topic Re: active a playback device with API in Spotify for Developers

active a playback device with API

JustRobbe — Tue, 26 May 2020 07:12:48 GMT

Is there a way to activate a playback device using the api and why can't I see my ethernet speakers using the get playback devices api?

Re: active a playback device with API

rohitganapathy — Tue, 26 May 2020 07:53:36 GMT

Hey as far as my understanding of the APIs goes, the device in question has to be manually made active in order to transfer playback to it.

Re: active a playback device with API

JustRobbe — Wed, 27 May 2020 12:50:31 GMT

I don't to make it active, but how to switch the device when it is active?

Re: active a playback device with API

rohitganapathy — Wed, 27 May 2020 13:34:20 GMT

use this endpoint to transfer playback to an active device

https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/player/transfer-a-users-playback/

you can obtain the device ID needed using this endpoint

https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/player/get-a-users-available-devices/

Re: active a playback device with API

JustRobbe — Fri, 29 May 2020 17:21:47 GMT

Thank you very mutch

Re: active a playback device with API

maxzilla — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 21:32:31 GMT

Every time I want to transfer the playback, I simply get error 500, although I use the correct device ID.
I tried it by using the API directly and also through the web console.

Originally, I just wanted to play music on a device which was marked as not active. The play command just went through but the music didn't start. In the old GitHub repo, I found the advice to transfer the user's playback which finally led me here.

Re: active a playback device with API

linux4u — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:24:07 GMT

i have exactly the same problem. every time I try to activate the player, I get the 500 error ...

is there already a solution here?

Re: active a playback device with API

linux4u — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:28:31 GMT

Supplement:

for some accounts it works without problems, but not for others. could there possibly be problems with the accounts in a family subscription?

Re: active a playback device with API

linux4u — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:46:02 GMT

after playing around, i found out that i have to start something with this account from the spotifyapp first. from then on the activation of the player via the API works fine...

Re: active a playback device with API

Ripper2909 — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 18:48:49 GMT

Hi sir, I have the same exact behaviour... Did find any solution in order to not having to manually start music on this device to make it available ? Thanks 🙂

Re: active a playback device with API

Abrecht — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 08:05:55 GMT

I have the same issue. Is there any way to "wake up" a device through the web api?

Re: active a playback device with API

digfish — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 23:14:30 GMT

It appears Spotify managers have disabled the feature to get the available devices from the API:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69816607/spotify-api-does-only-get-a-few-devices-but-my-phone-gets-them-all

Re: active a playback device with API

mjholtzem — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 16:27:21 GMT

Same issue. Can't transfer playback, start playback, or even see the device listed unless I manually start playback on the device first which makes the API practically useless ☹️

Re: active a playback device with API

JaimeMytaverse — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:55:58 GMT

Hi,
This used to work for me but now:
https://api.spotify.com/v1/me/player/devices

{

"devices": [

{

"id": "109bf5a0d19ab7605f1cda5ceb83370bdd96118e",

"is_active": false,

"is_private_session": false,

"is_restricted": false,

"name": "Web Playback SDK",

"type": "Computer",

"volume_percent": 50

}

]

}

but when I try https://api.spotify.com/v1/me/player:

{

"device_ids": [

"109bf5a0d19ab7605f1cda5ceb83370bdd96118e"

]

}

I get 404:

{

"error": {

"status": 404,

"message": "Not found."

}

}
}

Any help?

Re: active a playback device with API

Eloigil — Fri, 03 May 2024 13:29:14 GMT

Thanks. I’ve a dubt, it is possible to start playback in a spotify connect device from web api or ios sdk without having to start the play back in another device and transfering the playback to the spotify connect device I want to activate?