Normally, when the user clicks on Home to display the TV launcher, the activity pauses. However, your app can request background playback, in which the activity continues playing behind the TV launcher. To request background playback, call requestVisibleBehind. Be sure to clean up media resources if the activity stops being visible. It introduced the sleeping apps function so when screen turned off then it put the app to sleep. If you go to device care - battery - 3 dots top right, then 'sleeping apps' option. Remove spotify from list and all.
It goes without saying that applications that have a large user base often get into limelight when an update either introduces a bug or breaks an existing functionality, getting the team behind the app on heels to fix things up. But there also are times when certain issues prolong for long, yet go unnoticed.
One such case has now come to our sight. It has to do with one of the most popular music streaming services across the globe, Spotify, that recently expanded the ambit of their service and made itself available for music lovers in India.
Cutting the long story short, and coming straight to the issue that a lot of Spotify users have been reporting for about a month now is that the app controls (like skip or pause) are acting buggy and not working when accessed from the device’s lockscreen.
Complaints majorly from Samsung phone users with devices like Galaxy S10, S9, S8, S7, Note9 startedpopulatingtheofficialSpotifycommunityandotheronlinediscussionplatformslikeReddit and Twitter after installing the app update back in March and continue to do so till date.
Basically, Spotify users aren’t able to change music from lockscreen (or notification center) anymore, unless they unlock the phone. Take a look at how a couple of complainants word this buggy behavior:
I had a galaxy s8 and just bought a galaxy s10 but since my galaxy s8 after samsung last update I can’t change Spotify music on lock screen anymore, in neither of the phones! I can see the lock screen control, read the music but when I press pause or change the music it does not work, i tought it was only in galaxy s8 but the s10 is doing the same, show the lock screen control but does not work when i press to change or pause any music.
I recently purchased a Galaxy S10, I have spotify playing and the screen locks, it’ll show the: song you’re listening to, previous song, Play/pause button and next song. For some reason those controls don’t seem to work when I’m on the lock screen.
The app acts in a similar manner when operated through a device connected to the phone via Bluetooth, like car. Here’s how some of the complainants explained the use-case:
Since the last Spotify update, the lock screen buttons on my phone to pause or skip do not work. Neither do the bluetooth connected steering wheel buttons in my car. This is not limited to me – other phones in our house are having exactly the same issue (another S7 Oreo and an S9 Pie). I have deleted the app, restarted the phone, reinstalled the app and it’s still the same. The lack of this function in the car means unwanted tracks cannot be skipped as it is illegal to touch a mobile phone while drivin – the new in car view is therefore useless.
I had an update and everything is working fine except for Spotify. It works but my lock-screen controls do not work. I used to be able to lock my phone, press down on home and skip/pause/advance my songs but as of then I can’t. I have to unlock the phone, ope the app and manage it from there. This is not ideal when driving. https://evereg784.weebly.com/blog/free-spotify-trial-2017.
Meanwhile, some of the affected users who tooktoTwitter to bring the matter to light said:
Going by users reports, ‘lockscreen controls not working’ problem was triggered by app version 8.5.0 and later, and hasn’t been resolved till date. It’s worth mentioning that while majority of the affected users own a Samsung device, a few with phones from other OEMs have also reported the same.
Here’s what an affected Huawei P20 Pro user said:
So there could be a possibility that the issue isn’t limited to Samsung devices only, but we couldn’t locate many reports from users with devices from other OEMs.
Is this issue known?
Keeping user reports aside, what’s good is that Spotify is at least investigating this problem, and here’s what they said about a month back while addressing a complainant at Spotify community:
We’re still looking into this, and will get back to you as soon as we have updates.
Complete statement:
One of the Spotify community moderators also said something similar:
We are aware of an issue with the control buttons and are currently investigating it.
But all that was weeks back. Since then, there’s no update on the matter. Meanwhile, this single thread itself has about 900+ upvotes and users continue complaining. The only solution that seems to help is to downgrade to an earlier version of Spotify app.
