Autoplay when connecting to bluetooth

[Banffman]

 I've been having an issue with Spotify automatically starting and resume playing anytime bluetooth connects to my headphones or truck.  I've tried all the "solutions" that I've found listed online and none of them work, or are terribly inconvenient, like logging out or turning the settings for my Bluetooth devices to not be used for media, or restricting back ground usage (then the app won't work at all if the screen times out, which creates other problems).  Since the devs over at Spotify won't add an in app option to disable it auto starting and playing in the menu (like other apps are said to have because some developers actually listen to the people who use their app).   This isn't a complete solution because you still have to clear Spotify from the back ground when you're disconnecting the Bluetooth device, otherwise it starts autoplaying as soon as it reconnects.  I've been having this issue since Android 8 and am currently on Android 11 on a LG V60.

In your phone settings go to: apps > Spotify > app notifications.

Tap on the playback option and change it from "high importance" to "medium importance"

Switching it to "low importance" would also work, but then you lose playback controls in the notification shade.

I've tested this with my headphones and it works, I still need to test it in my truck but am confident it'll work there too.  I don't know if this is a work around if iOS has this issue or not.

I've attached a screenshot of the notification option to change, hopefully this helps someone.

EDIT: unfortunately this ended up not being a long term solution, as Spotify is now acting the same as it was before.

[FING]

I am about to cancel Spotify unless I can find a fix after this post. I Have been searching for 2 weeks and this is the only post I've found which remotely addresses the issue.  Using a Samsung S23 Ultra.  EVERY time I get in my car it just starts autoplaying!!?   Why would Spotify not have a fix for this.  I

[Grenvthewise]

In the Spotify app there is a setting "Allow connect to run Spotify in background" or words to that effect. That should work. Also you can still play Spotify while using other apps, that is not 'background'. See if that fixes it. 

[Banffman]

If Spotify connect had anything to do with Bluetooth that might work.  Except the fact that Spotify connect is only used to stream the music on other devices, like speakers or a TV, as long as their connected to a TV. 

[patach]

On vacation right now with the family, my phone is automatically auto playing in my family's car and it's annoying, even with the app off.

Thank God my problem doesn't extend to other devices like some of the others on this thread, if it did, I would definitely jump to a different music streaming service.

[LostSpaasman]

After a long time of fighting with every possible setting in this Andoid hellscape I have finally figured out a fix.

I will preface this answer by saying that I have a 2016 Mazda, it is Bluetooth enabled but DOES NOT HAVE ANDROID AUTO COMPATIBILITY. I use a basic Bluetooth connection, not any special app or anything for functionality with my car.

Go into your app settings and go to Android Auto. DISABLE THE APP COMPLETELY USING THE "DISABLE" BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM LEFT NEXT TO "FORCE STOP"

This will block all permissions at the base level and shuts the app off completely. Even if you do not use or have compatibility with Android Auto, apparently it still has an effect on the system enough to force open apps when using Bluetooth and, for whatever reason, defaults to spotify.

Again

-open settings

-go to app settings

-scroll to Android Auto and click to open app settings

-click "Disable" in bottom left corner

-never have to worry about screaming at spotify to shut up in your car or on Bluetooth again

I have now spent 15 minutes turning Bluetooth on and off and have reconnected multiple times to my car without having the issue happen. I will update this answer should it change, but 6 months of fighting with this is finally over and I'm ready for a drink and a cold shower.

Cheers, and happy (quiet) driving.

[mc-_7zof6ujmk]

Agree!! I've left a one star review on Spotify - I think it's the only 1 star review I have ever given! It is so annoying. On a more serious note, my 3 year old daughter was in my car and I had to run back inside to get something and took a few minutes finding it. When I came out Spotify had turned on FULL volume! It was very loud and she was screaming not knowing how to turn it down. She got scared every time the radio was on for months afterwards. And the f**ckers at spotify don't give a dam.  

[New user]

I've found several suggestions on this forum, but they don't work or the menu descriptions are not found on my s22

[Banffman]

this doesn't work for most devices.  even with android auto completely uninstalled, not just disabled, spotify still acts the same. 

