Why Does Spotify Keep Pausing? Comprehensive Solutions for Every User 2024

 

Update the Spotify App

Outdated app versions can cause various issues, including pausing. To ensure you have the latest version, follow these steps:

For Android:

1. Open the Google Play Store
2. Tap the menu button (three horizontal lines)
3. Select “My apps & games”
4. Find Spotify in the list and tap “Update” if available

For iOS:

1. Open the App Store
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner
3. Scroll down to find Spotify in the list
4. Tap “Update” if available

Restart the Spotify App

Sometimes, simply restarting the app can fix the pausing issue.

For Android:

1. Open the recent apps menu (usually a square or recent apps button)
2. Swipe the Spotify app off the screen or tap “Close all”
3. Reopen the Spotify app

For iOS:

1. Double-tap the home button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen
2. Swipe the Spotify app off the screen
3. Reopen the Spotify app

Clear Cache and Data

Clearing the cache and data can help resolve issues caused by corrupted files or accumulated data.

For Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Spotify
2. Tap on “Storage & cache”
3. Tap “Clear cache” and “Clear data”

For iOS:

1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
2. Find and tap on Spotify
3. Select “Offload App” and confirm
4. Reinstall Spotify from the App Store

Free Up Storage Space

If your device’s storage is full, it can cause the Spotify app to pause or crash. Make sure there’s enough storage space available.

For Android:

1. Go to Settings > Storage
2. Check the available storage space
3. If needed, delete unnecessary files and apps, or clear app caches to free up space

For iOS:

1. Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
2. Check the available storage space
3. If needed, delete unnecessary files and apps, or offload apps to free up space

Close Other Apps

Running multiple apps simultaneously can cause the Spotify app to pause. Close any unneeded apps to free up memory.

For Android:

1. Open the recent apps menu (usually a square or recent apps button)
2. Swipe unneeded apps off the screen or tap “Close all”

For iOS:

1. Double-tap the home button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen
2. Swipe unneeded apps off the screen

Check Spotify Server Status

Spotify may be experiencing server issues. Check their Status Page (https://www.spotifystatus.com/)  for any ongoing problems.

Force Stop Spotify

Force-stopping the app can resolve any issues caused by background processes.

For Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Spotify
2. Tap “Force stop” and confirm

For iOS:
Force stopping is not available on iOS, but restarting the device can have a similar effect.

1. Press and hold the power button until the “Slide to power off” slider appears
2. Slide to power off the device
3. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the power button to turn it back on

Reinstall Spotify

Reinstalling the app can fix issues caused by corrupted files or settings.

For Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Spotify
2. Tap “Uninstall” and confirm
3. Reinstall Spotify from the Google Play Store

For iOS:

1. Press and hold the Spotify app icon until it starts to wiggle
2. Tap the “x” on the app icon and confirm
3. Reinstall Spotify from the App Store

Check Your Headphones or AUX Jack

A faulty AUX jack or headphone cable can cause Spotify to pause. Try using different headphones or check the AUX jack for any debris.

Adjust Settings in Reddit or Other Apps

Some users have reported that Spotify pauses due to settings in other apps, such as Reddit. Check for autoplay settings or quiet audio mode settings in these apps and disable them if necessary.

Internet Connection Issues

A poor internet connection can cause Spotify to pause or stop playing. Check your Wi-Fi connection or switch to mobile data to see if it resolves the issue. If possible, try connecting to a different Wi-Fi network to test the connection quality.

Check Bluetooth Connection (For Wireless Headphones)

If you are using wireless headphones, make sure they are connected properly and have sufficient battery life. If needed, unpair and reconnect the headphones to your device.

Turn Off Hardware Acceleration (For Desktop App)

Disabling hardware acceleration can help resolve Spotify pausing issues on desktop apps.

For Windows and macOS:

1. Open Spotify and click on the three-dot menu in the top left corner
2. Go to View > Settings
3. Scroll down to the “Show Advanced Settings” button and click on it
4. Under “Compatibility,” toggle off “Enable hardware acceleration”

Clear Spotify Cache and Local Files

Clearing the cache and local files can help resolve issues with corrupted files.

For Windows and macOS:

1. Open Spotify and click on the three-dot menu in the top left corner
2. Go to View > Settings
3. Scroll down to the “Show Advanced Settings” button and click on it
4. Under “Offline Songs Storage,” note the file path
5. Close Spotify and navigate to the file path in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS)
6. Delete the “Storage” folder
7. Restart Spotify

For Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Spotify
2. Tap “Storage & cache” and then tap “Clear cache”

For iOS:
Clearing cache is not available on iOS, but reinstalling the app can have a similar effect.

Remove Spotify Entries from the Hosts File

In some cases, the hosts file on your computer may have entries that block Spotify, causing it to pause or stop playing. Removing these entries can resolve the issue.

For Windows:

1. Press the Windows key + R, type “notepad %windir%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts”, and press Enter
2. Look for any lines containing “spotify” and delete them
3. Save the file and restart your computer

For macOS:

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities)
2. Type “sudo nano /etc/hosts” and press Enter
3. Enter your administrator password when prompted
4. Look for any lines containing “Spotify” and delete them
5. Press Control + X, then Y, then Enter to save the file and exit
6. Restart your computer

 

FAQs

Why does Spotify keep pausing at 10 seconds?

This issue can be caused by a variety of factors, such as internet connection issues, corrupted cache files, or problems with the app itself. Try the solutions mentioned in this article to resolve the issue.

Why does my Spotify keep pausing on my PC?

Spotify can pause on PC due to hardware acceleration issues, entries in the hosts’ file, or other app-specific problems. Refer to the solutions in this article to fix the issue on your PC.

Why does my Apple Music keep pausing?

Although this article focuses on Spotify, many of the same solutions can be applied to Apple Music as well. Check your internet connection, update the app, restart your device, or try other solutions mentioned in this article.

How do I download music from Spotify?

To download music from Spotify, you need to have a Spotify Premium subscription. Once you have Premium, follow these steps:

1. Open the Spotify app on your device
2. Go to the album, playlist, or podcast you want to download
3. Toggle the “Download” switch to the ON position
4. Wait for the download to complete, and the content will be available for offline listening