How do I stop Android from automatically playing music when connected to Bluetooth?

Many Android users experience an issue where music automatically begins playing when their phone connects to a Bluetooth device like headphones or a car stereo. This can be annoying and disruptive, especially if you were not planning on listening to music at that time.

The music starts playing because certain apps have settings enabled to automatically begin media playback when a Bluetooth connection is established. While some may find this convenient, others find it frustrating. Thankfully, there are ways to disable this auto-play feature at both the app level and device level on Android.

In this guide, we will walk through the various methods you can use to stop music and media from automatically playing when your Android phone connects to Bluetooth.

Confirm Your Music is Automatically Playing

The first step is to confirm that music is actually auto-playing when you connect your Android device to a Bluetooth device. Here’s how to check:

Turn on your Bluetooth device like a car stereo or wireless headphones and pair it to your Android phone.
After pairing, watch and listen to see if music automatically begins playing from your phone through the connected Bluetooth device.

If music starts playing on its own without you manually starting it, then auto-play is enabled.
Take note of which music app begins playing and which specific audio like a song, playlist, podcast, etc.

If no music plays after connecting Bluetooth, then auto-play is likely disabled. You can stop troubleshooting here. But if music does start playing automatically, continue to the next steps to disable this feature.

Locate the Culprit App

To find out which app is automatically playing music when connected to Bluetooth, you’ll need to do some detective work. The first step is to narrow down which apps could potentially cause this. Think about which apps you use that play media files like music or video. Streaming apps like Spotify, YouTube, Netflix are common culprits. Social media apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are also known to autoplay videos sometimes.

You can test this by force closing or uninstalling suspect apps one by one until the unwanted auto-playing stops. Check if the behavior still occurs when you have no media apps open. If it goes away, then enable apps again one by one until you isolate the problem app. This trial and error process takes some time but helps identify the source.

On Android, check the “App info” or “Apps” screen in Settings to see all your apps and manage them. This lets you see permissions, storage usage, battery usage etc. for each app which can provide clues. Checking when the app was last updated can reveal if a new version introduced problems.

Once you’ve identified the app causing auto-playing, you can take steps to disable that behavior as covered in the next sections.

Disable Media Audio in App Settings

One option is to open the app settings for the culprit app and disable media audio playback specifically for that app. Here’s how:

Go to Settings > Apps & notifications.

Select the app that is automatically playing music.
Tap App settings or App info.
Look for options like “Media volume” or “Audio settings” and toggle them off.

This will prevent that particular app from automatically playing media over Bluetooth while leaving other apps unaffected. Depending on the app, the setting names may vary.

For example, in Spotify’s App Settings there is an option for “Audio ducking” which prevents other media from resume playback when Spotify is opened (Source: Reddit).

So dig into the app settings and look for any media or audio related toggles to disable.

Restrict App Background Activity

One way to prevent an app from automatically playing media when connected to Bluetooth is to restrict its ability to run in the background. Starting in Android 10, apps are restricted on when they can start activities when running in the background (1).

To limit background activity for a problematic app:

Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > App permissions.

Select the app and tap “Restrict app background activity.”
Toggle the switch for “Allow background activity” off.

This will prevent the app from running automatically in the background when Bluetooth connects. The app will need to be open and in the foreground to play media files. Restricting background activity can help curb unwanted auto-playing from Bluetooth connections.

Clear App Cache and Data

Clearing the cache and app data can help reset any automated settings that may be causing media to autoplay over Bluetooth (https://www.androidpolice.com/clear-app-cache-data-android/). When you wipe the app data, it resets the app back to its default state, which often disables any features you may have previously enabled like auto-play.

To clear the cache and data for an app on Android, go to Settings > Apps and select the problematic app. Tap Storage, then tap Clear Cache to delete the cache files. Tap Clear Data to reset the app data. This will sign you out of the app and reset any customized settings.

Clearing app data is an effective way to reset any settings in an app that may be causing issues like unwanted auto-play. This resets the app to default, often turning off auto-play features that were previously enabled. However, it also signs you out and erases your customizations.

Disable Media Auto-Play in Settings

One way to stop Bluetooth from automatically playing media is to disable the media auto-play option in your Android settings. On Android 9 and newer, go to Settings > Sound & vibration > Advanced and toggle off the “Media auto-play” option (The Verge, 2021). This will prevent media from automatically starting when connected to Bluetooth or other devices. Older versions of Android have a similar “Auto-play media” setting under Sound that can be turned off.

Disabling media auto-play in your system settings is a simple solution that prevents media from all apps from starting automatically over Bluetooth. However, it is a global setting that affects media playback in other contexts too. If you only want to disable auto-play for certain problem apps when connected to Bluetooth, you may want to try more targeted solutions.

Disable Bluetooth Media Audio

One way to prevent Android from automatically playing media when connected to Bluetooth is to disable media audio over Bluetooth entirely in your phone’s settings. This will stop all media audio from being routed through Bluetooth, while still allowing calls to go through.

To disable Bluetooth media audio on Android:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap “Connections” or “Connected devices.”

Tap “Bluetooth.”
Tap the settings icon next to the paired Bluetooth device.
Toggle off “Media audio” or “Use for media audio.”

With media audio disabled for that Bluetooth device, your phone will no longer automatically play music or other media when connecting. However, the device can still be used for phone calls over Bluetooth.

This prevents media from auto-playing over Bluetooth system-wide. However, you can re-enable it anytime if needed. Some users have found this the simplest way to stop unwanted media playback over Bluetooth (source).

Factory Reset Phone

As a last resort, you can completely erase all data and settings on your Android device by performing a factory reset (also called a hard reset or master reset). This will wipe your phone back to its original out-of-the-box state, removing all apps, files, accounts, settings, and other personal data [1].

Resetting your phone to factory default settings should eliminate any problematic apps or settings causing issues like automatic Bluetooth music playback. However, it will also delete everything, so only use this option if nothing else has worked and you’re okay with erasing all data. Make sure to backup any files or info you want to keep before resetting.

To factory reset, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset) [2]. You’ll need to confirm the reset and enter your lock screen passcode, PIN or password. The device will reboot into factory settings, which should resolve any Bluetooth auto-play problems.

Conclusion

If your Android phone is automatically playing music when connecting to Bluetooth, there are a few things you can try to stop it.

First, identify the app that is causing the issue and disable media audio in its settings. Restricting its background activity may also help. If that doesn’t work, clearing the app’s cache/data or disabling media auto-play in your phone’s settings are other options.

As a last resort, you can disable Bluetooth media audio entirely or do a factory reset on your phone. But hopefully one of the simpler troubleshooting tips will resolve the unwanted auto-playing.

The key is finding the source app and tailoring the solution specifically for it. With some trial and error, you should be able to stop the annoying auto-play and enjoy your music only when you want it.