YouTube Vanced is a modded version of YouTube that adds much needed features
YouTube Vanced is a modded version of YouTube for Google's Android operating system that adds much needed features to the client. Features that it adds include background playback, ad-blocking, sponsor-blocking, and more.
YouTube Vanced installation
Installation of YouTube Vanced is not as straightforward as heading to Google Play to install the latest version. What you need to do is install the latest Vanced Manager from the project website first on the device.
Once done, start the application to install the latest required components. The manager displays them and you need to install MicroG and YouTube Vanced (in that order). Since they are not offered via Google Play, it is necessary to allow the installation from this source (Vanced Manager), but the program reminds you of that.
MicroG is a framework designed to allow applications to run on systems where Play Services is not available. The developer forked MicroG so that it can be used by apps that require Google Authentication.
YouTube Vanced Configuration
You can start YouTube Vanced after both components have been installed. The interface looks identical to that of the YouTube application, and there is a chance that you won't notice a difference on the first screen because of that.
First thing you may want to do is open the Settings of the application and open the "Sponsor Block settings" and "Vanced settings" to go through the configuration once.
Sponsor Block is not enabled by default; it is a component that uses crowd-sourced data to skip sponsored messages in videos. Works really well for popular channels that use sponsorship messages. Just toggle the option to enable it.
Vanced settings are quite extensive. You may use them, among other things, to:
- Change preferred video quality on mobile and Wi-Fi.
- Override the maximum device video resolution.
- Change the preferred video speed.
- Override the default codec.
- Enable the hiding of Home ads (experimental feature).
- Disable YouTube Stories.
- Disable End Cards.
- Disable Info Card buttons.
- Disable branding watermark.
- Disable cast button.
- Enable tablet miniplayer.
- Enable comments location.
- Enable Home search bar.
- Enable dark theme.
- Enable automatic repeat.
- Disable full HDR brightness.
- Enable experimental player.
- Enable swipe controls for brightness and volume.
All of these options are added to the YouTube options provided by the official application. Google users may sign-in to their account using YouTube Vanced to manage subscriptions and get all the benefits associated with the account.
The Experience
YouTube Vanced offers features, such as background play, that should have been part of the official YouTube application. While the installation procedure may deter some Android users who prefer to download and install applications only from Google Play, it is well worth for others who want more control over YouTube on their devices.
Vanced is open source and you may check the source code of the components on the developer's GitHub page.
Now You: Do you use third-party apps to access YouTube?
Thanks for this one, Martin. The best alternative to the stock YouTube app for sure.
Nah, best is NewPipe.
No need to login.
Background play, builtin downloader.
NewPipe is just as bad as YouTube Vanced – when the YouTube API updates, NewPipe breaks and you can’t use it unless the developer updates.
I’ve been on that ride and it sucks. Right now I just use my browser to watch YouTube videos just as I use it on other streaming sites.
YouTube’s mobile API prevents background play, but if you force your browser to load the page as Desktop, you can play videos on the background with no problem.
@Allwynd
Bromite allows background playback on YouTube and doesn’t force YouTube links through the YouTube app.
Idk what you’re talking about. I have updated Vanced in over a year and it works on all my devices.
@Gabriel
If devs could know if software works by testing it with just one user on a few devices, then that would be great. Yet things are more complicated than that, requiring testing with many users on many devices with various configurations with other software.
Funny how many people don’t understand that, as if the truth is only about their self-centered experiences.
Newpipe works better for me, depends on the person I guess.
If it’s like NewPipe which breaks every couple of days, PASS. And it’s not like Google is actively changing the way YT works, because stuff like youtube-dl doesn’t break.
This app is literally unbreakable because background playback and no ads are “ported” from paid Youtube Red…and with “ported” i mean the same way you “modify” software with a “special” exe file when you don’t want to pay for it. If Google changes anything, they would break all existing old versions of Youtube on stuff like game consoles and smart TVs or older phones that stopped receiving updates.
Anyways, my phone which i rarely use for anything else than calls, has some old Vanced version from 2018 and everything still works as it should.
