Solved: Spotify Not Working on Lock Screen

Part 1. Why Spotify May Not Work on Your Lock Screen

A very common reason is notifications or lock screen permissions. Even if the app usually works, updates or changes in settings can turn off permissions. When that happens, you won't see the player on the lock screen. Skipping or pausing songs then requires unlocking your phone.

Background restrictions can also cause problems. Android and iOS sometimes pause apps to save battery. If the app stops or closes in the background, lock screen controls disappear.

Battery saver or data saver modes can block lock screen media controls and notifications from updating. Connecting to Bluetooth devices or using Spotify Connect can hide the controls too, as the app focuses on the external device instead of your phone.

Another cause is cached or corrupted app data. Fixes include updating the app and device system, clearing the cache, closing the app, refreshing the listening session, or reinstalling the app.

Part 2. How to Enable Spotify for the Lock Screen

Spotify's lock screen controls usually appear automatically whenever you play music in the mobile app. However, the specific behavior depends on your notification settings, which vary between Android, iPhone, and even specific manufacturers like Samsung.

The key is to make sure Spotify is allowed to send notifications and show media controls. If Spotify isn't appearing on your lock screen, start by checking your notification settings so you can access playback controls the moment you pick up your phone.

1. Check 'Notifications' to Allow Spotify on the Lock Screen

Spotify notifications are important for controlling your music without unlocking your phone. By default, your phone might not show Spotify's notifications on the lock screen, which means you could miss out on song changes or artist info. To fix this, go to your phone's notification settings and allow Spotify to show notifications when your phone is locked. This way, you can see song details and control playback right from your lock screen.

For Android:

Step 1 Open the Settings app on your phone.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Apps or Apps & Notifications.

Step 3 Find and tap on Spotify in the list of apps.

Step 4 Tap on Notifications.

Step 5 Ensure that notifications are turned on, and check if specific channels, like "Music & Artist Recommendations," are enabled for the lock screen.

Step 6 Open the Settings app.

Step 7 Tap on "Apps" or "Apps & Notifications."

Step 8 Scroll through the apps list and tap on "Spotify."

Step 9 Find and select "Notifications" or "App notifications," and ensure the toggle switch next to "Show notifications" or similar is enabled.

Step 10 Additionally, check Notification Channels for Spotify and ensure relevant channels are enabled.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Notifications.

Step 3 Find and tap on Spotify from the list of apps.

Step 4 Toggle on the Allow Notifications option.

Step 5 Ensure that Lock Screen notifications are enabled, and check if you can customize the notification preview settings to Always or When Unlocked.

Step 6 Customize specific notification settings by tapping on "Spotify Notification Settings," and adjust preferences accordingly.

2. Turn On 'Face Widgets' for Quick Access to Controls

Want to control Spotify without unlocking your phone? The Face Widgets feature on Android and iPhone lets you interact with Spotify directly from the lock screen. When enabled, you can pause, play, skip songs, or adjust the volume - all without unlocking your phone. It's a simple way to stay in control of your music while on the go.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode for older models).

Step 3 Enter your passcode or use Face ID/Touch ID to authenticate.

Step 4 Scroll down to the Allow Access When Locked section.

Step 5 Toggle on Lock Screen Widgets. This will enable the Spotify widget for quick access to media controls when your phone is locked.

3. Disable 'Battery Optimization' to Prevent Limiting Spotify

Battery optimization is meant to save battery, but it can stop Spotify from working properly, especially when your phone is locked. Turning off battery optimization for Spotify allows the app to run in the background, so you won't have interruptions in playback or notifications. This ensures a smooth music experience, even when your phone is locked.

For Android:

Step 1 Open the Settings app on your phone.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Battery.

Step 3 Select Battery Optimization or Battery Management.

Step 4 Find and select Spotify from the list of apps.

Step 5 Choose Don't Optimize to prevent the system from limiting Spotify's background activity and ensure smooth playback.

Step 6 Open the Settings app on your Android device.

Step 7 Scroll down and select "Battery" or a similar option.

Step 8 Choose "Apps" or "All Apps" from the list.

Step 9 Scroll down and find "Spotify" in the list of apps.

Step 10 Tap on Spotify to access its settings.

Step 11 Look for an option labeled "Allow background activity" or similar.

Step 12 Toggle off this option to prevent Spotify from running in the background when not in use.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Battery.

Step 3 If Low Power Mode is turned on, toggle it off to prevent restrictions on Spotify's performance.

Step 4 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 5 Tap on "General."

Step 6 Scroll down and select "Background App Refresh."

Step 7 Find "Spotify" in the list of apps and ensure the toggle switch next to it is enabled.

4. Enable 'Skip to Lock Screen' for Faster Controls

If you use face unlock, your phone might skip the lock screen, which means you won't see media controls. To make sure you can always control Spotify from the lock screen, turn off the "Skip to Lock Screen" setting. This way, you'll always see Spotify's controls when you pick up your phone, making it easier to skip or pause songs without unlocking your device.

