YouTube TV removes background play on older devices

YouTube TV has intentionally disabled background video playback and limited future program listings on older smart TVs and streaming devices, a change confirmed by the service's support staff that has frustrated many subscribers. The update, which began affecting users in late May and continued into mid-June, primarily targets aging Roku hardware and other less powerful devices to prevent app crashes.

The modification alters how the app's Live Guide functions. When users navigate to the guide, the live video feed no longer continues in a small window or as audio in the background. Instead, the screen turns grey and audio cuts out, resuming only when the guide is closed. This removes the ability to monitor live sports, news, or other programming while browsing channels. Additionally, on affected devices, the guide now shows programming schedules only 24 hours into the future, a significant reduction from the previous range.

A YouTube TV product expert stated on the service's community forums that a recent backend update affects "older and less powerful devices and smart TVs." On these products, background play is no longer supported and scrolling into the future is limited. The...