Pausing spotify mutes audio on entire computer when using bluetooth earphones

[benbr_]

Plan

Premium

Country

 UK

Device

Macbook Pro 2017 (13")

Operating System

MacOS 10.13.5 (17F77)

Spotify Version

1.0.86.337.ga8d5cef9

When I pause a song on Spotify whilst using bluetooth earphones, audio is muted for every other application on the computer. For example if try to play a youtube video I can't hear anything. The mac volume level indicator is not muted though.

1. Start with spotify closed and play a youtube video - you can hear the audio fine.

2. Start spotify - can still hear youtube audio

3. Start playing a song on Spotify then pause it. Now all audio will be muted (also tried playing something in Audacity).

4. Play the song again on spotify - only whilst the song is playing can other computer audio be heard. 

If I switch the the mac speakers then the problem stops. Only occurs with bluetooth earphones (my ones are Sennheiser CX 6.00BT).

Another way to stop problem is to quit spotify (Spotify -> Quit Spotify), though often I also have to reconnect my bluetooth earphones before audio starts working again.

I've tried reinstally spotify and deleting cache which doesn't help.

Similar to https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Windows/Pausing-Spotify-Playback-quot-Mutes-quot-ALL-Audio-... but on mac

Here is some hardware and bluetooth info: https://gist.github.com/BenBanerjeeRichards/45063974d89a9b1d3d1bb64ea6f910b8#file-spotify-info-txt for my computer

[benbr_]

Just found out that this can only be recreated when the bluetooth earphones is using aptX. If the codec is SCO then the issue does not occur

[moogal]

Having the same issue here on a Mac using some Philips bluetooth headphones.

I did find this thread on the Windows version of the forum - https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Windows/Pausing-Spotify-Playback-quot-Mutes-quot-ALL-Audio-... but it only seems to have a solution for Windows, not Macs.

Hoping there is a solution out there as it's been driving me nuts for months!

[J7Luke]

Can you re-link that thread?  I am having the same issue, only I am on Windows 10.  Thanks!

[urf90]

i have the same problem on my mac. Is there a fix yet? its happening for almost a year

[AvatharTOS]

Having the same issue on my cleanly installed new work macbook, my old one where i have tried reinstalling spotify and also on my windows computer (but will try the fix suggested in the other thread where you disable the overlay)

Would be great if this could be fixed as this breaks spotify for me in every use case except listening on phone on my way to work.

[urf90]

I dont think there is an option for disabling the overlay on mac desktop version of spotify

[shokx_jason]

Same problem on Mac OS as well and it is pretty annoying. 
Headphones: Tao Tronic NC 

[Jigish]

Same issue. macOS 10.14.1, Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless (aptX codec). Any solution yet?

[benbr_]

None for mac. I don't have the issue with my bluetooth speakers which don't support aptX, so I think it's an issue with bluetooth aptX codec devices.

[Morzaram]

4 Years later and still no fix...

[cakism]

Having this problem too, just like the OP. Really super annoying...

[norsewulf]

2024 and this is still a problem. Crazy...