If your phone battery drains fast while using Spotify, don't blame your device just yet. Even if your battery drops about 1% per minute or falls from 90% or higher, that's the kind of drain you'd expect from streaming HD video. Downloading music for offline listening or enabling airplane mode alone isn't enough to stop it from happening every day.
Many users notice the same issue. Spotify can drain battery even when you're not actively streaming, and forum solutions are often outdated or unhelpful.
Before you panic or consider a new phone, there are practical fixes. In this updated guide, we'll show you how to stop Spotify from draining your battery - covering both in-app and system-wide settings - so you can save battery life for everyday listening.
Part 1. How to Check Spotify Battery Usage
To see how Spotify affects your battery, check your phone's battery stats. Most phones show which apps use the most power. Sometimes just noticing the pattern is enough to spot the problem.
1. Check Your Phone Battery Usage
For Android:
Step 1 Go to Settings > Battery & Performance > Battery Usage Stats.
Step 2 Examine how apps on your phone are consuming battery. If other apps are draining significant battery, consider disabling them from running in the background.
For iOS:
Step 1 Navigate to Settings > Battery.
Step 2 Tap on Battery Usage.
Step 3 Observe how apps are using your phone's battery. If you notice other apps consuming a considerable amount, take steps to minimize their background activity.
2. Check Your Phone Battery Life
If your phone charges significantly faster than usual, it may indicate reduced battery capacity. Consider replacing the battery at a local store if it shows signs of rapid degradation.
If your phone battery appears to be in good condition, any battery drain issues may be specific to the Spotify app. Proceed with the following solutions to optimize Spotify and prevent excessive battery consumption.
Part 2. How to Fix Spotify Battery Drain
Once you know Spotify is draining battery, you can adjust a few settings to prevent multimedia, like Canvas, from loading and refreshing. Common fixes like clearing the cache and closing other apps also help. These small changes reduce power use while still letting you listen.
1. Disable Canvas
Canvas in the Now Playing view shows looping short videos while music plays. It looks cool, but those visuals use extra power.
Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your phone.
Step 2 Tap the profile icon in the top-left corner to open the app menu.
Step 3 Tap Settings and Privacy > Content and Display > Canvas.
Step 4 Toggle the switch to turn off Canvas, which loops short, attention-grabbing visuals in the Now Playing view.
2. Turn Off Spotify Connect
Spotify Connect lets you control music on other devices. While convenient, staying connected or searching for nearby speakers or smart TVs can add extra battery drain.
Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your phone.
Step 2 Tap the Now Playing bar at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3 Tap the Devices Available icon.
Step 4 Make sure your phone is selected and not connected to other devices. You can also connect devices here when you want to save more battery.
3. Disable "Keep Spotify Open"
This setting keeps the app running even when your phone is connected to your car via Bluetooth or USB. Turning it off lets your device rest when it's not in use.
Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your phone.
Step 2 Tap the profile icon in the top-left corner to open the app menu.
Step 3 Tap Settings and Privacy > Apps and Devices.
Step 4 Scroll to Keep Spotify Open.
Step 5 Toggle it off to prevent the phone from staying awake whenever you're connected to your car or other devices.
4. Enable Data Saver Mode
Data Saver limits high-bandwidth features like video previews and high-fidelity streaming. Using less data usually means using less battery.
Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your phone.
Step 2 Tap the profile icon in the top-left corner to open the app menu.
Step 3 Tap Settings and Privacy > Data-saving and Offline > Data Saver.
Step 4 Toggle the switch on to save both data and battery.
5. Lower Audio Quality
If you prefer keeping Data Saver mode off, lowering streaming quality alone can save battery.
Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your phone.
Step 2 Tap the profile icon in the top-left corner to open the app menu.
Step 3 Tap Settings and Privacy > Media Quality.
Step 4 Select Normal or Low for both Wi-Fi and cellular streaming.
6. Clear Cache
Clearing cache frees memory and reduces hidden battery use without affecting your downloaded music.
Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your phone.
Step 2 Tap the profile icon > Settings and Privacy > Data-saving and Offline.
Step 3 Scroll to Storage > Clear Cache, then tap Clear.
7. Close Other Apps
Apps running in the background compete for memory and CPU. Closing them reduces the load and lowers battery drain.
For Android:
Step 1 Open the Recent Apps menu.
Step 2 Swipe left or right to view all open apps.
Step 3 Swipe up or sideways to close individual apps, or tap Clear All.
For iOS:
Step 1 Swipe up from the bottom (Face ID) or double-press Home button (Home button devices).
Step 2 Swipe left or right to navigate through open apps.
Step 3 Swipe up on an app's preview to close it. You can use multiple fingers to close several apps at once.
8. Update Spotify
For iOS:
Step 1 Open the App Store.
Step 2 Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner.
Step 3 Scroll to Available Updates and tap Update if Spotify has one.
For Android:
Step 1 Open Google Play Store.
Step 2 Tap the menu > My Apps & Games.
Step 3 If Spotify is listed, tap Update.
9. Update Device Software
For iOS:
Step 1 Open Settings > General > Software Update.
Step 2 Install any available updates.
For Android:
Step 1 Open Settings > System > Software Update.
Step 2 Install any available updates.
