Playback gets paused if Bluetooth headset is connected with multiple devices simultaneously

[Xenia]

Hi everyone,

We're seeing reports that the Spotify app keeps pausing audio whenever there are multiple devices connected to the same Bluetooth headset and the app is open on at least one of the connected devices. Special thanks to @growlybeard who provided a very detailed description and video showing the issue!

To keep you all in the loop we've merged a few threads together and have passed on the collected info to our tech folks, who are still looking into the issue. 

We'll be keeping everyone up to speed here, so make sure to subscribe to this thread! 

[Xenia]

Hey folks, 

Thanks for bearing with us while we were looking into this. 

Our teams are still investigating the issue as it seems to be related to the Bluetooth configurations set by the manufacturers of the devices and the way these interact with apps and OS.

For now we're not able to provide an exact timeline for a fix, but we'd recommend always keeping your Spotify app up-to-date to ensure you're on the latest version.

Cheers!  

[timansky]

yes, even tried to reset to factory defaults

[Alex]

Hey there @timansky,

You can try the following:

• Perform a clean reinstall of the app, following this guide here.
• Make sure the Spotify app is granted all permissions though the App Settings.
• Switch off any Battery Optimization for Spotify, as this can sometimes cause the app to misfunction.

Keep us posted on how you get on with this.

[dougw03]

Since Spotify support is unwilling to acknowledge their bug...I wanted to let people know a workaround I found for this. If you have your BT earbuds connected to both your PC and Phone and want to play from your phone but control from your PC, then you will need to change the default output sound device for Spotify on the PC to something besides your earbuds. I learned you can do this here: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Windows/how-to-change-the-output-device-in-2020-today/m-p/4... . This way when you click play on the PC (to start playing from your phone), it will not output any sound from the PC to the earbuds and pause the session on your phone. Now if only Spotify would acknowledge that their app should not play sound out of the PC when controlling another device, we wouldn't have this issue. Please fix this bug Spotify!  

[mtheofy]

Hi, the workaround you offered does not solve the issue.

This is a bug that happens only on the Spotify app that needs to be reported to your development team(s).

A typical scenario that this happens is as follows:

1. My headset is connected only to an other device (a PC or Mac that is not running a Spotify app).
2. I start Spotify on the mobile device and I realise that is not using the headset (for any reason - e.g. Bluetooth is off). Sound comes out from the speaker.
3. I pause whatever track the Spotify app is playing
4. I connect the headset to the mobile device (that I run Spotify) without disconnecting the other device i.e. using the multiple point Bluetooth function of the device.
5. I press play on Spotify
6. Spotify app unpauses the track for 1-2 seconds, no sound comes out from the paired headset (not even from the phone speaker)
7. Spotify app pauses the track

The red text above is the bug of Spotify. This never happens with other apps on my phone e.g. Google Podcasts, once I press play it resumes playing via the headset as expected.

This happens on both Android phones that I own (Samsung and Xiaomi). I tried everything, unpairing devices, re-installing Spotify, etc.

thank you.

[Eni]

Hey there @mtheofy, 

Thanks for getting in touch about this. 

Just to confirm, could you let us know if this is also happening when the app is closed on your PC?

Additionally, would you mind sending us the exact make/model, operating system and Spotify version of your devices?

We'll be on the lookout.

[mtheofy]

Hi,

Indeed, this is also happening when the app is closed on my PC.

My phones are:

• Samsung A52: Android 11
• Xiaomi Mi A1: Android 9

Both phones run Spotify App version 8.6.20.1063

thanks

[Eni]

Hi @mtheofy, 

Thanks for all you info you've sent so far. 

It seems that this issue is caused by the fact that you can listen to music with your account on one device at a time, so when there're multiple Bluetooth devices connected that could be a reason for the playback to be stopped.

In this case, to ensure Spotify runs only on one device, we suggest that you avoid connecting multiple audio devices to Bluetooth during usage.

We're afraid this might not be something that we can look into soon. Rest assured, if anything changes we'll make sure to post an update.

If you need help with anything else, just let us know. 

Cheers!

[Timoovertoom]

Plan

Premium

Country

Nederland

Device

Iphone, Windows & headphones

Operating System

Windows 10, IOS, Bluetooth 5.1

My Question or Issue

Spotify keeps pausing my music when my headphones are connected to both my iphone and my laptop and spotify is open on both of them. I want to be able to make the most out of the new multi-device support Bluetooth now offers. 

Can you(spotify) please fix this issue,

Pleas let them know if you have the same issue

[growlybeard]

---

It seems that this issue is caused by the fact that you can listen to music with your account on one device at a time, so when there're multiple Bluetooth devices connected that could be a reason for the playback to be stopped.

In this case, to ensure Spotify runs only on one device, we suggest that you avoid connecting multiple audio devices to Bluetooth during usage.

---

Sorry but it seems you misunderstand the issue.

I have a laptop and a phone and a pair bluetooth headphones. The headphones are paired with both the laptop (Mac) and the phone (Android). One bluetooth audio device.

I'm listening to Spotify through my laptop. I get up, walk to the kitchen, and try to watch a video on a news article. I press play, and it starts, and then a second later stops. There's no way to make the video start and keep playing.

There is only one audio device (my headphones).