@Yuliya: YouTube *regularly* changes the way YT works and *regularly* breaks youtube-dl. But simply updating youtube-dl has *always* unbroken it for me. I wish all software were as well and promptly maintained. Did I ever tell you about the time Sophos Endpoint Security and Control was incompatible with a critical Windows 7 security update for one month? And then two months? And then three months? And then how I switched the computer* to a different antivirus?
*Not MY computer. Sophos? Blech! ;-)
To the “boomers” complaining that Vanced breaks…no it doesn’t,it works perfectly for months with out updating it, no problems whatsoever and NewPipe…really?Have you used that app,it sucks! BTW you know you can choose not to login with Vanced if you want to !
without “boomers” you wouldn’t have a cell phone, the internet or video games. You’d be stuck complaining about the world from your mothers basement.
YT doesn’t like competition or someone breaking their ad delivery/data collection.
Of course sarcasm goes over some peoples heads or you didn’t get the memo that the word “boomer” is used these days as a pejorative to non technological inclined people!
@Timi
So you are promoting age discrimination, and to be part of the in-crowd you use insulting slang.
Got it.
Perhaps you need to grow up and learn how to communicate without the circuitous blather and hate?
But if you prefer to pose as a know-it-all snob, then so be it.
OK Boomer!
@popcorn
Actually, I visited an alternate reality where there were no Boomers, where there were no cell phones, no internet or video games.
Also, there was likewise none of the Boomer’s dysfunctional kids.
It was great.
@Timi
“Boomer” (as slang) means someone who often prefers to do some things “old school”, such as simply telling a friend (face to face) that you like some food, instead of taking a photo of your plate and posting it on Instagram.
For example, “Lew Later” used “Boomer” that way on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/nSUJoj68q3A?t=4541
Thanks for this. I use KMPlayer on my android to play youtube videos. It supports background play
I had Vanced, it could do “everything” but to download YT videos, it could before…in the older versions.
I use Newpipe, a modded version, its awesome. Add channels without registering.
And Snaptube is a Vanced like app with the DL feature on.
Any type of YouTube modification software/extension, etc. always works for me.
Thanks for another one!
@VioletMoon
Thanks for that anecdotal tip, as I have always found success by taking the advice of boastful neophytes.
“Vanced is open source” ??
Thanks for this. I’ve been using NewPipe, but it constantly has errors. I’ll give this a go :)
If you have an Android TV, try Smart YouTube TV (there’s a github page), it has integrated Adblock!
Do you still need to have a rooted phone to be able to log in?
No you don’t. My phone is not rooted and it works flawlessly.
Vanced was only good until around version 14.5XXX. After that there’s a huge hole in the history of it and didn’t get a new version until 15.XX. can’t recall the exact, but that June if u check XDA , you’ll see a large amount of complaints when Vanced suckered a whole bunch of people to update to a modified version that splits APKs but it’s not necessary. It takes all the ads and puts them around the videos instead of in. And it leaks all your Firebase info, all the API history that YouTube normally collects (which videos, comments, messages etc) end up being leaked.
Tiktok ad services. So now users don’t have to deal with ads but in return users get their lists of all videos and other YouTube/video streaming information collected and given to the ad companies anyway. Can’t cheat death.
Hello, sometimes it happens to me that the resolution changes from 2160p to 720p, or from 1080p to 720p … you don’t know why ??? Or when I play 4K HDR videos the picture seems to lose a clear contrast and is quite blurry … I use the latest version of YouTube Vanced and Micro G, I have an android box Beelink GT Kung Pro.
also try – https://www.vanced.pro/ which has better features than most youtube vanced apps…
Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can’t help but wonder, what about the other side?
https://www.vanced.pro/ is one of the most popular apps in the world. It has billions of active users on a daily basis. People use it for various purposes such as music, movies, information, education, live streams. But as we all know, all this comes with restrictions such as interruptive ads, no background & popup video play etc.
Vanced MicroG might even be impressive if it didn’t immediately ***CRASH*** as soon as you boot your tablet. But as it is it’s completely **USELESS**.