Offline mode with Android Auto

[Chenson722]

Plan

Premium

Country

 USA

Device

Pixel (Original)

Operating System

Android 9.0

My Question or Issue

 As of Android Auto's 11/29 update, I can no longer control Spotify through Android Auto (A.A.) in offline mode. If I initiate it on my phone, either before or after plugging into my car (thereby opening A.A.), my car will play music from my library. Although the music will play in offline mode, the A.A. app will not recognize that Spotify is doing anything (i.e. it does not show up on the AA homescreen, nor can I skip forward or back tracks). When I manually open the Spotify app via AA, it shows only a "Spotify is currently in offline mode" message. 

[gurrathes]

Hi Spotify,

Agree with all earlier comments. Can't play offline any longer together with Android Auto.

Hurry up to fix! We pay much money for this app and just for this offline function! You have already had many weeks to fix this...

Super-irritated about this! You will loose customers otherwise... 😞 

Regards from long-time customer Gunnar/Sweden

[jp3372]

I contacted the customers service last week and they told me to contact them again if this is not fixed in 2-3 weeks and they will gave me a compensation. I recommend everyones with this issue doing the same. When this is a question of $$$ they are usually more reactive to fix something.

 We are paying for Premium in order to listen offline, this bug is a huge problem since it disables the main premium feature IMO.

[JonathanMalambo]

I'm having the same issue with android auto, when I'm offline it doesn't let me change songs or choose from my library, please fix it!

[vandreytrindade]

Wow... I thought that only me was facing that problem.

Are they really trying to fix it? I don't think so...

We are Premium users of that service... please have more respect.

[bpb9]

Since Spotify is taking their sweet time with this, I recommend downloading and installing a previous version. APKMirror (https://www.apkmirror.com/) offers secure downloads of archived versions of many apps. I downloaded version 8.4.80.793 and it works perfectly in offline mode with android auto. If you do this, remember to disable auto-updates in the play store for Spotfiy specifically. I hope this helps.

[Feelix93]

Thanks a lot bpb9!

I will do this until Spotify finally fixes this!

It's really embarrassing.. I pay for Spotify Premium but Spotify can't fix this in a reasonable time.

Hurry up Spotify, this is silly!

Thinking about canceling my subscription - Spotify is useless when I can't listen and controll my music offline.

[Chakachick]

I just cancelled my subscription.

[aidenhobbs]

Great job on the fix spotify really liking the new layout but ... there are still issues that need to be addressed.

Just done some testing myself in airplane mode and found the same as you. When in airplane mode / offline mode or you have no signal if you accidentally select a playlist / song that has not been downloaded you get the “spotify is offline” message. When then going back to your library / home or any other page you get “spotify is offline”. The only way to start playing muisc again is to restart AA!! Not ideal!

This brings me back to my previous post where i addressed that the feature to view your downloaded playlists in your library called “downloaded”  had disappeared with one of the new layout updates. I did also see something new for a day or 2 recently on one of the updates that showed a little downloaded tick next to each downloaded playlist. Not quite sure where that went but i did like that feature. 

Please address these issues when you can! 

I don't agree with the posters swearing and giving abuse to the devs or threating to cancel their subscription. These things happen and they do take time to fix. Plus they needed a Christmas too! 

Thanks 

Aiden.

[sladaloose]

With version 8.4.85.1006 I am able to play downloaded music while in offline mode with Android Auto. If I navigate to other music not downloaded I do fall into the "Spotify is offline" hole as other users already reported.

I also see that the menu item "downloaded music" has disappeared with the new UI. I really appreciate that you want to provide the best user experience. I like your UX guys to think about usability while driving and using the menu with Android Auto. It is quiet impossible to select some other downloaded music with the new UI.

This is like back to the 90s where I needed to remember in which folder all my files has been stored due to lack of search functionality!

Please restore your features that has been already there. You are only two small steps away:

- Get rid of this **bleep** "Spotify is offline" message and offer to play at least the downloaded music

- Get back the "downloaded music" menu item in the library; both in Android Auto and the normal Android app (for easy maintenance of downloaded music)

And if you are sticking into this, please just develop some automated tests that those things never happen again. Should be industry standard these days...

[torndownunit]

This was broken for months.  No, they don't deserve insults, but threats to cancel over a feature that is a core part of a premium account not working for months are completely valid.   And, it's still not working 100% even now.  This has nothing to do with holidays, it wasn't working before that.  And Spotify's response on the issue was not acceptable either when you contacted them about it using Facebook etc.  They deserve every harsh post they recieved (minus anything abusive of course).  Very few of the posts were actually truly 'abusive' either. Being angry and reporting an ongoing issue is not abuse. 

This is a thread full of their premium users, many of them paying for premium mainly for offline features.  It's a situation where people are completely warranted being upset.

[jp3372]

Downgrading to 8.4.80.793 as other said here fixed the issue for me too! What I' suprised is that this version with no issue with the downloaded song menu has the new interface, so it should be an easy fix for spotify team!

[Santiago_sp]

For me, it is a dangerous problem and must be fixed to prevent accidents. When I am driving and I press the back or next buttons on the wheel and the app does not respond, I tend to check the phone to actually change the song. I know I am not doing the right thing but I suspect I am not the only one.

[undertool]

The newest update appears to have fixed it for me.  Version 8.4.88.150.

[Chakachick]

I can too confirm that it does work with the latest spotify update.

However, as it took way too long I already canceled my premium subscription and using Amazon music instead. It's free (well part of my prime subscription)

[Peter]

Hey folks,

Thanks for bearing with us on this one.

@Chakachick and @undertool - glad to hear that updating the app did the trick for you!

If anyone else is still experiencing this issue, do head over to the relevant thread here and leave a comment.

Thanks! Stay awesome 🙂

[Sunaye]

Hello,

i have still Issues. 

Oneplus 3 Connect with Seat Leon Cupra 300 Full Link System. 

I can open Spotify, browse to my downloaded offline Playlist.

Then I got the error Spotify is currently set to offline. 

Version 8.4.91.861 

[Peter]

Hey @Sunaye.

Thanks for letting us know about this.

Could you send us over a screenshot showing the error you're getting?

Once we have that, we'll be able to look into this further.

Thanks 🙂

[Sunaye]

Hey @Peter,

this time I connected my Phone to my car. Then the first song was not n offline song.

When i open Spotify to navigate to my offline playlist i got this message.

It means Spotify does not seem to work right now.

Here a video

[Peter]

Hey @Sunaye.

Thanks for sending us that screen recording!

We've passed it on to the relevant team.

We'll get back to you as soon as we have any updates.

Thanks again!

[Peter]

Hey folks,

Thank you for reporting this issue to us.

We suggest you head over to the relevant thread here, where you can provide us with the required information and leave a vote to show us that you are experiencing this issue.

We'll keep you updated in that thread once we have any updates.

Thanks!