For Android (Samsung Devices):

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Lock Screen.

Step 3 Tap on Face Widgets.

Step 4 Ensure the Music widget is enabled. This will allow you to control Spotify directly from the lock screen.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Display & Brightness.

Step 3 Toggle off Raise to Wake if it interferes with lock screen controls.

5. Make Sure 'Show Media on Lock Screen' Is On

If you can't see Spotify's media controls on your lock screen, check that the "Show Media on Lock Screen" setting is turned on. This will show you what's playing on Spotify, like song titles, artist names, and album covers. It's essential for making your lock screen useful for controlling music, so make sure this feature is on.

For Android:

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Tap on Lock Screen.

Step 3 Look for an option like Show Media or Show Media Controls and toggle it on.

Step 4 This will ensure that the Spotify media player and controls appear on the lock screen during playback.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Notifications.

Step 3 Select Spotify from the list of apps.

Step 4 Make sure that Show Previews is set to either Always or When Unlocked, so that Spotify notifications are visible on the lock screen.

6. Adjust 'Focus Mode' to Let Spotify Play on the Lock Screen

Focus Mode helps reduce distractions, but it can also block Spotify notifications and controls. If you notice Spotify isn't showing up while Focus Mode is on, adjust its settings to allow Spotify to show on the lock screen. This way, you can still control your music even when you're trying to focus on other tasks.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Focus.

Step 3 If Do Not Disturb is enabled, tap on it to modify the settings.

Step 4 Under Allow Notifications, make sure Spotify is listed and set to Allow Notifications From.

Step 5 In the Options section, toggle on Allow Notifications to ensure Spotify notifications are not blocked by Focus mode.

For Android:

Step 1 Make sure Do Not Disturb mode is turned off or customized to allow Spotify notifications during playback.

Step 2 You can find this option in Settings > Do Not Disturb.

7. Turn On 'Raise to Wake' to Show Spotify When You Lift Your Phone

The 'Raise to Wake' feature is a small setting that makes a big difference. When enabled, your phone will automatically light up and show active media, including Spotify, as soon as you pick it up. This lets you see what's playing and adjust the song with a simple lift - no extra taps needed.

For Android (Samsung Devices):

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Scroll down to Display and tap on it.

Step 3 Look for Raise to Wake and toggle it on.

Step 4 This will allow your phone to automatically wake up when you pick it up, displaying Spotify media controls.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Settings app.

Step 2 Scroll down and tap on Display & Brightness.

Step 3 Toggle on Raise to Wake to automatically show Spotify controls when you lift your phone.

Part 3. How to Fix Spotify Not Working on the Lock Screen

If you've enabled notifications but the lock screen still doesn't work, try these troubleshooting steps to fix issues related to corrupted cache, outdated app versions, or an interrupted listening session.

1. Log Out and Back In to the Spotify App

For Android or iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Spotify app.

Step 2 Tap the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the screen to go to settings.

Step 3 Scroll down and tap "Log out" at the bottom.

Step 4 Close the app, reopen it, and log back in with your credentials.

Step 5 Play something and lock your screen to check if the widget appears.

2. Clear Cache and Data

For Android or iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Spotify app.

Step 2 Tap the "Home" tab at the bottom-left corner.

Step 3 Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner to go to settings.

Step 4 Scroll down to find "Storage."

Step 5 Tap "Clear Cache" to remove temporary files.

3. Restart the Spotify App and Your Device

For Android:

Step 1 Close the Spotify app by swiping it away from the recent apps list or tapping "Force Stop" in the app settings.

Step 2 Restart your Android device by holding down the power button and selecting "Restart."

For iPhone:

Step 1 Double-click the home button to bring up the app switcher.

Step 2 Swipe up on the Spotify app to close it.

Step 3 Restart your iPhone by holding the power button and sliding to turn it off. Turn it back on afterward.

4. Clean Uninstall and Reinstall the Spotify App

For Android (6.0 and above):

Step 1 Go to your home screen and open the Settings app.

Step 2 Tap "Apps" or "Applications," then select "Spotify."

Step 3 Tap "Storage & Cache," then select "Clear Storage."

Step 4 After clearing the storage, go back to the Spotify settings and select "Uninstall."

Step 5 Open your File Manager and navigate to Internal Storage > Android > Data.

Step 6 Find and delete the folder named "com.spotify.music."

Step 7 If you have an SD card, repeat the same steps for SD Card > Android > Data.

Step 8 Restart your device, then reinstall Spotify from the Google Play Store.

For Android (before 6.0):

Step 1 Go to "Settings" > "Apps" or "Applications" > "Manage Applications" > "Spotify."

Step 2 Tap "Clear Data."

Step 3 Navigate to Storage > Android > Data and delete the "com.spotify.music" folder.

Step 4 Restart your device, then reinstall Spotify from the Google Play Store.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Open the Spotify app from your home screen.

Step 2 Go to "Settings" > "Storage" and tap "Clear Cache."