Hoping whatever is causing the lockscreen controls glitch gets fixed soon. Rest assured, we are keeping a tab on the matter, and will update as and when any now development comes to our sight. In the meantime, just in case you are also facing the issue, drop a comment and let us know.
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A lot of Android users are complaining that Spotify doesn't work on their phone's lock screen. Ideally, when you are listening to songs on Spotify and lock your screen, you should be able to see a lock screen widget with a few details — album art, song title, singer, and buttons to control the playback.
During my research, I found that the problem is not specific to select phone models but can happen on any smartphone. That can be frustrating as most people like to listen to music when doing other stuff like working out, traveling and other activities. Unlocking the phone just to interact with the Spotify app seems tedious.
Let’s take a look at some potential solutions.
1. Try to Log out and Log Back In
Some of our readers suggest that logging out and then logging back in helped them resolve this issue. After that, they were able to see the Spotify widget on their smartphone’s lock screen. To sign out, tap on the Settings icon on the upper right and scroll to the bottom of the screen to find the Log out option.
Then you can sign in using your email ID or Facebook account. Use the same method you tried the first time so that you don’t end up creating a new account instead. Check if you can see the Spotify music widget on the lock screen now and if the controls are working.
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Read More2. Notification Settings
Every app that you install on your Android smartphone comes with its own set of notification settings that dictates what happens when the phone is locked. Let’s take a look at Spotify notification settings.
Open Settings and then tap on Notifications & status bar. Check that the Show notification icons and Show on Lock screen options are toggled on. Otherwise, you won’t see notifications or shortcuts for any app on the lock screen. Tap on App notifications.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen to find Spotify — the list is always in alphabetical order. Unlike before, these notification settings pertain to the specific app. In this case, Spotify. Make sure that Show notifications and App icon badge is toggled on.
There are two more settings left in the above screenshot. First is Playback which will allow you to control your music on the lock screen. Tap to open it and make sure that Show notifications option is toggled on. Other settings in this screen are optional. Similarly, the Show notifications should be toggled on for Spotify Music too.
Now open Spotify and play a song. Lock your screen and check if you can see the Spotify playback widget there.
Note: Samsung users have shared that setting the View Style to Detailed under Settings-Lock Screen-Notifications-View Style also helped them resolve the issue. If you have that option on your Android, then try it because I don’t. Manufacturers are known to alter stock Android with their spin for some reason!3. Power Saving Mode Off
Power Saving mode is a handy feature until it gets in the way of how an app functions. Power Saving mode keeps your apps in check and prevents them from consuming too many resources like CPU, GPS, and battery juice unnecessarily when they are not actively being used or when the phone is locked. They can often act like an overprotective parent leading to apps not working correctly.
To check, open Settings and tap on Battery & performance. Again, your smartphone may have slightly different settings (it may be called Battery Optimization instead) depending on your make and model. Tap on Choose apps to configure individual app settings.
Either search for Spotify or open it by scrolling. Tap on it to open. Tap on No restrictions to stop your smartphone from preventing Spotify to function correctly in the background when the phone is locked.
4. Clean Reinstall
Spotify stores all your songs and playlists on its servers, there is no harm in uninstalling the app. But we want to do a clean install. First, log out of Spotify like you did in the first step above. Now open Settings and tap on Installed Apps. Find Spotify and open it.
Tap on Force stop to halt any running activity behind the screen. Tap on Clear data and select Clear all data. That should remove all temporary files and folders from your phone.
Finally, tap on Uninstall on the same screen to remove Spotify from your smartphone. Go back to the Play Store and install Spotify again. See if you can see Spotify music widget on the lock screen now.
5. Lock Screen Manager
The good thing about the Android platform is that it is endlessly customizable. That means there is an app out there that can manage and customize your lock screen. Some of our users have had success with this method. We have already covered three lock screen apps for Android, so check them out. There are many others on the Play Store too.
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Read MoreSpot It
Spotify is one of the best music streaming app out there. I love it because it makes it easier to follow other's curated playlists. While most of the time it works fine right out of the box, there are times when there is a conflict between app and system settings.
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The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read Next21 Spotify Music Tips and Tricks You Must Check OutAlso See#spotify #streaming #music
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