This is a problem that NEEDS to be fixed - as it is Spotify is nullifying the killer feature that is why I have these headphones - the ability to connect to my laptop and my phone simultaneously and switch between them as needed. Like if I get a call while I'm working I can just keep my headphones on and take the call. Or if I need to get up for coffee and want to take a break I can continue listening to my music or watch a video.

Please do not dismiss this issue, and please realize this is a very real use case and not some edge case.

[Jeremy]

Hi there @Timoovertoom,

Thank you for you post and feedback here in the Community.

We're always testing things by adding or removing features to make Spotify better overall and we’re constantly aiming to improve our features. We’re sorry that this means you’re not able to use Spotify like you wish to do at the moment.

You can read more about how your feedback reaches Spotify here.

Once again - thanks for the feedback, we appreciate it. Let us know if we can help you with anything else. 

Take care!

[Ver]

Hey @growlybeard,

Thanks for posting here 🙂

Could you share with us the following info? We'll investigate this further.

• At what point exactly does the music pause?
• What device are you streaming Spotify from?
• Is there a sound coming in from the other device before the playback stops?
• Do you change on what device (laptop or phone) you listen to?
• A video recording of what is happening when you try switching the devices.

Keep us in the loop! If you have questions, you know where to find us.

[growlybeard]

I put on my bluetooth headphones. I open my computer for work (macbook) and start Spotify. I'm playing the audio through my laptop. Everything is good. Now I need coffee. I get up and walk to the kitchen. I start my pour over, and now I'm waiting 2 minutes for the coffee to brew. I open my phone and look at a Youtube video.

No audio plays but the video starts moving - I'm still hearing Spotify through my laptop even though the video is moving on the phone screen. So I go to Spotify on my phone, and pause playback. Now I go back to Youtube and press play, and it starts the video and about 1s goes by before it automatically pauses itself. I can keep pressing play and it will pause and repause every time.

Now I go back to Spotify and transfer playback to my phone. I play and pause Spotify. Now I go back to youtube and press play and the audio works fine.

however...

I have done "the fix" I just outlined in the past multiple times and had it fail. Getting the phone to start playing back audio again like normal is inconsistent - sometimes I can get it to work and other times I cannot. It is however, definitely related to Spotify - as sometimes the fix is to transfer playback to the local device and sometimes the fix is to quit the application on the other device, releasing the hold.

Also occasionally and more rarely I will have this issue take place when I leave the bluetooth range of my computer like to go buy some groceries, and the phone will get stuck in the "can't unpause" mode, and usually I have to disconnect and reconnect my headphones to get it to work again.

The devices:

2019 Macbook Pro
Google Pixel, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 5 (all have the same issue)

The phone and laptop are simultaneously paired with Jabra Elite 75t bluetooth earbuds.

[growlybeard]

sorry didn't mean to double post the website messed up

[Novy]

Hi @growlybeard, 

Thanks for this info. 

Could you send over the video that @Ver requested? This will help us take a better look at the issue. 

We'll be on the lookout!

[growlybeard]

max filesize is 5mb

so here's a link

https://youtu.be/gC1ltV3QY5M

It's still uploading and will be finished in about 10 minutes (it's a 4m, 600mb video)

[allielaw15]

Hello!

I have done this many times and it doesn’t fix the issue.

[tamarindmonkey]

It's insane how little regard this is being given.
Does Spotify not allow their devs to own bluetooth devices to test the scenario that is being discussed here?

1. This issue happens with any bluetooth device that allows for simultaneous connections to two different devices.

2. The issue occurs only when such a device is connected to two devices simultaneously.
3. So long as condition 1 and 2 are met above; the issue only occurs when at least one of the connected devices has the Spotify app open or at least aware of the fact that the bluetooth device is connected. Spotify does NOT need to be the audio playback source or even in use for the issue to occur.

Many people are using a bluetooth headset like this these days to be able to, for example, answer calls from their phone and work from their computer or laptop with just one headset simultaneously connected to both devices. This allows people to answer a call coming in on their phone on the same headset they are using for a zoom meeting on their computer for example.

Once Spotify sees the offending headset is simultaneously connected to 2 devices, it wreaks havoc and breaks the functionality. It is not affected by headset vendor, driver, or connection settings. It is ONLY affected by Spotify!

Test it for yourselves! This should be something you are doing before you certify and release your software!

[mtheofy]

In addition to the details that I gave on the issue on an earlier post on this thread I need to add that I share the same frustration with @tamaridandmonkey.

I don't have this issue with Google (YouTube or Podcasts, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc. I would like this to be fixed with Spotify since it totally breaks the experience. I'll give it a month or two and I might try the 1 month free offer for Google - I hate typing this but that's the reality .of a free market.

[Jeremy]

Hey folks,

Thanks for reporting this to us.

First, we'd recommend trying a clean reinstall of the app on your device by following the steps here.

If after that you’re still having trouble with this, could you provide us with the following info:

• device + OS version
• when did this start happening?

Once we have that, we will pass it on to the relevant team, who will look further into it.

Thanks!

[mtheofy]

Hi @Jeremy ,

All info you requested has been reported by individuals in earlier posts in this thread. Please take into consideration the information that people already kindly provided.

The information I provided can be found here. This issue has always been present for me. I started using Spotify regularly (as a premium subscriber) since March/April 2019.

I will appreciate if you let me know when your product development team(s) start working on this issue.

KR,

Marcos