10. Reinstall Spotify
For iOS:
Step 1 Locate the Spotify app, press and hold until it starts shaking.
Step 2 Tap the X to uninstall and confirm deletion.
Step 3 Open the App Store, search for Spotify, and reinstall it.
For Android:
Step 1 Open Settings > Apps > Spotify.
Step 2 Tap Uninstall.
Step 3 Open Google Play Store, search for Spotify, and reinstall the app.
Part 3. How to Fix Spotify Battery Drain on iOS
iPhones have a few key settings that are known to drain battery in the background, like Background App Refresh. This part shows how to stop Spotify from draining battery and also save extra power on your iPhone.
1. Disable Background App Refresh
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
Step 2 Scroll down and select General.
Step 3 Tap on Background App Refresh.
Step 4 Find Spotify in the list and switch the toggle to Off.
2. Switch to Wi-Fi and Disable Data Usage
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
Step 2 Select Cellular.
Step 3 Scroll down to find Spotify and toggle off cellular data for Spotify.
3. Dim the Screen or Turn on Auto-Brightness
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
Step 2 Tap on Display & Brightness.
Step 3 Adjust the brightness slider or enable Auto-Brightness based on your preference.
4. Turn off Location and Background Location
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
Step 2 Select Privacy.
Step 3 Tap on Location Services.
Step 4 Find and select Spotify.
Step 5 Choose Never or While Using the App for location access.
5. Turn off Home & Lock Screen Options
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
Step 2 Select Display & Brightness.
Step 3 Under the Home Screen section, disable options like Raise to Wake or Show Previews.
Part 4. How to Fix Spotify Battery Drain on Android
Android phones give more control over apps. The exact settings may vary by manufacturer, but you can usually find similar options in your device's settings to reduce Spotify's battery use.
1. Disable Spotify from Running in the Background
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your Android device.
Step 2 Navigate to Apps & Notifications or Apps.
Step 3 Locate and select Spotify from the list of installed apps.
Step 4 Tap on Battery.
Step 5 Disable the option for Background restriction or Background usage.
2. Enable Battery Saver Mode or Optimization Settings
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your Android device.
Step 2 Navigate to Battery or Battery & Performance.
Step 3 Enable Battery Saver Mode or look for optimization settings like "Adaptive Battery" or "Manage battery usage."
Step 4 Follow the on-screen prompts to configure the settings according to your preference.
For Adaptive Battery: If you keep Adaptive Battery on, the Spotify app will run less often when you're not actively using it. To turn on Adaptive Battery for the app, go to Settings > Battery > Adaptive preferences > Adaptive Battery.
For Battery Optimization: If you turn off battery optimization for the Spotify app, it can run more in the background, even when Adaptive Battery is on. To turn on battery optimization for the app, go to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Spotify > Battery > Manage battery usage > Optimized.
3. Adjust Location Settings
Step 1 Open the Settings app on your Android device.
Step 2 Select Location or Location & Security.
Step 3 Find Spotify in the list of apps using location services.
Step 4 Choose Allow only while using the app or Deny.
Part 5. Extra Tips to Save Battery for Spotify (or Other Apps)
You can also save battery with simple habits. Download playlists for offline use, turn off Bluetooth and location when not needed, and close other apps. These tips help your phone last longer without battery secretly being drained by apps like Spotify.
Tip 1: Download Music for Offline Playback
Streaming music constantly uses both data and battery. Downloading your favorite playlists or albums lets you listen without staying connected to Wi-Fi or cellular. Log in to your Premium account on the mobile app, open any playlist or album, then tap the Download icon. Once downloaded, enable Offline Mode to reduce background activity and help your battery last longer.
If even Premium offline mode isn't enough, try ViWizard Spotify Music Converter. It's a dedicated tool that helps both Premium and free users download their favorite music or entire libraries to a computer, converting them to MP3 or other standard audio files. It may take up space, but it's a reliable way to listen without DRM limits. Later, you can even play your music without using the official app.
Download Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks as MP3 and more. Keep full sound and listen offline anytime.
Tip 2: Avoid Switching Devices Often
Spotify tries to maintain connections when you switch between phones, tablets, or speakers. Each switch uses extra power while the app searches for available devices. To save battery, stick to one device during a listening session whenever possible.
Tip 3: Turn Off Bluetooth & Location When Idle
Features like Bluetooth and location tracking allow Spotify to connect to speakers or provide location-based recommendations. But when active all the time, they drain battery. Turn them off when not needed. On iOS, go to Settings > Bluetooth / Location. On Android, check Settings > Connections / Location.
Tip 4: Don't Keep Apps Open in the Background
Other apps running in the background compete for memory and CPU, which increases battery drain. Close apps you aren't using by swiping them away on iOS or using Recent Apps > Clear All on Android. This lets Spotify run more efficiently and saves power.
Tip 5: Reduce Screen-On Time
Your screen is one of the biggest battery consumers. Keeping it bright or on for long periods while using Spotify drains power faster. Dim your screen, enable Auto-Brightness, or let your phone sleep while listening to music.
Tip 6: Avoid Long Listening Sessions
Listening for hours keeps the CPU, Wi-Fi, and audio circuits active, which can wear down battery faster. Take breaks or split listening into shorter sessions. Pausing occasionally or switching to downloaded music offline reduces continuous power use.
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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