Comments

Nozuka Avatar
Nozuka
47 months ago
And people still says that’s there no reason to close apps in the App Switcher.


People live in an fairy world where all apps are correctly programmed thus they can run in the background.
There is no reason to close apps in the App Switcher unless you have problems.
This is such a case.

And i'm pretty sure this problem didn't occur if you disable updating in the background for the youtube app. At least i did and never had any problems.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
emulajavi Avatar
emulajavi
47 months ago
And people still says that’s there no reason to close apps in the App Switcher.


People live in an fairy world where all apps are correctly programmed thus they can run in the background.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ayemerica Avatar
Ayemerica
47 months ago
My X gets pretty warm using YouTube. When using Netflix 4K HDR nothing, streaming iTunes films nothing. Just YT.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple blogger Avatar
Apple blogger
47 months ago
Ummm.. to my knowledge, the YouTube app has been draining app since a couple of years.. I've notified google like several times... never fixed...

It's not new.. so it's not some users, it's all users.. since I don't know.. 3-4 years or more... maybe from the time Google shifted to its material design
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac Tyson Avatar
Mac Tyson
47 months ago
All those youtubers that did battery drain tests need to redo them again after this fix.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Telos101 Avatar
Telos101
47 months ago
I stopped using the app when it automatically started opening when l clicked on a link in Safari. I want to control that behavior. If I wanted to use the app, then I would have opened it. When it was embedded in a webpage and I wanted to watch it, then no, don't open the app. It's been years since I've used it for this reason, so maybe it's changed?
Instead of tapping a link in Safari, try a press-and-hold. This should bring up an option to open the video in another Safari tab. It works for me, when I remember to do it!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Top Stories

EEC Apple iphone 13

Apple Registers iPhone 13 Models in Eurasia Ahead of September Launch

Friday June 11, 2021 2:16 am PDT by
Nashville Chatter Class has discovered a new Russian-language regulatory filing in the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) database pointing towards several unreleased iPhone 13 models that Apple will be launching in the fall. Versions of iPhone running iOS 14 are listed with the model numbers A2628, A2630, A2634, A2635, A2640, A2643, and A2645. None of the numbers correspond to Apple's...
Read Full Article • 60 comments
ios 15 home screen icons

iOS 15 Lets You Drag and Drop Images and Text Across Apps

Saturday June 12, 2021 3:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week previewed iOS 15, which is available now in beta for developers ahead of a public release later this year. One smaller but useful new feature added is the ability to drag and drop images, text, files, and more across apps on iPhone. MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci demonstrated the new feature in a tweet: Using cross-app drag and drop on iPhone in iOS 15. Finally 🎉 #WW ...
Read Full Article • 99 comments
ipad mini 6

Next iPad Mini Will Allegedly Feature Thinner Bezels, USB-C Port, and Touch ID Power Button

Friday June 11, 2021 1:13 pm PDT by
On his newly launched Front Page Tech website, leaker Jon Prosser has shared renders showing off the alleged design of the next-generation iPad mini, which he says are based on schematics, CAD files, and real images of the device. In line with details shared earlier this month by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu, Prosser claims that the new iPad mini will feature slimmer bezels around...
Read Full Article • 159 comments
iphone12protriplelenscamera

Apple's Orders for Key iPhone 13 Camera Component Expected to Outstrip Entire Android Market

Wednesday June 9, 2021 12:47 am PDT by
Major camera upgrades coming to the iPhone 13 series are putting increased pressure on suppliers to meet Apple's demand for key lens components, according to a new DigiTimes report. Apple has reportedly put Taiwan-based makers of voice coil motor (VCM) components on notice to increase their capacity by 30-40% in order to meet the company's demand, which is expected to outstrip the entire...
Read Full Article • 23 comments
apple virtual game controller ios 15

Apple Makes New On-Screen Game Controller Available to Developers on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15

Saturday June 12, 2021 12:36 pm PDT by
During the Platforms State of the Union at WWDC this week, Apple unveiled a new API for iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 that enables developers to implement an on-screen virtual game controller in their iPhone and iPad games with just a few lines of code. While many iPhone and iPad games already offer on-screen controls, Apple's new virtual game controller is available to all developers, easy to add,...
Read Full Article • 43 comments
macos monterey tidbits feature copy

macOS Monterey Tidbits: Animated Memoji on Login Screen, Change the Color of the Mouse Pointer, and More

Friday June 11, 2021 10:27 am PDT by
We've highlighted several new features coming in macOS Monterey, such as Low Power Mode and the option to erase a Mac without reinstalling the operating system, but there are some smaller tidbits that we wanted to share. Animated Memoji on Login Screen One small but fun new feature in macOS Monterey is the addition of a personalized Memoji on the login screen, complete with animated facial...
Read Full Article • 86 comments
mr white ipod touch 5 protoype3

Unreleased iPod Touch 5 With Chamfered Edges and 30-Pin Dock Connector Shared Online

Thursday June 10, 2021 2:05 am PDT by
Occasional leaker Mr White has today shared interesting images on Twitter of what appears to be an old-school fifth-generation iPod touch prototype with chamfered edges and a brushed aluminum finish. The original iPod touch 5 that Apple released in October 2012 had a unibody anodized aluminum chassis with rounded edges, and was available in several colors, including slate. Another...
Read Full Article • 31 comments
maxresdefault

Apple Promotes iPad Pro in New Ad With 'The Little Mermaid' Musical Spin

Saturday June 12, 2021 7:01 am PDT by
In a currently unlisted ad on YouTube, Apple is promoting the versatility, portability, and power of the M1 iPad Pro in a fun musical inspired by The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World" soundtrack. In the ad, which features the main character using an M1 iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil, multiple users can be seen struggling with their old PCs indoors while hoping that they can...
Read Full Article • 355 comments
passwords system preferences

macOS Monterey Features Dedicated Password Section in System Preferences, Built-In Authenticator and More

Friday June 11, 2021 2:32 pm PDT by
macOS Monterey makes several improvements to password management, positioning iCloud Keychain as an ideal password service to replace third-party services like Lastpass and 1Password. In System Preferences, there's a new "Passwords" section that houses all of your iCloud Keychain logins and passwords so they're easier to get to, edit, and manage. There's a similar Passwords section that's...
Read Full Article • 195 comments
Dark Sky App Featured

Dark Sky iOS App, Website, and API Now Scheduled to Remain Available Until End of 2022

Thursday June 10, 2021 7:34 am PDT by
Last year, Apple acquired the weather app Dark Sky, and shortly after its purchase, Apple shut down the app for Android. Despite the revamped iOS 15 Weather app taking heavy inspiration from Dark Sky, the weather's app standalone iOS app, web app, and API will remain available until the end of next year, compared to the end of this year, as previously planned. Dark Sky announced in an update ...
Read Full Article • 80 comments