YouTube Music now lets you download songs for offline listening on web

Image: Android Authority

YouTube Music, Google’s dedicated music streaming service, is making offline listening more accessible with the rollout of offline downloads for its web app. This welcome feature brings the website in line with its mobile app counterpart, allowing users to save songs and playlists for enjoyment even without an internet connection.

YouTube has been testing this feature for a while now, but it seems to have gained wider availability as of March 29. While the feature isn’t showing for everyone yet, some users are being greeted with a “New! Download music to listen offline” message beside their Library tab.

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YouTube Music gets personal with new Activity feed

Image: r/YoutubeMusic / Reddit

Since early 2024, YouTube Music has been ramping up notifications, and now they're taking it a step further with a dedicated "Activity" feed in the mobile app. Look for a new bell icon next to the search bar. Tapping it reveals a feed of recently released music from artists you follow, conveniently organized by "This Week" and "Earlier."

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YouTube Music gains long-awaited Hum to Search feature

Image: u/Izmir_Stinger / Reddit

Great news for music lovers who struggle to recall song titles! YouTube Music is finally rolling out the "Hum to Search" functionality, similar to the one available in the main YouTube app since October. This feature utilizes artificial intelligence to recognize melodies you hum, sing, or play on another device. On Android, you'll find a dedicated "Song" button next to the search bar for quick access, while iOS users might already have the feature through an earlier update.

While it doesn't automatically save identified songs to a playlist like Spotify, finding that catchy tune you can't remember is now a breeze. This addition brings YouTube Music more in line with its predecessor, Google Play Music, and offers a convenient way to discover music.

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YouTube Music can be a default service on the Apple HomePod now

The Verge

YouTube Music is now compatible with HomePods, as announced by the product head Brandon Bilinski on Reddit. You can now ask Siri to play songs from the service or make it your default music source on your Apple smart speakers. You can follow the steps on this support page to set it up.

HomePods have limited options for third-party music services so far. Besides YouTube Music, only Deezer and Pandora have added support so far. Spotify can be controlled by Siri on HomePods, but not connected directly to the speakers.

To use YouTube Music on your HomePods, you need a YouTube Music or YouTube Premium account. In the app, tap your user icon, then Settings > Connected Apps > Connect with HomePod. To make it your default service, open the Home App, tap the settings icon, then Home Settings > Your username > Default Service.

If you don’t see the "Connected Apps" option in YouTube Music, try closing and reopening the app. You may also need to update the app to the latest version.

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