active a playback device with API

[JustRobbe]

Is there a way to activate a playback device using the api and why can't I see my ethernet speakers using the get playback devices api?

[rohitganapathy]

Hey as far as my understanding of the APIs goes, the device in question has to be manually made active in order to transfer playback to it.

[JustRobbe]

I don't to make it active, but how to switch the device when it is active?

[rohitganapathy · Accepted solution]

use this endpoint to transfer playback to an active device

https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/player/transfer-a-users-playback/

you can obtain the device ID needed using this endpoint

https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/player/get-a-users-available-devices/

[JustRobbe]

Thank you very mutch

[maxzilla]

Every time I want to transfer the playback, I simply get error 500, although I use the correct device ID.
I tried it by using the API directly and also through the web console.

Originally, I just wanted to play music on a device which was marked as not active. The play command just went through but the music didn't start. In the old GitHub repo, I found the advice to transfer the user's playback which finally led me here.

[linux4u]

i have exactly the same problem. every time I try to activate the player, I get the 500 error ...

is there already a solution here?

[linux4u]

Supplement:

for some accounts it works without problems, but not for others. could there possibly be problems with the accounts in a family subscription?

[linux4u]

after playing around, i found out that i have to start something with this account from the spotifyapp first. from then on the activation of the player via the API works fine...

[Ripper2909]

Hi sir, I have the same exact behaviour... Did find any solution in order to not having to manually start music on this device to make it available ? Thanks 🙂

[Abrecht]

I have the same issue. Is there any way to "wake up" a device through the web api?

[digfish]

It appears Spotify managers have disabled the feature to get the available devices from the API:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/69816607/spotify-api-does-only-get-a-few-devices-but-my-phone-ge... 

[mjholtzem]

Same issue. Can't transfer playback, start playback, or even see the device listed unless I manually start playback on the device first which makes the API practically useless ☹️

[JaimeMytaverse]

Hi,
This used to work for me but now:
https://api.spotify.com/v1/me/player/devices

{

"devices": [

{

"id": "109bf5a0d19ab7605f1cda5ceb83370bdd96118e",

"is_active": false,

"is_private_session": false,

"is_restricted": false,

"name": "Web Playback SDK",

"type": "Computer",

"volume_percent": 50

}

]

}

but when I try https://api.spotify.com/v1/me/player:

{

"device_ids": [

"109bf5a0d19ab7605f1cda5ceb83370bdd96118e"

]

}

I get 404:

{

"error": {

"status": 404,

"message": "Not found."

}

}
}

Any help?

[Eloigil]

Thanks. I’ve a dubt, it is possible to start playback in a spotify connect device from web api or ios sdk without having to start the play back in another device and transfering the playback to the spotify connect device I want to activate?