How do I turn on Spotify background on Android?

Spotify is a popular music streaming service that gives users access to millions of songs, playlists, podcasts, and more. It allows you to stream music on demand over the internet to your phone, computer, or other devices.

Some key features of Spotify include:

Massive library of over 82 million songs and 3.6 million podcasts

Personalized recommendations based on your listening history
Playlists for every mood, activity, and genre
Ability to download songs for offline listening

Social features like sharing playlists with friends

With Spotify, you can stream music in the background while using other apps on your device. This allows you to keep listening to music while browsing the web, gaming, or doing other tasks. We’ll cover how to enable Spotify’s background playback feature on Android devices.

Benefits of Spotify background playback

One of the major benefits of enabling Spotify background playback on Android is the ability to listen to music while simultaneously using other apps on your device. With background playback enabled, you can browse the internet, check email, play games, and more without having your music pause when you leave the Spotify app.

This allows you to seamlessly multitask while listening to your favorite playlists, albums, and Spotify stations. You don’t have to worry about manually resuming playback every time you switch between apps. Plus, background playback gives you uninterrupted music as you go about your day.

Check if your Android device supports background playback

Spotify for Android supports background playback on devices running Android 5.0 Lollipop and above. Earlier Android versions did not allow apps to play audio in the background. To verify if your device meets the minimum version requirement:

Go to Settings > About phone

Check Android version. It should be 5.0 or higher.

On Samsung devices, the latest versions that support background Spotify playback include (source: https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/android):

Android 8.0 Oreo

Android 9.0 Pie
Android 10
Android 11

Android 12

So if your Samsung device is running one of those Android versions, you should be able to enable background playback in Spotify without issues.

Enable background playback in Spotify settings

The key to enabling background playback in Spotify on Android is to open the Spotify app settings and turn on the “Background Playback” option.https://www.audkit.com/spotify-music/play-spotify-in-the-background.html Here are the steps:

Open the Spotify app on your Android device
Tap on the “Settings” icon in the top right (shaped like a gear)
Scroll down and tap on “Background Playback”

Toggle the switch to the ON position

Once background playback is enabled in the Spotify settings, you’ll be able to minimize the app or switch to other apps without the music stopping. The music will keep playing uninterrupted while Spotify runs in the background.

Minimize Spotify to keep music playing

To minimize the Spotify app and keep music playing in the background on your Android device, simply tap the Home button while a song is playing in Spotify. This will take you out of the Spotify app but keep the song playing in the background.

You can verify that the music is still playing by checking your notification bar. You should see a Spotify notification that shows the album art and allows you to pause or skip tracks. If the notification isn’t there, open the notification shade completely and check if Spotify is listed under the active media apps.

Minimizing the Spotify app allows you to switch to other apps on your phone or lock your screen without interrupting music playback. As long as the Spotify app isn’t force closed, your songs, playlists, or albums will continue playing in the background.

Note that free Spotify accounts can only play up to 15 songs in a playlist and can’t download playlists for offline listening (Source). For unlimited and uninterrupted background playback, you’ll need a Spotify Premium subscription.

Use notification controls

One convenient way to control Spotify playback on Android is by using the notification controls, commonly found in the notification shade at the top of your screen.

When you open a song or playlist in Spotify, a persistent notification will appear that allows you to easily pause, play, or skip tracks without needing to open up the Spotify app.

Simply swipe down from the top of the screen to open your notifications, then tap on the Spotify notification to expand it. You will see buttons to pause/play the current song or skip to the next or previous track.

If you don’t see notification controls, check in your phone’s settings under Apps > Spotify > Notifications and make sure they are enabled. You may also need to minimize the Spotify app or switch to another app to trigger the playback notification.

Using notification controls is the quickest way to control Spotify without interrupting what you’re currently doing on your device.

According to this Spotify community thread, some Xiaomi devices may not display playback controls due to missing permissions.

If this is the case, check that Spotify has permission to display over other apps under Settings > Apps > Spotify > Advanced > Appear on top.

Get Spotify Premium for Uninterrupted Playback

The free version of Spotify has some limitations that can be frustrating for music listeners. Most notably, the free Spotify tier includes audio advertisements that interrupt your streaming after every few songs. Additionally, free users cannot download songs for offline listening or listen to music at the highest quality.

Upgrading to Spotify Premium eliminates these limitations. Premium allows ad-free, uninterrupted music streaming so you can enjoy your playlists without disruptions. It also enables offline downloads for listening when internet access is unavailable, such as during flights or subway commutes. Finally, Premium unlocks Spotify’s highest 320 kbps audio quality so your music sounds great on high-end sound systems.

Spotify Premium starts at $9.99 per month for individuals but also offers discounted plans for students, families, and more. Considering the benefits, many users find the investment worthwhile for an interruption-free listening experience.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you find that Spotify stops playing when your Android device’s screen turns off, there are a few things you can try to troubleshoot the issue:

Make sure Spotify has permission to run in the background – Open your Android Settings, go to Apps > Spotify > Battery and enable “Allow background activity”. This allows Spotify to play music even when not in the foreground.

Check your battery optimization settings – Open Settings > Battery > Battery optimization and make sure Spotify is not set to “Optimize” battery usage. This restricts background activity and can cause playback to stop.

Update the Spotify app and Android OS to the latest versions – Outdated software can cause background playback issues. Install app and system updates for best performance.

Restart your device – Simple restarting your Android phone can help clear any glitches causing Spotify playback problems in the background.

Use a different music player app – As mentioned above, apps like Google Play Music may have better background support. Test if the problem is isolated to Spotify.

As a last resort, consider upgrading to Spotify Premium which provides uninterrupted, ad-free playback. Background audio is one of the key features of Premium.

Alternative music apps with background playback

Spotify isn’t the only music streaming app that offers background playback on Android. Here are some alternatives worth checking out:

YouTube Music – Google’s official music streaming app lets you play audio in the background just like Spotify. You can minimize the app or switch to another app while songs keep playing (source).

Deezer – This music streaming service with over 73 million tracks has background listening on Android. Start playback, then simply switch to another app and the music continues uninterrupted (source).

TuneIn Radio – With over 100,000 real radio stations, TuneIn lets you listen live or on-demand. Background playback works on Android so you can keep listening to talk, sports, news, and music while using other apps (source).

There are also dedicated background music apps like Playback and Stream that provide seamless playback controls (source). Trying out a few alternatives is a great way to find the perfect background listening experience.

Summary

In summary, if you want to turn on background playback for Spotify on your Android device, here are the key steps:

Make sure your Android version and device supports background audio.
Open Spotify settings and enable the background playback option.

Minimize the Spotify app and music will continue playing.
Use notification controls to pause/play music.
Consider upgrading to Spotify Premium for an uninterrupted listening experience.

If background playback still doesn’t work, try troubleshooting steps like force stopping the app, restarting your device or reinstalling Spotify.

Following these steps should allow you to enjoy Spotify’s music playback even when switching between apps or with your screen locked. Let us know if the problem persists!