Album cover flickers and volume controle issues when using Spotify Connect

[villas-app]

I just updates the Spotify app to version 8.9.34 on my iPad Pro 12" M2 and iPhone 15 Pro. Since this version, on both devices, the album cover keeps flickering when streaming via Spotify to my audio system. When playing music on my iPad or iPhone, this does not happen.

The annoying volume control issue when streaming with Spotify Connect is still there. When staring playing music via Spotify Connect, I cannot control the volume using the Spotify app. I have to force close it and reopen it. Only then volume control works again.

[AlejaR]

Hey @villas-app,

Thanks for posting in the Community and welcome.

We'd recommend you perform a clean reinstall of the Spotify app on your devices. By doing that, the app can be up-to-date, and you can make sure the cache is not leading to this inconvenience. You can see the steps for a clean reinstall here.

If this should persist after that, we'd like to gather some additional info to better understand what's happening on your side. So:

• When you mentioned the album covers flicker, would you mind adding more details? Does it happen when you open the Now Playing View? Or does it happen on the devices' lock screens?
• Please send us the exact Spotify version you're running on your devices.
• Does this happen when casting content on a different device or does it happen just when using Connect with your audio system?

It'd be awesome if you could send us more, so we can investigate further. 

Now, it's important to mention that due to updates on iOS, Spotify users no longer can use their iOS volume controls to change the volume on connected speakers. You should be able to use the volume slider in the device menu instead. So, just to clarify, are you unable to control the volume with the volume slider within the app?

Keep us in the loop!

[villas-app]

Hi @AlejaR,

The flickering of the album covers occurs only when playing music on my audio system via Spotify Connect. When I turn off Spotify Connect while the music is playing so that it continues to play on my iPad or iPhone, the flickering of the album cover stops. Enabling Spotify Connect again to stream the audio via my audio system will start the flickering on the album cover again. It’s like the communication between Spotify Connect and the Spotify app on my iPad and iPhone, to receive the updates when playing the music on my audio system, is causing this flickering.

It happens on my iPad Pro 12” M2 1TB and on my iPhone 15 Pro. Both run on the latest os version 17.4.1. The spotify version running on both devices is 8.9.36. My iPad, iPhone and audio system are on the same network, which is a normal LAN, not a VLAN. The network is very stable has more than enough bandwidth. Also my internet connection is very stable and has also more than enough bandwidth.

This flickering of the album cover started since the previous Spotify updates. Today was the last update to version 8.9.36.

As instructed, I have fully uninstalled the Spotify app from my iPad and iPhone. I restarted both devices and the reinstalled the Spotify app again. This did not solve this issue.

Please do not forget the volume control issue. This is also not resolved. When I reopen the Spotify app on my iPd or iPhone after it has not been used for a while, then start playing a song after which I turn on Spotify connect to play the song from my audio system, i hear the music playing and Spotify connect is running, the volume buttons on my iPad or iPhone do not work. I have to force close the Spotify app and open it again. Then the volume control with the volume buttons on my iPad and iPhone work again to remotely controle the music volume on my audio system.

[villas-app]

Hi @AlejaR,

As described in my reply, a clean install did not solve this issue.

[MihailY]

Hey @villas-app,

Thanks for the additional info and apologies for the late reply.

Does this occur when you transfer playback from your iPhone to the iPad (or vice versa) or only when you connect to the audio system? Do you have another Connect-enabled device that you can test this with? If possible, please send over a short video of the flickering since we're not able to reproduce it on our end.

Regarding the volume control issue, please check out the last paragraph of @AlejaR's response above and let us know if you're able to control the volume using the slider in the device menu.

We'll be on the lookout for your reply.

[lordpeyman]

I am also experiencing the album cover flickering.  Also only when using the connect feature.  Just started happening a few weeks back.  Maybe early May 2024 or a bit earlier.

I am using the Spotify app on iPhone 14. Connected wirelessly to a Bluesound Node streamer.

If I’m just looking then the cover does not flicker but as soon as I engage the app e.g. pause, turn up volume, slide the bar to advance later in the track, it flickers.  I also get the flicker in instances where the album cover isn’t showing but when there is an animation in place of the album cover (song example Ain’t no sunshine by bill withers).

Please find a fix, this is really deteriorating the experience.

I am wondering however if this is the doing of an iPhone update.

Thanks

[Szoja76]

I have exactly the same issue. I'm wondering why all app developers blaming their users for a bug which is clearly related to their product. Anyways ask for logging off then back, reinstall, cache cleanup, etc. Sometimes for months. And we always do, but they never admit the issue is on their side. It's only matter of time, they will fix it, but new issues will come, I believe.

