Spotify Keeps Restarting Playlists? 10 Solutions (Solved)

Spotify prides itself on making users’ listening experiences personalized and convenient. The bug that causes Spotify to restart playlists constantly can have the opposite effect.

This article delves into some solutions to this frustrating issue.

 1. Check that your Internet Connection is Stable

If Spotify is using an unstable internet connection, it could restart playlists without warning.

To check your internet connection, do an internet speed test and confirm that your connection is as it should be. You can also try using other apps or a search engine to see if the pages or content loads quickly.

If you are constantly experiencing problems with your internet connection, you might want to consider switching to another internet service provider.

2. Adjust Streaming Quality

Your streaming quality could be the culprit behind your playlists restarting.

Here’s how to adjust this setting:

1.  Go to Spotify’s ‘Settings’
2. Find ‘Audio quality’
3. Below ‘Wi-Fi Streaming’, you can switch between Automatic, Low, or Normal.

A higher quality setting will work better.

Just remember that there may be additional charges if you are using your data.

3. Disable Hardware Acceleration

This solution is specifically for all Spotify desktop listeners.

Generally, hardware acceleration uses the computer’s graphics card and the processing unit to enhance performance.

However, this can cause apps to work abnormally.

Here’s how to disable the function:

Windows

1. Access the Spotify desktop app, and click on the three dots found in the top left corner to launch the ‘Preferences’ menu.
2. Then choose’ View’ and hit ‘Hardware acceleration’ to disable the feature.

Mac

1. Go to the app and click the Spotify button found on the top taskbar.
2. Access ‘Hardware Acceleration’ from the menu and uncheck it to switch it off.

After you are done, try listening to a playlist to see if it is playing as it should be.

If not, try the other troubleshooting tips mentioned in this article.

4. Listen via the Spotify Offline Mode

Spotify offline mode could be the way to go, particularly if you have Spotify content already downloaded on the app.

To avoid glitchy playback entirely, I recommend downloading your favorite track when your Wi-Fi is strong. 

View the ‘Downloads’ tab beneath ‘Your Library’ to see all your downloads.

When Offline Mode is enabled, you will only be able to play downloaded content. 

5. Delete Spotify Cache

Deleting the Spotify cache could help solve this pesky problem. 

Cache files are meant to improve the user experience as these files speed up the app’s processing time.

However, a corrupted cache could lead Spotify to behave strangely.

If there is an issue with a file stored in the cache, it can make the app glitch e.g., constantly restarting playlists. That’s why clearing the cache is often a general fix to most app related issues.

Here’s how to clear the cache:

1. Launch Spotify.
2. Navigate to ‘Settings’ and choose ‘Storage’
3. Then tap ‘Clear cache’

6. Make Sure It Isn’t a Site-Wide Issue

Sometimes Spotify might be experiencing a site-wide problem.

To see if Spotify is down visit downdetector.com. This website broadcasts when there are outages.

You can also check the SpotifyStatus Twitter account. You will be notified of server-side issues there.

If the issue is on Spotify’s side, you will have to wait until the Spotify team fixes the problem.

7. Shut Down and Restart Spotify

Often the best way to fix glitches is a complete restart.

If Spotify is constantly restarting, you might have overloaded RAM or an overworked PC.

Access your start menu on your PC and click ‘Restart’.

If you are using Spotify on your phone:

1. Swipe up on your screen to bring up the recent apps menu display.
2. Swipe away the ‘Spotify app’  to close it.
3. Then restart the app again in the normal way.

8. Restart the Device

Sometimes you might need to go one step further and restart your entire device.

This gets rid of underlying software bugs and can prompt app updates.

Here’s how to restart your device:

Android

1. Hold down the ‘Power Button’ together with the ‘Volume Button’ on your phone until the start menu comes up.
2. Then click on ‘Restart’

iPhone

1. Hold down the ‘Power Button’ and the ‘Volume Button’.
2. The ‘Slide to Power Off ‘option comes up.
3. Drag on the slider and the phone will power off.
4. Restart your device once again.

Don’t make the mistake of disregarding this simple yet effective solution.

9. Log Out and then back into Your Spotify Account

Logging out and back into your Spotify account reloads any data which may have been corrupted.

Here’s how to sign out and back into the app:

1. Launch the Spotify app.
2. Hit the gear icon on the top right corner to access ‘Settings’
3. Navigate to ‘Log out’
4. Wait for a few minutes before logging back in.

This could be just what’s needed to get your Spotify app to play playlists properly.

10. Reinstall and Update Spotify

A lot of users find relief by reinstalling or updating their apps.

You must remember that doing this will delete all your playlists and other content.

Here’s how to reinstall the app:

1. Press down on the Spotify app icon until some options appear.
2. Hit ‘Remove App’ or ‘Uninstall’.
3. Then download the latest version of Spotify from the respective Google or Apple Stores.

It is also a good idea to make a note of all your content so you can download it again after the reinstallation.

General Pros and Cons of Spotify Playlists

Pros

Spotify has different kinds of playlists. Spotify curates playlists based on your listening preferences.

Some examples of playlists that are made for you include the following:

• Spotify Mixes
• Discover Weekly
• Release Radar
• On Repeat and Repeat Rewind
• Your Daily Podcasts

Then, some playlists are generated by experts in the field.

“This is a way for artists to communicate directly to their fans. If you think of an artist like Bruno Mars, he’s using Spotify, creating playlists and listening to music through it.”

[Source: Daniel Ek, CEO and founder of Spotify]

Alternatively, you or any other user are free to make your own playlists.

Playlists allow you to listen to songs that match your taste without pausing to think of what to listen to next.

Cons

Sometimes Spotify constantly restarts playlists. This is frustrating because you might be forced to listen to the same tracks repeatedly.

• Poor internet connect can cause playlists to restart
• Adjusting the streaming quality for improved playback has increased data charges
• Hardware Acceleration can cause Spotify to work abnormally
• You may need to enable Offline Mode in order to listen to tracks seamlessly
• Corrupted cache files can result in glitchy playlists
• A site-wide issue may cause Spotify to restart playlists constantly
• You might need to restart your device or reinstall the app to ensure seamless playback

Final Thoughts

If you are tired of Spotify restarting the same playlist, go through all the troubleshooting tips mentioned in this article.

If you still have no luck, reach out to someone from Spotify via their community forum. They can shed some light on what’s causing the bug and what can be done to solve it.

Sources

How to Download and Listen to Music and Podcasts — Offline and On the Go 
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