Step 3 Go back to the home screen and open the "Settings" app.

Step 4 Navigate to "General" > "iPhone Storage."

Step 5 Find "Spotify" in the list and tap it, then choose "Offload App" to remove the app while keeping its documents and data.

Step 6 Confirm by tapping "Delete App."

Step 7 After deleting, turn off your device and restart it.

Step 8 Reinstall Spotify from the App Store.

Part 4. Alternative Ways to Enable Spotify for the Lock Screen

The move to use another player is often part of a broader effort to keep music easily accessible, even when Spotify's lock screen controls don't show up. Some users turn to their phone's built-in music app, such as Apple Music on iPhone, or other offline players for more reliable control.

This approach, however, requires converting Spotify's DRM-protected songs into regular audio files like MP3. Once converted, the music can play anywhere - on your phone, car, or any media app - without relying on Spotify or an internet connection.

Tools like ViWizard Spotify Music Converter make this process simple. The program can download any song, album, or playlist from Spotify and save it as an MP3, WAV, or FLAC file. It keeps the original sound quality and details like title and album art. You can also adjust the bit rate, format, or file structure to match your preferences. It works with both Free and Premium accounts, giving you full access to your library across devices without playback limits.

Key Features of ViWizard Spotify Music Converter

Free Trial Free Trial

* Security verified. 5, 481,347 people have downloaded it.

• Download Spotify songs, playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks extremely fast at up to 15x speed
• Convert Spotify into MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B losslessly
• Lets you play Spotify tracks offline on any device without restrictions
• Works seamlessly on Windows and macOS, supporting the built-in Spotify Web Player

Step 1 Download and install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter on your computer. Follow the on-screen guide to finish the setup.

Step 2 Open ViWizard and sign in with your Spotify account. You can browse your playlists, albums, or favorite tracks directly from the built-in interface.

Step 3 Add the music you want to convert. Click the "+" button and select songs, albums, or full playlists to include in the conversion list.

Step 4 Customize your settings. Under Menu > Preferences > Conversion, choose your output format (MP3 works best for most players). You can also fine-tune options like bit rate or sample rate.

Step 5 Start the conversion. Click Convert, and ViWizard will begin downloading your tracks while removing DRM protection.

Step 6 Wait for the process to finish. The program shows the progress of each song, so you can monitor it easily.

Step 7 Locate your new files. Once complete, open the output folder to find your converted songs.

Step 8 You can now transfer these files to any player - Apple Music, VLC, Poweramp, or just a default media app, or another device - and listen to your favorite music there while showing up on the lock screen without any issues.

Part 5. How to Add Spotify Widgets to the Lock Screen

You can also add lock screen widgets from apps like Spotify. It's simple to add a Spotify widget to your phone and have instant access to your music controls.

For iPhone:

Step 1 Make sure your iPhone is updated to iOS 16 or later.

Step 2 Open the App Store, search for Spotify, and update it to the latest version.

Step 3 On your Lock Screen, press and hold until the Customize button appears.

Step 4 Tap Customize, then choose Lock Screen from the options.

Step 5 Tap the area below the clock where it says Add Widgets.

Step 6 Scroll through the available widgets and select Spotify from the list.

Step 7 Tap Done in the top-right corner to save your changes and exit customization mode.

For Android:

Step 1 Open the Settings app on your phone.

Step 2 Go to Lock Screen or Lock Screen & Always On Display, depending on your phone model.

Step 3 Tap Widgets to view available options.

Step 4 Turn on the toggle next to Music to allow media widgets.

Step 5 Lock your phone, then wake the screen to confirm the widget appears.

Step 6 Swipe down from the top to open Quick Settings and locate the music widget.

Step 7 If Spotify isn't showing, tap the app icon in the widget and select Spotify as your default player.

Part 6. How to Remove Spotify Widgets from the Lock Screen

If Spotify widgets don't fit your preferences, removing them is easy. Doing so can help reduce background activity and keep your lock screen focused on what matters most.

For iPhone:

Step 1 On your Lock Screen, press and hold until the Customize option appears.

Step 2 Tap Customize, then select the Lock Screen you want to edit.

Step 3 Tap the widget area containing the Spotify widget.

Step 4 Tap the minus (–) icon or the Remove option to delete the widget.

Step 5 Tap Done to save your updated Lock Screen.

For Android:

Step 1 Open the Settings app and go to Lock Screen > Widgets.

Step 2 Scroll through the list to find Spotify among active widgets.

Step 3 Tap Spotify, then select Remove or toggle it off.

Step 4 If you want to stop media info from showing on the screen, go to Settings > Lock Screen > Always On Display, then turn off Show music information.

Conclusion

After taking a look at those potential solutions, you may get an answer to the issue or not. Those methods maybe not be suitable for some Android users, and there still exists the situation that Spotify won't work on the lock screen. At this time, you could try to use the music player on your phone to play Spotify songs instead with the help of ViWizard Spotify Music Converter.