[JeffThomas3]

I’m also having this issue and have for about the past month. Running from my iPhone 13 Pro Max on iOS 17.5.1. Spotify version 8.9.44.362. 

I have reinstalled Spotify. It did not resolve my issue when using Spotify Connect. 

Symptoms: flickering album art, sporadically loses volume control, audio drops on the playback device (duration less than half a second). I do have access to the volume slider and it seems operational - AS A WORKAROUND ONLY (not a solution). 

This issue presented in multiple playback devices including multiple Google smart speakers, Cambridge Audio stereo receiver, and KEF LSX speakers. 

[AlejaR]

Hey folks,

Thanks for all your replies and for all the info shared.

@lordpeyman, @Szoja76, @JeffThomas3, for starters, we'd like to add some insights. We understand where you're coming from, but keep in mind, as mentioned above, and due to updates on iOS, Spotify users can no longer use their iPhone's volume controls to change the volume on connected speakers. Instead, you can use the volume slider in the device menu.

Now, we'd like to investigate further the flickering you've mentioned here. To do so, we'd like to gather some additional info. Please send us:

• A video recording of what's happening on your side. You can attach the videos in your next reply in mp4 format, or you can also upload them to YouTube or Google Drive and make them public, so we can visualize them.
• The make/model and OS of the affected device.
• The exact Spotify version you're running there.
• All the troubleshooting steps you've tried so far.
• Did you notice if this started to happen after a specific event such as an OS update?

Keep us in the loop!

[Szoja76]

Hi,

Here's an example. I have iPhone 15, iOS version 17.5.1, Spotify version 8.9.48, but I believe this issue is with us for weeks if not months already.

[OscarDC]

Hey folks,

Thank you for your messages and for the info shared.

We want to confirm that the relevant team is already aware of this situation and is working internally to fix it. We don't have a specific date for this to be resolved, but we hope it will be as soon as possible. Any updates about it would be posted here.

We'd also recommend keeping your Spotify app updated, so you don't miss any improvements coming your way.

Stay tuned!

[AlejaR]

Hey folks,

We hope you're doing great.

Just to confirm, does this happen over WiFi? 3G/4G? Both? Do you notice any difference if you switch the internet network you're using? It'd be awesome if you could check and send us more info.

Keep us in the loop!

[Szoja76]

Hi,

Phone needs to be on the same wifi when we cast music to the smart speaker, but when it is on, we can move to the cellular. App is behaving the same, wherever we are connected to, cover picture is flickering when music is being played via Spotify Connect.

[JeffThomas3]

That's the same as I see it, too.

[lordpeyman]

Hello,

I can't use Spotify on a cell network (access restriction), and I tried using on my home network instead of my secondary residence network (same internet provider) and at home it seems to be working well. Will have to try the secondary residence again this weekend and see if it's working there now. Maybe something has been fixed since.

Thanks

[ahshayah]

Hi there,

I’m running Spotify version 8.9.50.491

on iPhone 13 iOS 17.5.1 (21F90)

I’m also experiencing the flickering album cover when in now playing mode and the loss of control over the volume from my iPhone when I’m using Spotify Connect with my old Lenovo laptop running Spotify for Windows (64 bit)

1.2.41.434g39a25e2c

These issues take place whether connected to WiFi or 5G

[ahshayah]

The flickering also happens whenever I interact with the app in almost any way while connected to my computer from my phone. This happens when I skip a song, pause, play, turn volume up or down and at the end of every song

[Ivelina]

Welcome to the thread @ahshayah and thanks for the details! We appreciate the cooperation 🙂

@lordpeyman could you give us any updates if the issue persists for you? Have you had the chance to try the secondary residence and is the flickering gone when you're using your home network? 

We'll be on the lookout and just give us a shout if anything else comes up.

[ahshayah]

It’s seems to have been fixed, but there is new problem. a while back they changed it so while using Spotify Connect we can no longer turn the volume up or down using the volume button on the phone which is so disappointing and frustrating! There are many times I need to turn the volume down right away (if quite is suddenly needed to find someones phone, to hear someone who’s talking and where I’m from to check wether a siren has gone off) and in the new way where we have to get the phone, unlock it, enter the app, press one of the volume buttons and then change the volume manually using the volume bar that pops up does not allow that. It takes to long, is not intuitive, is uncomfortable and doesn’t work right away… it often takes several volume button clicks until it shows the volume bar. Another problem it creates is when I play an album to sleep to and I need to change the volume. I used to be able to do this in the dark with the press of a button and now I have to expose my sleepy eyes to the horrible light of the phone and start doing that annoying long process again.

in general, since discontinuing the Sleep Timer feature from Connect a few years ago it seems like every change and update makes Connect (this amazing and brilliant feature that it is) worst and worst and less useful and enjoyable