Playlist order changed in Android Auto

[meridder]

Plan

Premium

Country

USA

Device

(Pixel 7)

Operating System

(Android 16)

My Issue

When I first paired my phone to my car and accessed the Your Episodes playlist, it would show up on the Android Auto GUI in the order I selected on my phone: release date, ascending. Recently, when I opened the playlist to start playing the episodes currently in there, I noticed they were sorted by date added instead, but only on the Android Auto GUI. I've come across multiple posts about this from years ago where some people say that the difference in order is the "expected behavior" (from a 2023 post) when that was never the case after months of use for me until now. Another commenter suggested toggling off smart shuffle, but that didn't work either. I also cleared the cache and storage of both Spotify and Android Auto, restarted my phone multiple times, unpaired and re-paired my phone to my car, I even uninstalled and reinstalled Spotify, but no luck.

One thing I should note, this behavior seems to coincide with me clearing the storage of Spotify a few days ago (I noticed it was using a whole GB despite me removing all downloads from within the app, so I thought I'd force it). I can't be sure since I recall opening the playlist since then and seeing the playlist in the order I expected.

So what happened here and what might be a solution? I really like listening to news podcasts and prefer to listen to them in the order they were released.

[meridder]

Hey @meridder,

Thanks for your detailed post.

We're currently checking with the relevant team on what the expected behavior is, we'll let you know in this thread once we have news to share.

Cheers,

[MihailY]

Hey @meridder,

Thanks for your detailed post.

We're currently checking with the relevant team on what the expected behavior is, we'll let you know in this thread once we have news to share.

Cheers,

[kphilly215]

Similar thing happened to me.  Up until a few days ago, my playlist order on Android Auto matched my phone's preference, which was by most recently added.  While my phone still shows it that way, Android Auto is now showing in the reverse order (oldest first), and there is no way to change this in Android Auto.  Please fix this!

[Gurdz2003]

Same thing happened to me. I cleared my storage and now my playlists sit with the first song added to that playlist, but I want to be able to have the latest song added at the top.

[ThxMAD]

Same thing here, since the new UI update, Android Auto doesn't replicate the playlist song order I have on my phone.

[Gurdz2003]

Is that a new update to the phone or the head unit?

I have a samsung s25 ultra and not sure if I have done a recent firmware update. It could be that actually.

[nauta2k81]

Plan

Premium

Country

Spain

Device

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

Operating System

Android 

My Question or Issue

Llevo días que cuando conecto el smartphone al coche y abro Spotify el orden de las listas de reproducción es "Por defecto" cuando en el smartphone tengo "Añadido recientemente". 

Me ocurre lo mismo cuando abro Spotify en el Chromecast con Android TV en la TV.

Esto antes no me ocurría y las listas se visualizaban en el mismo orden que el establecido en el smartphone.

[OscarDC]

Hey folks, 

Thank you for joining the conversation.

It would be really helpful if you could include in a next response the make, model and OS version of your devices, along with the Spotify version you're currently running to forward this info to the internal teams that are currently investigating this.

Also, and if possible; could any of you record a short video where we can take a better look? You can attach it to your next response by using the Insert Video option in the post editor. You can also upload it to YouTube or Google Drive and share the link with us (make sure the video has the permissions for anyone to see it).

We'll be on the lookout for your response.

[Gurdz2003]

Hi,

Im using Spotify version
9.1.40.1486

One UI version 8.0
Android version 16
Samsung
SM-S928B/DS
S24 ULTRA

I've added a video to show the issue. 

[meridder]

The information on my phone is included in my original post. I'm not sure if there is a way for me to find the firmware version for the entertainment system in my car (looking around in the menu didn't turn anything up), but it's a 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage and I'm using Android Auto v16.5.661214-release. I'm also using Spotify v9.1.40.1486.

It might take me a bit to get you a video of what I'm seeing since my USB cable is pretty short and I'll need to have my phone plugged into my car to reproduce the behavior, but I'll try to get that to you as soon as possible.

[pwcraine]

Here's how Spotify works in Apple CarPlay: Playlists appear as they are sorted on your phone. So, if you sort your playlist by Artist on your phone, that's how they appear in your car. If you change to another sort on your phone, the display in your car changes once you leave the playlist and redisplay it. This is exactly as you'd expect it to work. There is no reason this couldn't work the same way on Android Auto.

[Yordan]

Thanks everyone for the details!

Could you also confirm if only the "Recently added" sorting option is exhibiting this behavior? For example, if you were to change the order on your phone to "Artist" for example, does this action carry over to your car? Or is the playlist there still showing the songs in "Recently added" (oldest first)?

If the order properly switches to "Artist" on the car, try reversing it from the phone by selecting the same sorting option again to check if this is reflected on the car as well.

Let us know how it goes 👍

[Chelseylee123]

My playlists are sorted by “Recently Added (newest first)” on my phone, but in Android Auto they are stuck in “Custom Order” (oldest first). This used to work correctly but recently changed.

Device: Android phone
Car: Mazda CX-50 2025
Spotify Premium

There is no option to change sorting in Android Auto. This is dangerous because people usually want to listen to their recently added songs and they have to take time and are distracted driving trying to find them. Please fix this bug.

[Bjahus]

I also have the same problem in my car. Its showing my oldest added songs first 🙄

[Gurdz2003]

Hi Yordan,

I have tried to select different sort options such as artist, title and album but the issue still persists and doesn't change the order on the head unit. 

Thanks

[Justify]

Adding a +1 to this issue.

Phone: Pixel 10 pro
Car: Subaru Forster 2024

Expected sort: Ordered by last added (Works on all of my computers and phone)
Reality: Orders by first added

Seems like this issue keeps on creeping up (remember this went unanswered for YEARS in the past), and it's quite frustrating that a fundamental feature like ordering has been broken for so long. 

[swot53]

Same issue.  Using a Samsung Galaxy 24+ phone, and happening on both a 2024 Toyota Rav4 and 2025 Honda Accord.

[Mastaphi]

Last year I had the same problem. It wasn't displayed the way it was on my phone. After a few months, it suddenly worked! All playlists were displayed as they were on my phone. I was very happy; I thought they had finally fixed it. And then, a month ago, it was wrong again in the car. Not all playlists were affected, but most of them. When I then deleted Spotify, all the playlists were displayed incorrectly again. I want to see the most recently added songs first, not the earliest ones! Apparently, it's a known problem. Please fix it. Thank you.

[Colo12992]

Device: Z Fold 7

Spotify version: 9.1.42.2058

Android Version: Android 16

All apps and phone software are upto date including Samsung store, play store and security patches

Currently having the same issue. I have my Playlist sorted on my device as recently added. But on the android auto is is showing oldest first. 

I have tried all sorting options in device and nothing changes in android auto. 

I have deleted all data and cache as qell as the app. Restarted the device and downloaded spotify again. Same issue happens. 

[nauta2k81]

¿Alguna novedad? No sé para que pago la suscripción premium si uno de los sitios donde más uso spotify es en el coche con android auto y no puedo elegir las canciones que voy añadiendo nuevas ni puedo ponerle una canción a mi hija cuando me la pide porque salen las más viejas y tengo listas de reproducción grandes. Un despropósito que después de casi 2 semanas no haya una solución y no soy el único afectado.