If you were unsure about signing up for YouTube’s most economical paid plan because of the lack of background play or offline downloads, YouTube has some encouraging news for you.

In a recent update, YouTube announced that both background play and offline download features are being introduced to its $7.99 per month YouTube Premium Lite plan.

YouTube Premium, the ad-free paid subscription service, has proven to be quite successful for the platform.

Priced at $13.99 per month, YouTube Premium provides an ad-free experience along with unique features like background play and offline downloads. It also includes YouTube Music, ad-free, at no additional charge.

Last year, YouTube revealed that over 125 million individuals subscribe to its service. Around that same period, YouTube launched a more budget-friendly option known as YouTube Premium Lite.

YouTube Premium Lite offers an ad-free experience for most content. However, advertisements still show up on YouTube Shorts, music content, and during searches or browsing. This tier is available for $7.99 per month.

Previously, YouTube Premium Lite did not include extra features, but now subscribers can take advantage of background play and offline downloads for most content. The same limitations apply as with the ad-free experience (e.g., YouTube Shorts and music content are not included). Ad-free YouTube Music continues to be a privilege of YouTube Premium.

YouTube notes that many users have asked for these features in YouTube Premium Lite, and they are now accessible.