How to Keep Spotify Playing in the Background

Part 1. Does Spotify Support Background Playback?

Most of the time, yes. That's what makes Spotify stand out compared to apps like YouTube Music, which may pause when the screen goes dark or require a Premium subscription for background play. Spotify keeps music running while you do other things. Free or Premium, it continues even if your screen dims, you're checking directions, or scrolling through social media.

Some phone settings can still affect playback. Devices may stop apps from running in the background on both Android and iPhone. Often, app permissions, background refresh, or battery optimizations are the cause. Adjusting these settings usually restores uninterrupted music.

Part 2. How to Enable Spotify to Play in the Background

Even when Spotify supports background playback, a few settings can block it. Phones sometimes pause music to save battery or manage apps, while desktops may experience pauses from system alerts or other programs. Checking permissions and adjusting a few toggles usually gets playback running smoothly.

2.1 On Android

1. Enable No Restrictions for Spotify

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Tap Apps or Apps & notifications.
3. Scroll through the list of installed apps and select Spotify. You may need to tap Manage Apps first.
4. Tap Battery or Battery usage.
5. Make sure No Restrictions or Unrestricted is selected. This allows Spotify to keep playing in the background.

2. Don't Optimize Battery for Spotify

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Tap Apps or Apps & notifications.
3. Find and select Spotify from the list of apps.
4. Tap Battery or Battery optimization.
5. Choose Don't optimize or turn off optimization for Spotify.

3. Allow Background Data for Spotify

1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Tap Apps or Apps & notifications.
3. Select Spotify.
4. Tap Mobile data & Wi‑Fi or Data usage.
5. Turn on Background data to allow Spotify to use data in the background.

2.2 On iOS

Enable Background App Refresh for Spotify

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap Spotify.
3. Tap Background App Refresh.
4. Make sure the toggle next to Background App Refresh is on.

Disable Low Power Mode

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Battery.
3. Find Low Power Mode.
4. Turn Low Power Mode off to allow Spotify to play in the background.

2.3 On Windows

1. Click the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Click Apps or Apps & Features.
3. Scroll through the list and select Spotify.
4. Click Advanced Options for Spotify.
5. Make sure Background Apps or Runs in Background is enabled.

2.4 On macOS

1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner and select System Preferences.
2. Click Security & Privacy.
3. Select the Privacy tab at the top.
4. In the left sidebar, click Automation.
5. Make sure the checkbox next to Spotify is checked to allow it to run in the background.

Part 3. How to Play Spotify in the Background on Mobile Devices

3.1 On iPhone & iPad

On iPhone, Spotify usually keeps playing even when the screen is locked. You can control music directly from the lock screen or the Control Center.

Step 1 Make sure Background App Refresh is on in Settings > General > Background App Refresh.

Step 2 Open the Spotify app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 3 Find the song, album, playlist, or podcast you want to play.

Step 4 Tap the Play button to start the music.

Step 5 Exit the Spotify app by swiping up or pressing the Home button.

Step 6 Swipe down from the top right corner (iPhone X and later) or swipe up from the bottom (older iPhones) to open Control Center.

Step 7 Use the play, pause, skip, or volume controls in Control Center without opening Spotify again.

3.2 On Android

Playback on Android varies by phone. Some pause apps to save battery, while others let music run continuously. Widgets or the notification panel make it easy to skip tracks or pause without reopening Spotify.

Step 1 Go to Settings > Apps > Spotify > Battery and turn off battery optimization if the music stops unexpectedly.

Step 2 Open the Spotify app on your Android device.

Step 3 Find the song, album, playlist, or podcast you want to play.

Step 4 Tap the Play button to start the music.

Step 5 Press the Home button or swipe up to leave the app.

Step 6 Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings or notifications.

Step 7 Use the pause, skip, or volume controls from the widget without opening Spotify again.

Part 4. How to Play Spotify in the Background on Desktop Computers

Spotify runs smoothly on desktops. The mini player or taskbar controls let you skip tracks or pause without opening the full app. Other programs or notifications can occasionally pause music, but playback usually continues while you work or browse. Switching tasks rarely interrupts the music.

On Windows & Mac

Step 1 Open the Spotify app on your Windows PC or Mac.

Step 2 Find the song, album, playlist, or podcast you want to play.

Step 3 Click the Play button to start the music.

Step 4 Minimize the Spotify app window:

Step 5 Spotify will continue playing while you use other apps or browse the web.

Step 6 Control playback from the taskbar on Windows or menu bar on Mac without opening Spotify again.

Part 5. How to Play Spotify in the Background in a Web Browser

The web player works well, but inactive tabs or too many open tabs can slow it down. Mini player controls and system media keys let you manage music without switching tabs. Keeping the Spotify tab pinned or active helps prevent pauses. Limiting heavy tabs and updating your browser keeps playback almost as smooth as the desktop app.

On Spotify Web Player

Step 1 Go to: open.spotify.com in your browser.

Step 2 Sign in using your Spotify account.

