Not OP, but the android app, Newpipe, is a good way to watch YouTube without actually going to the site. It's open source, blocks ads, let's you listen to videos in the background, subscribe to channels, and bypass age restrictions without a Google account. I've been using it for a while and aside from occasional minor bugs, it's been great.
You can find it for free on the F-Droid store, if you're interested.
curious to know how you set this up, please describe
Not OP, but the android app, Newpipe, is a good way to watch YouTube without actually going to the site. It's open source, blocks ads, let's you listen to videos in the background, subscribe to channels, and bypass age restrictions without a Google account. I've been using it for a while and aside from occasional minor bugs, it's been great.
You can find it for free on the F-Droid store, if you're interested.