Playlists on Apple Watch stopping when on Shuffle after 1 or 2 songs in

[alosurdo]

Hi, i am having an issue on my Apple Watch Ultra 2 where playslists that are on shuffle are stopping 1 or 2 songs in. It has only just started happening in the last week.

Is anyone else having a similar issue?

Plan

Premium

Country

Australia

Device

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Operating System

WatchOS26

[Ivelina]

Hey @alosurdo,

Thank you for creating this thread in the forum.

We had a look, but there don't seem to be any recent similar user posts, so we'd like to gather more info. Let us know:

• Did this behavior occur with the newest iOS update for the first time?
• Is this happening only when Shuffle is enabled?
• Does the behavior persist with another internet connection (Wi-Fi, mobile data) and in Offline Mode? 
• Troubleshooting steps that you've performed so far (clean reinstall, software update, relinking the watch and your iPhone etc.).

We'll be on the lookout for your response.

[Morga84]

Same problem here. I went for a run with my new Watch Ultra 3, iOS 26, premium plan, and cellular data connection. After 2 or 3 songs, the app freezes—it won’t go forward or backward. Completely closing and reopening it worked once, then I gave up… Now I’m updating to 26.0.1, restarting everything, and I’ll try again.

[justify777]

Same problem here. Just started today.  Updating to WatchOS 26.0.2 and hopefully that will fix the issue.  Will report back!  Very annoying & dangerous when I'm out on a run to have to keep reopening the app on my watch to start the next track. 

[justify777]

The app for the Apple Watch is pretty much unusable for downloaded playlists.  I download my playlist for offline listening & run without my phone & my watch is Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS) running watchOS 26.0.2 w/ the latest Spotify version 9.0.84.  It will play the playlist fine for maybe 8-10 tracks and then stop & you either have to catch it before the app shuts down to either press play or manually skip to the next track or the app shuts down & you have reopen it to start it again. Once it does this once it seems to do it much more frequently and sometimes after each individual track.  Very frustrating when you're out on a run & have to keep messing with your watch to skip to the next song.  We just got over the last bug too & the app was running great.  I feel like Apple is messing with you guys.  Anyway, if you could please look into this and fix whatever this issue is it would be greatly appreciated! 

[alosurdo]

I noticed it’s also for playing over cellular.
6 mths or so there was a similar issue with downloaded playlists tha took a couple months to resolve

[FromTheRightAngle]

Same here. Started 3-4 days ago. Happening with full albums playing straight through ( no shuffle ) and playlists on shuffle. So frustrating this happened a while back**bleep**. Apple Watch Ultra 2. Fully updated Watch OS-wise as well as my phone, iPhone 15. 

[AlejaR]

Hey there folks,

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

We'd like to gather some additional info to better understand this behavior. In that sense, please send us:

• The exact Spotify version you're running.
• Does this happen over content you've downloaded as well?
• Does this persist over Wi-Fi?
• Does this only happen when the playlists are on shuffle?
• Does this happen regardless of the playlist/content you choose to play?
• Send us all the exact troubleshooting steps you're tried so far.
• If possible, a video recording of this behavior. You can attach the videos to your next reply in mp4 format, or upload them to YouTube or Google Drive and make them public,

If you already shared some of this info here, make sure to send us the remaining details. 

We'll be around!

[justify777]

• Spotify version 9.0.84
• Happens on downloaded content
• Haven't had issues over Wi-Fi myself
• I only listen on shuffle
• I have one playlist I listen to offline on my runs 
• I've updated the app, deleted and re-installed the app 

[Vasil]

Hey @justify777,

Thank you for the shared details and for the prompt response 🙂

@Morga84, @alosurdo, @FromTheRightAngle  - could you please share the same details so that we can get a better look at the issue? Many thanks!

[FromTheRightAngle]

Well I am sitting trying to get it to happen again and it's not. I have bluetooth turned off on my phone.

The watch has wifi turned off. I am listening to a downloaded playlist in shuffle mode and so far at least 10 songs have played without stopping. I noticed that there was an update ( 9.0.86 ) to my phone's Spotify app this morning. I had installed it before trying the current test on the watch. So... it may be fixed with today's update?

[justify777]

Thanks for the heads up on the update, updating now & hoping it's fixed!

[FromTheRightAngle]

Just came back from a run, phone left at home, and the downloaded playlist played all the way through, no stopping.

So it MAY be fixed.