Spotify starts playing automatically when a bluetooth device is connected and phone makes a sound

[jazengo]

Plan

Premium

Country

Norway

Device

Samsung S9

Operating System

Android 11

My Question or Issue

Whenever a bluetooth device is connected to my phone, Spotify automatically starts playing the last song it was paused on if my phone makes any "noise". If I recieve a Messanger message, it starts playing as soon as the "bing" sound is over. It starts playing automatically after I've hung up a call, etc.

I've disabled auto play, I've reinstalled the app and cleared cache.
Under "car view", both "Turn on automatically" and "Always on" is disabled.

I'm unsure what more I can do.

[jazengo]

Hey folks,

Thanks for reaching out here. We appreciate the feedback and have passed it on to our developers.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a solution for this at the moment because the way the app behaves when connected to Bluetooth devices, including car stereo systems, varies based on the device involved. These actions are a result of how the specific Bluetooth device is designed to interact with the Spotify API. However, we’re constantly optimizing our app, so this behavior might change in future updates.

For now, we recommend checking for possible firmware updates  for your devices and if that doesn't help - to reach out to the manufacturer for further help with the Bluetooth configuration. 

Thanks for your understanding.

[pgaleone]

It can't work. bixby routines are Samsung-specific while this bug is present on every Android phone (I have it on a Nokia with Android One).

[lesterbsb]

This link is broken, couldn't find the related article.

[Banffman]

Do the moderators and developers actually have a clue what they're doing?  This has been a problem for a few years now.  Apparently there's a communication barrier or something because multiple people post that they've tried their "solutions" and yet the moderators still suggest to do the exact same thing that multiple try multiple times and it doesn't work. 

We shouldn't have to constantly log out, Uninstall and reinstall, clear caches, download a separate app, switch devices and logins or whatever other assanine suggestions that Spotify thinks is a solution.

Bottomline it happens on android and ios, multiple updates and software versions.  There's no way this is caused by anything but Spotify.  Why am I paying for a service that can't even fix their app to act right?  The only thing that stops it is using a different audio program, then it won't autoplay when bluetooth unless I open Spotify again.  What do you guys even do there behind the scenes?  Anything?  Get your **bleep** together.

[Banffman]

I forgot to mention that it also happens in vehicles, mentioned by multiple people. Is Spotify so dense that they don't have enough common sense to realize that their app is actually the cause of this issue, or are they just going to stick the excuse of it being someone else's fault?

[gustavommota]

Same here. I simple cancelled my premium spotify account and subscribed Amazon Music. Problem solved.

[AllieP]

I have the same complaint and it drives me NUTS!  When I connect my Samsung S21 to my car via USB cable (because I want to see Google Maps through Android Auto in my vehicle) Spotify will start playing the last song.  This is about the app, nothing else.  FIX IT.   Force stopping the app doesn't work.  I end up uninstalling and not using the app for a while.  Which is stupid because I'm paying for the Premium app.  

[jazengo]

I solved my own problem by just buying a new car with AAOS and Spotify integrated. Was easier

[damaralbt]

Hello!

Same here.

S22 Ultra and Touareg.

This issue is so anoying.

Why you don't put an option to disable this auto play feature with bluetooth connection?

[MrIn0gnit0]

Jan of 2023 and this problem is still happening on both vehicles, soundbars, and headsets (suggesting again, as others have mentioned that the common variable is spotify and NOT the bluetooth device itself). Started happening with a recent SPOTIFY update (another telling piece of info, as opposed to a phone update, device update, etc). Disabled the only autoplay option inside spotify, reinstalled app, cleared cache, restarted phone, re-synced bluetooth devices. I work at a software company, and this sure seems like a "feature enhancement" that unintentionally turned into a bug and is probably pegged as a low priority item by Spotify's development team and never makes it into a sprint. To any spotify employees reading this, I'd try to escalate the Jira ticket and get this resolved as it is impacting your user experience quite a bit. 

