Playing on another device - Tesla switches playback to Bluetooth

[Anders1701]

Plan

Premium Family 

Country

UK

Device

Tesla Model 3

Pixel 7 Pro

Operating System

Tesla Version: v11.1 (2024.8.7 788c4ffd4ccc)

Android 14 Build number APIA.240405.002

My Question or Issue

On a short journey today the Spotify app in my Tesla kept stopping every few minutes. It said that music was playing on another device. When we arrived the error was still present. I opened the app on my phone to see what "other" device I was supposedly playing music on. This reported music was playing on my Tesla. (I don't have two cars!)

[Anders1701]

Hey everyone,

Our tech folks will investigate further. We'll keep you posted here as soon as we have any updates on the matter 👍

Cheers!

[Eni]

Hey there @Anders1701, 

Thanks for reaching out about this and welcome to the Community. 

First up, we suggest that you log in to your account page and scroll all the way to the bottom and select the option "Sign out everywhere". Keep in mind that this doesn't include partner devices (e.g. speakers, games consoles, and TVs), so for those go to your apps page and choose REMOVE ACCESS. Then, log back in to your account on your devices and check if it keeps happening. 

If so, would you mind checking if you can manually select the device where you'd like to listen to on from the Connect list when this happens?  

We'll be on the lookout.

[#4]

Commonly I lose connectivity with Spotify while driving and get a message “playing on another device”. Related to the above issue? Always have my iPhone when driving my Tesla 3. Not playing through Bluetooth, but through Tesla premium connectivity.

[pjdubya]

I get this all the time too. It's just me and one other family member on the account, and even with both of us in the Tesla and playing a playlist just fine for a while, it'll suddenly stop and display this message. I think there are two common scenarios. First it'll happen if I'm driving through an area with spotty coverage, and that's when it'll happen while actively driving and playing a playlist. Second if I'm playing a playlist and get to my destination and exit the car, sometimes when I come back to the car just a couple min later instead of it playing again automatically it'll say this. Nobody would be playing Spotify on any other device during those periods. I have a feeling it has something to do with Spotify being available on my phone in my pocket and the Tesla at the same time, like maybe Spotify is incorrectly trying to switch playing from Tesla to the phone during these situations, but I have no idea if that's true or why it would because my phone remains locked when this happens. Anyway it happens constantly so it would be very helpful if someone here can investigate. 

[TwistedQ]

This still looks to be a common issue with Spotify on Tesla. Mine does the same thing as OP where it'll just randomly say playing on other device, I pull over to check my phone and it's still playing there despite it showing as the Tesla.

[Jollygood]

Hi

I solved this by using Spotify Family, creating a brand new account with its own unique login, that i linked to the Spotify Family, and used this account only for the Tesla. It's been 100% stable since. 

[justletmein12345]

Plan

Basic Individual

Country

USA

Device

Pixel 7 and Tesla Model Y

Operating System

Latest Android

My Question or Issue

Like others, I am getting an intermittent but persistent "Playing on another device" error. 

In my case, I have narrowed down the issue: Spotify on my phone occasionally starts playing via Bluetooth on my Tesla, which stops the music on the Spotify app on the Tesla itself. I verified this via the app (screenshots attached), but also in inspecting the Bluetooth stream when I was attempting to play music on the Tesla media player - when the music is playing "properly" it shows in the app as playing on the Tesla Media Player, but when the Spotify app overrides that connection, it shows as the Bluetooth name. 

Requested fix
The Spotify mobile app when connected to the Tesla via Bluetooth should not attempt to preempt the Tesla media player. Tesla owners who use the Phone Key (read: all Tesla users) need to have Bluetooth turned on, and the app on the phone is improperly seizing the stream from the Tesla media player to play over Bluetooth and claiming the music is playing on "another device." 

[Rvengosh]

I have the same issue with my Model Y. Phone is with me and is not playing anything. 

[Rvengosh]

Exact same issue with my model Y. Spotify is playing nowhere else and my phone is with me. 

[Rvengosh]

I have Spotify family, and there’s 5 of us - each with our own account. 5 is the max. 
this is clearly a Spotify bug and they need to solve it. 

[MihailY]

Hey folks,

Thanks for your reports.

For anyone still experiencing this issue, please send us the following (if you haven't already) so we can forward it to our tech team:

• Your phone's model, OS version and Spotify version.
• Your car's model and production year.
• The troubleshooting steps you've tried so far (clean reinstall, log out, etc.)
• A short video of the issue. 

Cheers,

[TwistedQ]

Still happening for me (though the frequency has dropped since the latest Tesla update).

* Phone: Pixel Fold (the original, not the latest pro), Android 15 & latest version of Spotify
* Car: Tesla Model 3 Highland
* Steps: If I kill spotify as a running app on the Android device it usually clears it.

[atarzwell]

Same here too. Family account and Model 3. Makes Spotify useless

[Yordan]

Hey everyone,

Our tech folks will investigate further. We'll keep you posted here as soon as we have any updates on the matter 👍

Cheers!

[Xterrini]

Happens with me, but I think I see why it's happening; may be my comments will help the techs to fix this.

Tesla M3 2019, latest software

Android, Pixel 9 (and did it with Pixel 8a too), latest android 15

1. I don't have the Spotify app opened on my phone
2. I use the Tesla phone/bluetooth to enter the car
3. I have premium Tesla connectivity
4. I start Spotify in the car (not on the phone)
5. Music playing 
6. Music stops and shows "playing on another device"
7. I look at my phone, and I see on the phone that the Spotify app is showing playing (but I can't hear anything in the car or on the phone, because Bluetooth is connected to the car, but because I'm on the Spotify selection in the car, the bluetooth is not playing sound in the car).
8. I hit the pause button on the phone spotify app, and voila, the music starts in the Tesla app.
9. so, it appears as if the "other device" that's playing is the spotify on my phone, as I don't have anyone else on the account using my log in. 
10. so, it's flip-flopping between the phone and the Tesla accounts for the same account, while driving.

[QuarterPounder]

I've been experiencing the same issue for the past few months. @justletmein12345 has nailed the issue dead on.

On Pixel 9 Pro XL with the latest update. Tesla Model Y Long Range 2024

[pezbailarin]

Model 3 2024, pixel 8 pro, exact same issue for months. I can switch audio source to Bluetooth when this happens, but it's really annoying to lose the ability to control Spotify thought the main screen (and also the rear screen).

[Joaosaleiro]

This is happening to me also, and it's extremely annoying. Spotify auto-switches to bluetooth, stopping the music on the car.
I've also noticed that there seems to be a correlation between notifications coming in and music stopping.

My phone is a Oneplus 11, and the car is a Tesla Model 3 Highland. I have the latest versions of Android, Spotify and Tesla OS.

[Darcnes]

Updated my earlier post with info.

[Jollygood]

Family account with a dedicated account only for the Tesla? And it still fails?