Podcasts don't remember position (randomly)

[mp-ror]

From a couple of days I've noticed something bad about podcasts that I've didn't observe before.

I listen to podcasts quite often. They are sometimes very long so I listen to them in few parts. And it was working perfectly. Podcasts were starting where I left them before.

But lately it is not always like that. I was dissapointed more then few times because podcast playing position was reset to the begining. To the point that I started to make screenshots before closing 🙂

I can't see a pattern here. Sometimes position is remembered, sometimes not. It was always remembered before.

I don't know technical details, where position is being stored.

What I noticed than podcast url structure was changed lately. I will give two example at the end of post. Maybe my problem is somehow connected with this change?

And I noticed it because I have excel files where I keep links to podcasts I want to listen, because it is not possible to make podcasts playlist directly in Spotify which is annoying but another story.

Link examples:

Before:

Now:

As you can see they are longer and with "=" in the middle.

Anyway it is just side observation.

Main point is: Why is Spotify randomly reseting podcasts position now and how to fix that?

[Actionjaxxin]

I have this very same problem and it's driving me nuts with the long form podcasts I listen to. Please someone from Spotify, fix this! 

[mp-ror]

Yup. Still making screenshots 🙂

[Ikdutak]

I've had it restart when I simply paused them for more than a minute! Like it was playing in the car, I paused it, kept the car running, ran in the house and came back out, unpaused, and it restarts. Seriously! About to use Google play music for my podcasts. This is absolutely unacceptable.

[Chrisoula]

Has anyone solved this? I feel like it potentially was caused from an update seeing as it started at the begining of this year for all of us...

[jeremiahmaguire]

Experencing an issue with my podcast feed when listening to them.  It resets back to the beginning when I pause the feed.

Suggestions?

[ecmartinsen]

I am also having this issue. Just started on desktop after I installed an update today. I was listening to podcasts with no issues last week, so it seems related to the update. It takes a couple seconds for it to reset after pausing, but it happens each time.

[gduhachek1]

There seems to be several independant threads on these forums about this issue. I have this same issue on iPhone X, latest version of all software involved. It hasn't always done it. It does it on my Samsung S9, latest version of all sofware as well. I've used Spotify for podcasts for probably about a year and I'd say it started about 2 months ago (maybe longer). There are different use cases in the forums, ranging from switching outputs, switching devices (desktop to car or vice versa), pausing for a while...I can confirm I've seen all of those. It's completely random, but consistently frustrating. I hate to put Spotify support down, but if someone would just use the Spotify app by starting a podcast (you may have to listen to a couple hours of audio as you test) and then switch to music then back to podcast (back and forth), over the course of a couple days. While doing this, switch audio outputs (bluetooth headphones or car, desktop) with the expectation that every time you go back to your podcast you'll pick up where you left off - you will see this behavior. 

[mp-ror]

And it was working as expected before.

Something obviously went wrong with some update.

Do you think someone from Spotify Support will read this? 

That was my idea when writing this topic but this doesn't seem to work.

No answer, nothing.

Maybe me should proceed any other way?

[Ikdutak]

I must admit, I haven't tried spotify in a few weeks for podcasts. I moved to Google play music and haven't looked back. If it weren't for the hulu addition and the student discount I'd move my subscription over there. It just works so much better for my needs

[gduhachek1]

Same here. I didn't mention it in my post but I just use Apple Podcasts for my podcast listening, so I haven't tried it in about 10 days either. It's just too frustrating to not have listened for a day or so and have it restart...there's no way I can remember where I left off and I end up listening to stuff I've heard over and over again. Really unfortunate that Spotify doesn't take this serious as I love the idea of a unified (music and podcasts) listening experience.

[Sebasty]

Hey all! 🙂

That's rather strange, I'd also expect Spotify to remember where I left off.

I recommend reinstalling Spotify on your devices.

If you're using Spotify on PC, try clean reinstall:

1. Close Spotify and uninstall it.
2. Go to %AppData% in Windows Explorer, and delete any Spotify folders you find in Local and Roaming folders.
3. Restart your computer.
4. Install Spotify.

If you're using Spotify on other devices, refer to this Support article on how to reinstall.

Let me know how it goes 🙂

[mp-ror]

But let me ask this question:

Is there at least one confirmed case that this steps helped?

Or just random advices with hope that they help? 🙂

Not trying to be rude or something 🙂

It would be good to know how and where podcast position is stored.

May be first step to solution or at least to avoid these resets.

[Sebasty]

@mp-ror

I understand your confusion. 🙂

The playback state is stored within the user account sessions in the servers, it seems. You can close the desktop client and open the web player and carry on from the same spot. It's also saved locally apparently (turned wifi off and opened Spotify, it knew where I left off). Probably somewhere in the cache, but I can't give my head. Clean reinstall should reset everything anyway (you'll delete leftover files) as well as wiping off possible errors.

At least this is how it works for me. My Spotify client forgets its state mostly after updating, and then it works again.
I suggest reinstalling simply to make sure that there are no issues on the client-side. Errors inside the program can result in strange behavior - otherwise seeming alright, but something's off.

Hope this answered your questions. 🙂

[ot10]

Looking for alternatives then spotify. The problem does not go away. To sad spotify is loosing clients on such a minor issue.

[Callow]

I have this same issue.  It doesn't always reset, just most of the time.

I listen to a lot of different podcasts at work so I pause it every time I walk out of my office.  This has become extreemly annoying as the podcasts are usually 1-2 hours long and it makes it very frustrating to find just where I was.  I have listened to podcasts on Spotify for a long time and have never had this issue until just a few days ago.

[Unchainedzulu]

I have been having this issue as well, using the app on my pc.  it would reset to the beginning after pausing for only a couple of minutes.

I have resolved it by logging out and logging back in. 

I just walked away for 15 mins, and came back to find it was still in the same place. 

I hope this works for you as well! 

[mp-ror]

And I think it is working even worse. And there was update because podcasts lists look different way. And after this update things are even worse. Let mi give one example.

I listen to some podcast. Suddenly I have to break, because have to do some other things. I work on my PC, so I just pause podcast, dont even exit Spotify. Then I go and do those other things. I return, unpause. And I'm like 15-20 minutes backward!

The same device, same session, just pause-unpause and it takes me backward?!?

Please Spotify Guys, you can't be serious ... 

Improving interface, ruining functionality? 

Please, please check this subject and fix otherwise Spotify will be compeletly useless for podcasts.

Anyone, who knows how to get more attention and focus to this subject, please help 🙂

[Jezzmund]

Solved.  I switched to Google Music. No problems there. 

[mp-ror]

Well. It is solution, kind of 🙂

I like Spotify in general, but with podcasts it is getting worse and worse.

Yesterday I couldn't believe my eyes looking at position being reset to 0:00 just on clicking Pause.button.

I repeated that many times so as for now for me Spotify podcasts are officially destroyed. 

Great job! 😄

Google Music probably won't be my choise but for sure it is time to look for other podcasts player..