[iOS Bug] Default Avatar Background Layer Does Not Disable After Custom Profile Photo Upload

[Veshre]

Plan

Premium Individual

Country

United States of America

Device

iPhone 12 Pro Max

Operating System

iOS 26.1 (23B85)

Bug: I have discovered a reproducible bug where the default avatar (the solid color behind the display name's initial letter) is not correctly disabled when a user uploads a custom profile photo. This results in a 1-pixel border bleed of the default color (green, purple, etc.) around the edges of the custom profile photo on iOS (see attached image), this happens specifically on small versions of the custom profile photo, like for example, the one you see beside your name below the playlist title.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Take a healthy account that has no custom profile photo issues.

2. Remove the current profile photo to force the account back to the default avatar state (e.g., a letter 'T' on a Green background).

3. Upload a new custom profile photo.

4. Result: The "Green" background layer remains active behind the new custom profile photo. It bleeds through the edges as a pixelated border on iOS thumbnails. This is most obvious with the green background default avatar, since it is bright. The hash of the display name "Teste" will get you the green background.

5. Expected Result: The default background layer should be disabled/hidden upon uploading a custom image.

Further Information: I confirmed this is not a random rendering artifact because the color of the pixelated border glitch matches the default background color assigned to the display name exactly. When I changed the display name (which generates a new default background color), the glitch color immediately shifted to match that new hue. This proves the glitch is actually the persistent default background layer on the default avatar bleeding through, rather than a compression error on the custom profile image itself (I tried many image sizes and types).

[Maria]

Hey there @Veshre,

Thanks for reaching out on the Community! And kudos for including so many details about the issue 🙂

Just to make sure we cover all bases, could you confirm if you've tried any troubleshooting steps? For example, this includes clearing stored cache, a clean reinstall, trying a different internet connection, checking with another account on your device, etc. This will help us avoid repeating steps as well.

It would be great to know what app version you're currently running too. Also, did you notice if this happened at any specific points? Such as after an update to the app or the device's OS?

Keep us posted!

[Veshre]

Hello,

Yes, I tried all the troubleshooting steps you listed. I have also now successfully reproduced this glitch on two other devices (iPhone 13 Pro Max & iPhone 16 Pro Max) using different family members' accounts. I am very confident this is a system wide issue.

While I can’t pinpoint the exact date it began, it appears to be a recent regression in the uploader. Users with 'legacy' profile photos, those uploaded months ago, do not have this pixelated border. It only triggers for new uploads (has to be an upload from a default avatar to a custom profile photo as I listed in the original post).

I have confirmed this is not a rendering or compression artifact. The border color changes instantly when the display name is changed. This proves that the default background color layer on the default avatar (which is hash-based) is failing to disable and is bleeding through the custom photo mask.

App Version: 9.1.6

I hope this breakdown helps the team.

[AlejaR]

Hey there @Veshre,

Thanks for your reply and for all the info shared. 

Would you mind asking the owners of the iOS devices in which you replicated this behavior to post here? If possible, it'd be awesome if they could add the exact Spotify version along with the OS version they're running here.

On another note, and just to confirm, can you replicate this behavior on an Android device? It’d be awesome if you could check. You can ask for the mobile device of a relative or a friend to check.
 

Lastly, we really appreciate the screenshots and detailed steps you've sent for us to try and replicate. Would you mind sending us a video in which we can visualize the exact steps you take to reproduce this? You can attach the video in your next reply in mp4 format, or upload it to YouTube or Google Drive and make it public.
 

Note: Be aware this is a public space, so please don't share any personal info on the video you'll send us.
 

Keep us in the loop!

[Veshre]

The owners are family members, I'll spare them the time: Both are on iOS 26.1 (23B85) and Spotify app versions 9.1.6.1142.

I have attached a screen recording that clearly demonstrates the issue on one of their phones (iPhone 13 Pro Max).

As you watch the transition from the default avatar to a custom profile photo, please focus on the top-left corner near the end of the clip. You will see that the green border from the default 'T' avatar remains visible behind the new image. The default background layer is not disabling properly, as the border color always matches the background hash of the display name. For this clip I intentionally used the name 'Teste' to generate a bright green background and uploaded a black photo, this high-contrast combination makes the glitch impossible to miss.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to an Android device for testing. However, out of the device types that I have access to, this issue is exclusive to the iOS app, both the web player and the Windows 11 desktop app display every version of the profile photo correctly without any border glitch.

Within the iOS app, this glitch is isolated to the smaller thumbnails, such as the one under the playlist header and the one shown in my video. The large, full-size profile image inside the "View Profile" page renders correctly, which suggests the issue is specific to how the iOS app generates or masks the smaller avatar assets.

[Eni]

Hey there @Veshre, 

Thanks for getting back to us. 

We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention as it helps us improve the overall user experience. 

We'll be on the lookout for more reports about this and if we're able to gather some more data, we'll keep you posted. For now, we'd recommend keeping the Spotify app up to date to receive the latest fixes and optimizations. 

Cheers!