Spotify Not Working on Android: Common Problems and Fixes

Your mobile Spotify app can fail anytime, leaving you without access to your favorite music. We’ll reveal some of the most common reasons for Spotify not working on Android and fixes that may resolve the issue. But, to avoid future inconveniences, you should consider downloading Spotify songs to your Android device for uninterrupted offline listening.

Fix 1. Check for Spotify Status

Sometimes, Spotify’s global streaming service might experience downtimes and outages. Before tinkering with your app or phone, find out if Spotify servers are down. The best place to check is on Spotify’s Twitter (X) handle, Spotify Status.

If the service is experiencing an outage, the support team will communicate this information on social media. In this case, there isn’t much you can do other than wait for Spotify to fix the server-side problem.

Fix 2: Force Quit and Reopen the Spotify App

If you find no global outage, the problem could be with your own Spotify app. A quick solution that usually resolves the problem is force-closing and re-opening the app.

If you aren't experiencing problems with a “hanging’’ app, try logging out and back in to see whether this will resolve the glitch. If not, your next step should be to reboot the app by forcefully closing and reopening it.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android and head over to “Apps”
2. Select “See All Apps,” then tap “Spotify”
3. Tap “Force Stop” and press OK to confirm

You can then head over to the Spotify app on your phone’s lock page and reopen it. This should typically resolve the problem of a “hanging” app.

Fix 3. Restart Your Android Phone

Restarting your phone when Spotify is not working on Android may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised by this solution’s effectiveness.

1. To restart your Android phone:

● Hard press the Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time for a few seconds
● Select the Restart option on the home screen

2. Open the Spotify app to check whether restarting the phone helped to improve the application’s performance.

Fix 4. Update/Reinstall the Spotify Android App

Spotify releases updates occasionally to keep the app running smoothly. If it’s been a while since you manually updated your Spotify mobile app, you might experience issues such as lagging, hanging, crashing, or the app simply refusing to launch on your Android device. In this case, try updating your Spotify Android app and see if this helps. Here’s how to update:

1. Open the Google Play Store app and tap on your Profile
2. Click “Manage Apps and Devices” and select “Updates Available”
3. Find Spotify and check if there is an update available for this app. Click the “Update” button if an update is available.

Aside from updating the Spotify app, you can also update your Android software to the latest version. An up-to-date operating system performs better and eliminates common bugs that can slow down your Spotify app. Follow these simple steps to update your Android software:

1. Open the “Settings” app and go to System
2. Click “System Update” and tap “Check Now”

If any updates are available Android will notify you and tell you how to update to the latest software version.

Fix 5. Clear Spotify Android App Cache

Cache data consists of files, scripts, and other multimedia stored in your device after visiting an app or website. Sometimes, this data can become corrupted, creating all kinds of woes including apps that won’t work.

If Spotify is not working on Android, the cached data is likely corrupt. Clearing the cache can improve the performance of your app.

Here’s how to clear the Spotify Android app cache:

1. Launch the “Settings” app and go to “Apps”
2. Locate the Spotify app and click “Storage and Cache”
3. Select “Clear Cache”

Fix 6. Check Your Internet Connection

Internet connectivity issues are a common cause for Spotify not working. Try opening other apps or websites using your Android device, if they don’t open, there’s likely a problem with your WiFi.

1. Check Your Router

Assuming you have paid for your subscription, restarting your router usually resolves WiFi connectivity glitches. If this doesn't work, reach out to your internet provider to check if server issues are affecting connectivity.

2. Check Your Mobile Data

If you use mobile data on your Android device, ensure it is on. Follow the steps below to check that your cellular data is on:

● Launch the “Settings” app and go to “Network and Internet”
● Tap on “Mobile Network”
● Check that the Mobile data toggle is on
● Switch “Roaming” on to continue using your home cellular data if you are outside the country. But, keep in mind that you might be charged higher international rates

3. Check Your VPN

Another reason for Spotify not working is the use of a VPN. VPNs usually block internet connections that bypass their interface, which can cause Spotify to ‘think’ that there’s no internet connection.

You can work around this issue by disconnecting the VPN, starting Spotify, and then reconnecting the VPN. This will allow you to play tracks for a while but you should expect connectivity to fail again, requiring you to troubleshoot to continue using the Spotify app.

Fix 7. Check Your Streaming Settings in the Spotify App

If the Spotify app opens and plays music but the sound quality is low, you might need to adjust the streaming settings.

Here’s how to adjust the streaming quality on your Android device:

● Lauch “Settings” on the app
● Scroll down to the end to locate the “Audio Quality” feature
● Choose “Very High” under both Mobile and Wi-Fi streaming

Fix 8. Disable Spotify Connect

Spotify Connect is a nifty feature that lets you use your mobile device to control playback on other devices.

Connect could be activated on another device if you play music on your mobile Spotify app and cannot hear any sound.

The easiest workaround is disabling Spotify Connect. Here are the steps to take:

● Launch “Settings” on the Spotify app
● Scroll down and click the “Devices” tab
● Toggle the “Devices Lock Screen” option to turn off Spotify Connect

This hack will let you hear sound from your Android device when playing music on the Spotify app.

Fix 9. Double-check Your Volume

Last but not least, check that your mobile phone volume is up.

Low volume could be why Spotify isn't playing on your Android device. The app may be working just fine but you cannot hear the sound due to low volume.

Final Resort: Download Spotify to Android for Offline Playback

The Android Spotify app is not fool-proof– it can get faulty anytime, leaving you without access to your favorite tracks, shows, and podcasts.

A better option is to download Spotify to your Android device to enjoy offline playback even when the app isn't working.

You can download Spotify songs and convert them to MP3 for offline listening using a third-party downloader. Our top pick that gets the job done is TuneFab Spotify Music Converter. This intuitive software bypasses Spotify’s OGG Vorbis and DRM restrictions so you can freely rip songs from Spotify to MP3 and listen offline on any device.

Follow these simple steps to download Spotify to Android using TuneFab Spotify Music Converter.

STEP 1: Download and follow the instructions to install the TuneFab Spotify Music Converter software on your computer. After the installation, open the built-in Spotify Web Player and login to your Spotify account.

STEP 2: Search for single tracks, playlists, or albums to download from Spotify to your computer. Drag and drop the songs to the “+” icon at the bottom right of the screen.

STEP 3: Click the hamburger menu at the top right corner and select “Preferences” to customize the output settings. You can choose your preferred output format, bitrate, sample rate, and output file name. You can also organize your music by album, artist, and playlist. Finally, click “Save” to lock in your output preferences.

STEP 4: On the Converting window, click the “Convert” or “Convert All” buttons to download Spotify tracks to your computer.

STEP 5: Click “Finish’’ at the top and tap “View Output File” to locate where the downloaded songs are stored on your computer. You can now transfer the downloaded files to your Android device for offline playback without the Spotify app. This solution literally helps you avoid the Spotify download limits Spotify places even on Premium subscribers.

The Bottom Line

Updates, server outages, and internet connectivity issues can create a situation where Spotify is not working on Android. But, you can avoid such disappointments by downloading your favorite Spotify tracks to a portable MP3 format for offline listening on your Android without the app. Our number one recommendation for a music downloader is TuneFab Spotify Music Converter, which enables batch downloads and consistently retains the original audio quality. Try it for free today.