Step 3 Find the song, album, playlist, or podcast you want to play.

Step 4 Click the Play button to start the music.

Step 5 Switch to another browser tab. Spotify will continue playing in the background.

Step 6 Use browser media controls such as the music note icon in Chrome or the media controls in Edge or Safari to pause, skip, or adjust volume.

Step 7 Keep the tab open and avoid putting your computer to sleep to make sure playback continues.

Part 6. Alternative Ways to Keep Spotify Playing in the Background with Other Apps

If standard background playback faces restrictions, using compatible apps or device features can maintain uninterrupted music.

Way 1: Use Sound Assistant (Android)

Samsung's SoundAssistant app offers advanced control over audio settings, allowing users to prevent interruptions in music playback when switching apps.

Note: Currently, the "Separate App Sound" feature is available for Galaxy S8/S8+ only.

Way 2: Use Android Add-Ons (Android)

Certain third-party add-ons for Android browsers, such as Firefox's Video Background Play Fix developed by JanH, facilitate YouTube playback in the background while using the Spotify app.

Way 3: Use ViWizard (Windows/Mac)

Up to now, there still are users reporting Spotify can't play in the background issue. For Spotify's frequent users, this could be devastating. But there is a way to get rid of any glitches and restrictions to play Spotify songs in the background while you are using other apps on your phone or locking your phone's screen. That is to use a Spotify downloader to download Spotify songs.

Then you can load these Spotify songs to your phone and play them in the background with a built-in media player, and you'll never get interrupted by other apps on your phone. With ViWizard Spotify Music Converter, you can download all your favorite Spotify songs to MP3 without Premium. After that, you can play Spotify songs anywhere and anytime.

ViWizard Spotify Music Converter

Download Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks as MP3 and more. Keep full sound and listen offline anytime.

Available on:

Free Download

Free Download

Secure Download

Step 1Import Spotify Songs to ViWizard Program

Start by opening ViWizard Spotify Music Converter on your computer then the Spotify will be launched simultaneously. Go to browse your music library in Spotify and select songs you want to download. To add them to the conversion list, you can use the drag-and-drop feature or you can copy and paste the music link into the search bar on the converter.

Step 2Set up the Audio Parameters for Spotify

After successfully adding Spotify songs to the converter, you can set the output audio parameters for Spotify. Click the menu bar at the top right of the converter and select the Preferences option then switch to the Convert tab. Here you can select the output format and change the bit rate, sample rate, and channel.

Step 3Start to Download Music from Spotify

Once all the setting is finished, click on the Convert button to start downloading Spotify songs. After the conversion, all the converted Spotify music files will be saved to your specified folder. You can browse all the converted Spotify songs by clicking the Converted icon and navigating to the output folder.

Step 4Play Spotify Songs in the Background Offline

After downloading these Spotify songs, you can transfer these Spotify songs to your phone via a USB cable or wireless connection. These Spotify songs can be played through any media player on your phone in the background without interruptions.

Part 7. How to Fix Spotify Not Playing in the Background

When music stops unexpectedly, it's usually due to a device or app setting rather than Spotify itself. First, make sure all relevant settings are correct for background playback. Then refresh your listening session, check for apps that might interfere, and reinstall Spotify if needed. Following these steps often restores smooth, uninterrupted playback.

Step 1: Check for Ongoing Apps

Open your device's recent apps or app switcher to see all running apps. Make sure nothing else is using audio, because apps like YouTube, TikTok, or other media apps can pause Spotify. On Android, apps such as Waze, Google Drive, or Uber may also interfere. Close any apps that might block Spotify. If you want to listen while driving, turn on Car Mode and make sure Keep Spotify Open is on.

Step 2: Clear Spotify Cache

Next, clear Spotify's cache. Open the Spotify app, tap the Settings icon, and go to Storage or Cache. Tap Clear Cache to remove temporary files that could stop background playback. This does not delete your playlists or downloaded music, but it often fixes issues that are difficult to explain.

Step 3: Log Out and Back into Spotify

If background playback still does not work, log out and back in. Go to Settings in Spotify and select Log Out, then restart your device. Open Spotify again, log in, and test playback. This step often resolves background playback problems that nothing else fixes.

Step 4: Reinstall Spotify

Finally, if the problem continues, reinstall Spotify. Uninstall the app, then download the latest official version from the App Store or Google Play Store. Open Spotify, log in, and test playback while using another app or browsing. Background playback should now work smoothly.

Pro Tip: Features to Improve Spotify Background Playback

Spotify includes features that help maintain continuous music. Tools like Spotify Connect, Offline Mode, and Crossfade can keep playback reliable and smooth, even when switching devices or apps.

Conclusion:

When Spotify stops playing in background, you can follow five solutions on how to make Spotify play in the background again. If none of them work, contact Spotify. You can also use an alternative way - use a media player on your phone to play Spotify music in the background, after downloading Spotify to MP3 without Premium via ViWizard Spotify Music Converter. Try ViWizard Spotify Music Converter now!