YouTube Premium Lite Updated: Two New Features, More Benefits

YouTube relaunched the Premium Lite subscription about a year ago, in March 2025. Now, the platform has announced two important upgrades that make Premium Lite a significantly more attractive and practical option.

Previously, Premium Lite mainly offered ad-free viewing for “most videos” and little else. With this update, YouTube is adding two additional features for “most videos”:

• Background play: Audio (and playback) can continue even when you leave the app or lock your screen.

• Downloads: You’ll be able to download eligible content to your device and watch it offline.

These improvements are expected to roll out “in the coming weeks” across all regions where YouTube Premium Lite is available.

Important note about ads

YouTube still does not guarantee a completely ad-free experience with Premium Lite. The company continues to say you’ll get ad-free viewing on “most videos,” not all videos as with the full Premium subscription.

The “fine print” (key limitations)

According to YouTube’s terms, Premium Lite benefits apply to most non-music content, excluding Shorts, and ads may still appear while you search or browse.

Bottom line

Premium Lite remains cheaper than full Premium, and the addition of background play and downloads makes it a much stronger value proposition. However, users should keep in mind that coverage is not universal, and some ads may still appear in certain parts of the platform.