[Junaidshaikh]

When I connect my Bluetooth device, Spotify automatically starts playing songs which is annoying

[callie5]

Does anyone know how to stop Spotify from automatically playing when I plug my headphones in? As soon as I plug in my headphones, Spotify opens and starts blasting whatever I was last listening to. It does this even when the app is closed and it is incredibly annoying. I've searched everywhere in the app settings and my phone settings but I can't get it to stop. I have a Samsung Galaxy S22 if that matters.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Raebotreboot]

This is happening to me too on a Pixel 6. I'll listen to Spotify in the car on the way to work. Pause it when I arrive at work. Enter the building and start working then when I next unlock my phone it'll start playing full volume in the office. So infuriating. I've had to stop using my phone for work because it looked like I was watching videos when loud music kept randomly starting!

[Raebotreboot]

I paid close attention to when this happened today. It was after I had been connected to android auto. When I opened my phone later, Spotify was open and started playing without me pressing play, it said it was still connected to android auto despite not being in my car. 

Interestingly, I've already used Spotify from my noti bar since i got home this evening and had no issues. it was only when I opened the Spotify app that it had a fit thinking it was connected to android auto and needed to autoplay.

This has been happening for a couple of weeks, and I don't recall updating my phone or Spotify in that time, but this may have auto updated without me knowing. Hope this helps!

[Stiegl]

Same with Samsung A54. When connection to car bluetooth -> autoplay. Volume up -> autoplay. Volume down -> autoplay.
I have seen a lot of suggestions, but none of them work. Often the suggested setting do not exist, like @taylith 's suggestion.

Please help, this is very annoying

[Vasil]

Hey @Stiegl,

We moved your reply here, hope you don't mind.
This thread contains more info in regard to your issue and could be of help!
We're open to any further feedback about this 🙂
Much appreciated!

[Tenor79]

I frequently use Spotify to play music for my dog when I'm away (Google home mini) and I use YouTube music in the car. No issue when I haven't opened Spotify on my phone but if I have, and even if I remember to close the Spotify app on my phone before starting the car, playback still switches from my Google home mini to Bluetooth; I have to remember to open the YouTube music app and start playing music before starting the car to avoid this issue. Why isn't there a way to prevent Spotify connect from automatically switching playback devices or at least prompting the user first?

[Tenor79]

And just to clarify, it's just a simple Bluetooth aux adapter in the car. I have used Android auto recently with a rental but I configured my default music app to be YouTube music there. I pretty much use Spotify exclusively for my dog these days. 

[Tenor79]

Okay so today was really interesting. I did not use Spotify anywhere all day today until I left the house to go to a PT appointment when I commanded my Google home mini to play music for my dog from Spotify before leaving. The app was not open on my phone and I got in the car and launched another music app before Spotify could start playing and the music was playing from that app in me car. I was in a hurry so I didn't open the Spotify app to see if it had tried to switch. I was playing music from another app in my car before I paused it before turning off the car to go inside at the PT office. When I got back in my car over an hour later, as soon as the Bluetooth turned on it started playing from Spotify. This is not a good user experience. It presumes that the user has no other apps they use for playing music. 

[brettontomlinson]

Agreed, this is super annoying. I have been through ALL Android and Spotify settings with no luck. My workaround is just to turn off Bluetooth but then inevitably I'll get a phone call and then it gets really frustrating. Should be a simple fix for Spotify, only play music when the play button is pressed. Please help!!!

[New user]

when i start susing the earbuds or if i touch the button the Spotify Starts .
i dont want do start the Spotify
how to Stop

[xrodge]

My problem is a little different than others, but the same root symptom.

I have spotify on my mobile phone (new Pixel 9 Pro, brand new installation, not recovered from backup) and also use it on my Amazon Alexa. At night, I will let the Alexa run with some white noise for sleeping, to help my son sleep soundly. For this reason, I never ever even open the Spotify app at nighttime.

Randomly (it's not every time), I'll go to my phone, connect with my earphone and spotify will start playing. At this point, I haven't even opened my mobile phone - I've just taken the bluetooth earphone out of the case, which connects it automatically. At this point, I can usually see the spotify app in my lock screen.

Last night, I had a new extension to this issue. I took out my bluetooth earphone and it, immediately, started playing the sleep music into my earphone. Only, this time, the spotify app wasn't even opened on my mobile phone. Unlocking it and choosing to find, and stop, the spotify app - it didn't even show as running, yet the sound was still playing in my bluetooth earphone.

I don't expect much to happen here. I can see this has been reported as an issue for years, yet it's not listed on the "Ongoing Issues" page here. So, I guess that Spotify have investigated and can't figure out how to fix it (despite it being the only app on Android that has this issue), or not enough people complain to make it worth investing the support guy's time to look at it....