[fnizo]

Feb 2023 and it's Still happening.

Doesnt matter which BT device, it's still auto playing.

If the problem does not worth a marketing campaing on TV/Youtube they wont fix it.

[Na9]

Doesn't even have to be Bluetooth, it happens with my plug in headphones. Extremely annoying! Only work around I have found is to log out unless you want to use it. 

Galaxy S22 Ultra

Premium Spotify 

2020 Tacoma

Scullcandy plug in headphones w/mic

SeshEvo Bluetooth earbuds

[northern]

I usually uninstall the app and just re-install when i need it. I heard Amazon Prime music doesnt have that issue. It can be anoying.

[Rbgondim]

I'm testing Macrodroid app.

[jazzyw1983]

Spotify....this is SO annoying!!!!!! About to cancel and uninstall. It's ridiculous!

[meantail64]

I have the newest Samsung phone and just bought a brand new 2023 Kia Sportage and this stupid Spotify App continually auto connects even when OFF! I don't use Auto play, auto connect or any other type to connect to my car, simple BT and every single time I get in my car and turn it on Spotify starts!

Spotify has a serious problem with their app and needs to correct it. This has been an ongoing issue and after this many years their team should have a resolution.

[Banffman]

I think I finally found a less inconvenient work around that seems to be working for the last week for me, at least until Spotify can learn how to write coding that actually works right.

If you make sure and pause the music before force closing the app, I've found with my phone it will not start automatically playing the next time I connect to bluetooth, or using a different music app before connecting Bluetooth also has worked.  Really dumb that Spotify can't add in their code to block intent for media playback upon Bluetooth connection unless an option in the settings menu is chosen, like how pandora has.  Pandora has an option in settings that waits for the user to press play. 

I've also started having an issue where Spotify and other music apps randomly and inconsistently stop music once the screen is off, but that's related to the Instagram app, if I force stop Instagram that gets rid of the second issue.

I'm on an LG V60 running Android 12

[jdavis01-us]

How do I stop spotify randomly starting to play all the time. It is installed on my Galaxy S22 Ultra phone. On device connection, after phone calls in the car, just randomly in my pocket it just starts playing.. It is only on the phone not the laptop 

It is the most annoying thing in the world. To make matters worse there is not really any support for this platform other than the community. Makes me really wonder why I have it at all 

I just want someone to stop the madness of auto play.. 

[jdavis01-us]

What a waste of time spotify is.. ABSOLUTELY NO SUPPORT AND THE SOFTWARE IS JUNK.

Over an hour waiting for a response, no phone support, no chat support. All I see is a bunch of blogging about exploited "Teenage Music Sensations" that mean nothing to a seven year premium subscriber..  

Good Bye Spotify... unsubscribing now.... 

[mkuser]

Just subscribed to Premium in June and installed the app.  It's annoyed the cr@p out of me every time since, when I started my car - it would auto-play.  Tried every knob in the settings on the Spotify App.   Nothing stopped this behaviour.

Food for thought: 
- One of the threads says this is a "bluetooth" setting on the car.  IMPOSSIBLE.  Amazon Music does NOT autoplay on my car.  Other music apps don't auto-play on my car.  It's a BS response.

- They say it's Android-only.  Too many responses here to show that is not the case.   Another unqualified response.

- They probably make more money when songs play.  I am guessing someone somewhere does not want this fixed.

I've just cancelled my Premium and uninstalled the app. 

Problem resolved!  Great job Spotify! 😉 

Also, if Bluetooth bleeps, (aka disconnects and reconnects) while I was playing something else (aka a PodCast), then Spotify would take over and play music.  

Worst bug ever.  

[FreekB66]

I do not think it is particularly helpful to call well-intentioned suggestions on this forum 'BS'.

I appreciate that you have actually looked into that suggestion, however, I can confirm that at least one other music app (DS Audio) actually has the same behaviour. It's good to know that Amazon Music does not do this, which means that Spotify could change their app so that it no longer responds to the 'media button event'.