Microsoft added this YouTube Premium feature to Edge for free

Microsoft has released a new update for its Edge browser that allows users to play YouTube videos in the background, even without a YouTube Premium subscription. The update also includes built-in ad blocking, allowing users to watch YouTube videos without ads. This feature, which is currently available in the Edge Canary version, is a combination of the background playback and ad-blocking capabilities. It provides a workaround for accessing YouTube Premium features without paying the subscription fee. While this feature is not a full replacement for the YouTube Premium experience, which includes access to YouTube Music and offline video downloads, it offers a cost-effective alternative for those who want to watch YouTube videos in the background and without ads. It's worth noting that this is not the first time Microsoft has provided a way to bypass YouTube's ad system, as a previous bug in Bing Search also allowed users to watch YouTube videos without ads. However, it remains to be seen whether these changes will make it into the live version of Edge before YouTube takes action to address the issue, as the creators rely on advertising revenue to support their channels.