Why does my Samsung automatically stop playing music?
Many Samsung device users have experienced an issue where music playback will suddenly and automatically stop on their phone or tablet. This can happen while listening to music through apps like Samsung Music, Spotify, or YouTube. The music stops playing even though the app itself remains open and indicates the song is still going. This abrupt pausing of audio playback is frustrating for users who just want to listen to their music without interruptions.
There are various potential causes for Samsung devices automatically stopping or pausing music playback. Technical faults with the hardware, software bugs, battery optimization features, connectivity problems, and app conflicts can all contribute to this annoying problem. This article will explore the main reasons why Samsung phones and tablets are prone to randomly stopping music playback and provide potential solutions to address the issue.
Auto-Pause Feature
Many Samsung Galaxy devices come with an auto-pause feature that stops music playback when headphones become disconnected. This is an intentional feature built into Samsung’s software to prevent music from suddenly blaring out loud if the headphones accidentally get unplugged.
According to Samsung’s support page (https://www.samsung.com/us/support/troubleshooting/TSG01200668/), this auto-pause behavior happens “to avoid interrupting those around you or draining your battery.” So as soon as the headphones disconnect, whether wired or Bluetooth, the Galaxy device will immediately pause music playback.
While useful in many cases, this auto-pause can also be annoying if you want the music to keep playing when headphones disconnect. Fortunately, there are some workarounds to disable the auto-pause feature which we’ll cover later in this article.
Battery Optimization
One common reason the music may stop playing on Samsung devices is due to the Battery Optimization feature, which stops apps running in the background to save battery life (Samsung – Battery Optimization). Samsung’s built-in Battery Optimization automatically stops background apps and processes after a certain time of inactivity in order to extend battery life. This can mean that music apps stop playing after several minutes if you switch to another app or turn off the screen.
To disable Battery Optimization for specific apps like Spotify or music players, go to Settings > Apps > Choose the app > Battery > and select “Don’t Optimize” (Verizon – Manage Battery Optimization). This will allow the music app to keep running in the background without being stopped by the Battery Optimization feature. You can also customize the Optimization feature or turn it off completely in the Battery and Device Care settings.
App Issues
Certain music apps themselves may be stopping playback when the screen turns off or other apps are opened. This is due to how the apps are designed and their settings for background playback.
For example, the default Samsung Music app will pause playback when the screen turns off to optimize battery life. To change this in the Samsung Music app, go to Settings > Audio Quality and Effects > Continue playback in the background and toggle it on (Source: Samsung).
Other music apps like Spotify also pause when the screen turns off, but have a toggle in settings to allow background playback. Check the app’s settings to enable this (Source: Samsung Community).
Some apps may also stop playback when another app is opened that uses audio, like a game or video app. This can often be disabled in the music app’s settings as well.
Trying another music app like Musicolet that focuses on continuous background playback may help if issues persist with the default apps (Source: Samsung).
Outdated Software
One potential cause of music stopping unexpectedly is if the device is running an outdated version of the operating system or media apps. Samsung and other developers regularly release software updates to fix bugs and improve performance. However, if the device is not kept up-to-date, it may be prone to issues like music playback stopping randomly.
For example, some Reddit users report this problem occurring on older versions of Samsung’s One UI software. Updating to the latest firmware seems to resolve it in many cases (source). Outdated app versions can also be responsible. Making sure apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, Samsung Music etc. are updated may fix music stopping problems.
In summary, running the latest operating system and app versions is recommended to benefit from bug fixes related to media playback. If music stops randomly, check for any available software updates and install them. Keeping the device and apps regularly updated can prevent frustrating music interruptions.
Connectivity Issues
One common reason for music randomly stopping on a Samsung phone is problems with Bluetooth or WiFi connectivity. If the Bluetooth connection between your phone and speaker or car audio system is spotty, the music may cut out frequently or pause on its own. This seems to especially affect the Galaxy S21 series and other newer models [1]. Likewise, if you are streaming music over WiFi and the connection drops, it can interrupt the music playback. Try moving your phone closer to the Bluetooth device or WiFi router, disable WiFi optimization in Settings, or reset your network settings to see if connectivity improves.
Storage or Memory Problems
Insufficient storage or memory on your Samsung device can lead to playback issues with music and other media. When storage space gets low, the phone may automatically stop apps and processes in the background in order to free up space. According to Samsung Support, “If music apps on your phone or tablet are not allowed to run in the background, your audio may stop if the phone or app goes to sleep.”1
Try checking your available storage under Settings > Device care > Storage. If you’re running low, you can free up space by uninstalling unused apps, offloading large files to cloud storage or an SD card, or deleting cached data. Samsung also provides storage management tools under Settings that can identify files you can delete safely. Clearing up storage space prevents your phone from proactively stopping apps and should allow music playback to continue uninterrupted.2
Hardware Faults
Damaged components like the audio jack, speakers, amplifier chips, or other audio-related hardware can cause playback issues where music randomly stops on Galaxy devices. If there is debris stuck in the headphone jack or moisture damage to internal components, this can interfere with the audio signal and cause abrupt cut-outs.[1] Faulty hardware like blown out speakers or a damaged amplifier will also lead to playback problems until repaired or replaced.
Signs of hardware failure include distorted, muffled, or only mono sound coming from one side. The auto-pause behavior itself points to an interruption in the audio pathway. To confirm it’s a hardware problem, test different music apps, reboot the device, toggle device settings like Bluetooth/airplane mode, and examine ports for damage. If issues persist across apps and reboots, hardware faults are likely to blame.[2] The only solution is to take the device in for professional repair.
Factory Reset
One potential solution for music stopping randomly on Samsung devices is performing a factory reset to restore the device to its default settings (Samsung Support). A factory reset will erase all user data and customized settings, which can resolve software bugs or conflicts causing problems with music playback. Resetting to factory defaults can fix software-related issues by removing any problematic apps, settings, or files that may be interfering with music apps.
Before factory resetting, it’s important to back up any data you want to keep. You can reset your Samsung device through the Settings app. Go to General Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset. This will erase all data and restore default software. After resetting, you’ll have to set up the device again and redownload apps. This process can be time-consuming but may fix music stopping problems if they’re caused by software issues (Samsung Community Forum).
Factory resetting your Samsung device is a last resort troubleshooting step if you’ve tried other fixes like clearing app cache/data, updating software, checking settings, etc. But it can resolve stubborn software-related problems by wiping the device and starting fresh.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several potential reasons why your Samsung device may be automatically stopping music playback.
The most common causes are the Auto-Pause feature, Battery Optimization settings, outdated software, and connectivity issues like Bluetooth pairing problems. Try disabling Auto-Pause, allowing media apps unrestricted battery usage, updating your device’s software, and re-pairing your Bluetooth headphones.
If those don’t fix it, further troubleshooting like checking your storage and memory, resetting app preferences, or even performing a factory reset may be necessary. Hardware faults are unlikely but can also cause this problem.
Software issues tend to be the easiest to resolve. Keep your device and apps updated, tweak battery and memory settings, and reset any problematic apps. With some patient troubleshooting, you should be able to get uninterrupted music playback on your Samsung.