[Android] Car View missing under Settings

[biancamartins]

Hi there. I have always used the car mode, since Friday last week it isn't working - I haven't changed any settings at all that I know of.

The car mode in Spotify is not even there anymore? I use an Android and I connect to a bluetooth device in my car. 

[Frag]

I can confirme. It stopped working again... 😞

[JeffreyVoois]

Hi all,

I have the same issue of not showing car view in the settings.

My (temporary) fix for this issue, until Spotify re-adds the option.

1) Deleted the latest version.

2) Downloaded the APK of version 8.5.82.894

3) Turned auto update off for the Spotify app

I currently have the option back, which I am using daily when in the car en even when in the office.

[jtay1642]

How did you download that version?

[Hmgingell]

Premium

Canada

Galaxy S20

Android 10

Exact same problem. Below fix didn't work without clean install but as it isn't permanent fix not bothering with reinstalling until Spotify has proper resolution. 

[Denis29]

used the link and it works a treat, thanks man. I wont be updating until Spotify assures us that the fix is in

[Ivan]

Hey there folks, 

Thanks for keeping us in the loop about that. 

We wanted to confirm that even if you don't see the setting right now the Car View is still expected to work when linked to your car.

Also, keep in mind that we don't recommend downloading older versions of the Spotify app as workaround since this could cause some features not to run as usual due to not being properly updated to the latest version. 

We'll be here if you have any questions. 

[arrjourney]

Ivan,

I'm not sure what you mean. Car View does NOT work when connected to the car. That's the issue. It is ALSO not in settings.

There is no solution posted here. Am I missing something that we should do?

[MC1489]

@IVAN
"it is expected to work" Doesn't mean it does, and I can confirm it does not. Again, the setting is GONE and therfore not being applied. As far as troubleshooting your idea, when I did the clean install/log out/bluetooth off/on again method i put in earlier to get the temporary fix - I set it to Car view - Always on. Guess what, it doesn't stay on "even if you don't see the setting"
I'm sorry if this comes off harsh, but the "solutions" being offered don't work and we are awaiting a fix for a service a lot of us PAY for.
From what the community has gathered:
-The most recent update/version is what did it
-Clean installs does not work
-multiple logins does not work
-resetting blootooth does not work
-clearing cache does not work
What does work so far:
-getting the older APK version

Please let us know when some progress is made, and perhaps just have the car view a default feature going forward. Again, personally the only reason I NEED it to work is because for some reason Spotify doesn't support native horizontal orientation for phones and defaults to small buttons that do not pair well with driving.

[Denis29]

@MC1489 I could not have put it better, I too got the old APK version and it works a treat, come on Spotify lift your game.

[warhamster]

It. Is. Not. Working. Comma.

Also, I use car view not only in the car, because all other interfaces are terrible. So "works when connected to a car" is not a solution either. For me personally no car mode means no subscription, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[blzbob1971]

I don't have BlueTooth in my car so I use the Aux. Car View does NOT appear
when I'm in the car.

[MC1489]

warhamster

Completely forgot about the AUX aspect. You're right, the app wouldn't be able to tell how you were connected so the car view should show up regardless.

Similar to you as well, this is a factor in continuing my subscription as i mainly have premium for offline mode so i don't burn data streaming music all day long. So car mode is essentially the partner to that.

[Frag]

I agree with everything, everyone as said as replies to the "solution". I read the link about test features and it says: "At Spotify, we’re often testing and launching improvements and new features."

Doesn't mention anything about removing useful features and I don't know how that can be seen as an "improvement"... sigh.

Don't know who marked the moderators answer as a solution but I guess he did it himself. That's convenient when you don't want to listen to the community anymore, you just tell them that there isn't a problem and it's solved...

[Denis29]

Can someone tell me what the latest version Soptify is at

[warhamster]

And like the broken car mode wasn't enough, they rolled the desktop app update. What is wrong with them people?

I have unsubscribed from premium.

[Captainstan]

Plan

Premium

Country

US

Device

samsung galaxy s8+

Operating System

Android /Pie

My Question or Issue

• Spotify updated and I no longer have an option to enable car mode (there is no option under the settings).  My screen also times out unless I set my phone's time out time to 10 minutes which is the max.  Any idea what's going on?  I've uninstalled and reinstalled and the option came back very shortly (didn't even listen to anything using car mode).  

[Alex]

Hi there folks,

We know that not having the Car view option available at the moment is causing some inconveniences. The right team has been informed of this and they are looking into it. 

In the meantime we recommend enabling automatic updates on your app, as this might be resolved in one of the upcoming updates. 

Another thing you can try is creating a new test account and checking if you can see the option there. If that's the case, you can have a look at this Guide for more info on how to transfer your Music collection over.

Hope you find this info useful. Don't hesitate to reach out again if you have more questions.

[Denis29]

False alarm. Yesterday I updated an old phone with Spotify to the latest version and at the start it had Car View but upon opening the app tonight you guessed it, Car View has left the screen, gone walkabout. I read what Moderator Alex had to say and what I did yesterday is similar to his suggestion but on a old phone (it worked then it didn't). I wont be UPDATING my current phone anytime soon. @Alex, @Ivan, @Katerina and all other moderators that have added advice/solutions, just get the app guys off their backsides and sort this mess out.

[evillamaria]

...and like any proper AppDev team would do...learn from this mistake and make process changes that should prevent this from happening again in the future. Do you roll out changes to beta users and garner feedback? 

[MC1489]

@alex

Having worked with 3 different support chats who made me use the "test account". It also does not show up.

Again, there is no reason our "accounts" should be the reason that a setting option should or should not show up. Example, offline mode is pretty much only usable for Premium users and before i had premium linked to my account i still had the option.

Also, this is more than an "inconvenience" for some of us. The car view is the only way spotify is able to be used safely in a vehicle where for some of us it is primarily (if only spot) we actually use spotify on our phones