Spotify Keeps Turning On Shuffle? 6 Reasons (Solved)

Spotify Premium is undoubtedly in the upper echelon of the music streaming industry, with features such as Group Sessions and Offline Playback, users definitely get their money’s worth. 

However, many users have reported that the app keeps switching to shuffle mode without their permission.

Shuffle mode is an excellent feature that allows users to rearrange the order of songs in a playlist or album.

However, having it turn on unexpectedly can be inconvenient for users who want to listen to their music in a specific order. 

This article looks at some of the possible causes of this and what you can do to fix it.

The Shuffle Button is Easily Accessible

Most Spotify Premium users unanimously agree that the main reason they signed up for the Premium plan was to eliminate the random song selection from the shuffle feature.

The shuffle feature enables people to find new tunes they might not have otherwise heard.

This is especially helpful when listening to a playlist with hundreds of songs or the complete discography of an artist.

Every time a person uses Spotify, they can customize their listening experience by using the shuffle button.

Users won’t always hear the same songs in the same order when listening to their playlists, thanks to the shuffle mode’s random song selection.

• Two intertwined arrows in a circle serve as the button’s representation, and clicking it activates the shuffle mode.
• Users can easily access the shuffle button on Spotify.
• The button is prominently displayed on the Spotify app’s main screen, making it simple to find and use.
• The button is also easily accessible on mobile device lock screens, allowing users to shuffle their music without unlocking their phones.

This simplified accessibility is why users accidentally turn on this feature while scrolling through their playlists.

Fortunately, users can ‘hide’ the shuffle button by following the steps below:

1. Open Spotify on your device and tap on the gear icon to open ‘Settings’
2. Scroll to ‘Playback’, select ‘Shuffle’, and deactivate the toggle switch.

The shuffle button will be removed from the main screen, making it less likely that you will accidentally turn off shuffle mode.

Your Playlist is Set to Shuffle

Another reason Spotify might activate shuffle mode is if your playlist is set to shuffle by default.

The shuffle button is enabled by default when you create a new playlist. This means that when you start the playlist, the songs will be played in random order.

Below are the steps to disable shuffle for a playlist: 

1. Navigate to the newly created playlist and tap the three-dot menu icon.
2. Select ‘Play Order’ and then ‘Off’ from the menu that appears. 

This disables shuffle for the playlist, and the songs will play in the order you’ve specified.

Your Premium Subscription has Expired

If your Spotify Premium subscription expires, your account will revert to the free version, and you will lose access to certain premium features, such as the ability to play any song you want on demand. 

Instead, you’ll have to listen to music in shuffle mode, where songs from your playlists or albums are played randomly.

The shuffle mode is the default setting for free Spotify accounts. 

This means that when you play a playlist or album on a free account, the songs are played randomly, and you cannot select a specific song to play.

While this may be annoying for some users, keep in mind that Spotify’s free account is intended to be an entry-level service,

The shuffle mode is one of the ways the platform encourages users to upgrade to a premium account.

If you want to regain access to Spotify’s premium features, such as on-demand streaming and shuffle free playlists, you must resubscribe to Spotify Premium.

You are Sharing your Spotify Account with Other Users

If you allow people to use your Spotify account, they can be in shuffle mode without your knowledge. 

If you spend time carefully organizing your playlists, this might be very annoying.

However, it might not even be someone else activating shuffle mode; rather, it might be Spotify. The account is viewed as a free account when numerous users share it, and shuffle mode is Spotify’s default setting for free users,

You should make individual Spotify accounts for each user to solve this problem. 

Each user will be able to have their own playlists and preferences thanks to this, and they won’t be able to activate shuffle mode for your account unintentionally.

If that doesn’t suit you, you can also upgrade your  plan to the Spotify Family premium plan, where you can share your premium account with up to 5 people to stream from different devices

Alternatively, you can simply sign out of all the devices you’re logged into and get back to shuffle-free listening.

Corrupted Cached Data

If you’re having problems with your Spotify app, such as shuffle mode activating unexpectedly, it could be due to a corrupted cache. 

The cache is a temporary storage area the app uses to store frequently accessed data such as album art, playlists, and other data. 

The cache can become corrupted or outdated over time, causing the app to behave strangely.

You can try clearing the cache on your Spotify app to resolve this issue. 

The steps are as follows:

1. On your device, launch the Spotify app.
2. To access the settings menu, click the gear icon in the top right corner.
3. Scroll all the way down to the ‘Storage’ section.
4. To clear the cache, select ‘Delete Cache’

To clear the cache, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the Spotify app if you use an older version.

Follow these steps to uninstall the app:

1. Uninstall the Spotify app from your device.
2. Access the most recent Spotify app from the App Store or Google Play.
3. Install the updated app and sign in to your account.

Spotify is Glitchy

Shuffle mode may be activated unexpectedly if your Spotify app is experiencing glitches or bugs. 

This can be upsetting, but there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem and fix the glitch.

Force Quit the app

Force quitting the app can sometimes help to resolve glitches or bugs. 

Here’s how to force quit the app on both iOS and Android devices.

1. Go to the running apps screen.
2. Android: When Spotify opens on your screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen in the direction of the ‘x’ that will appear.
3. iOS: Double-tap the home button on your device or slowly swipe up. Slide up on Spotify to close the app after scrolling through the open apps.

Update the app

If you’re using an older version of the Spotify app, it may contain bugs or glitches that have been addressed in newer versions. 

Here’s how to update the app on both iOS and Android devices:

How to update Spotify on an Android device

1. Launch the Google Play Store on your device.
2. Tap the profile icon in the top right corner.
3. Then select ‘Manage apps & device’. The phrase ‘Update available’ appears on apps that have updates available.
4. If it appears next to Spotify, click Update.

How to update Spotify on an iOS device

1. Launch the App Store on your device.
2. At the top of the screen, tap your profile icon.
3. Scroll down to see release details and upcoming upgrades.
4. To only update Spotify, select ‘Update’ next to it, or select ‘Update All’ to update all your apps.

Restart your Device

Restarting your device can assist in removing any temporary issues that may be causing the glitch. 

Follow the steps below to reboot your device.

How to Reboot an Android Device:

1. Hold down the power button and select the ‘Restart’ option when it appears on your screen.
2. Alternatively, hold down the power button until the device turns off and the device’s logo appears.

How to Reboot an iOS Device:

1. Hold down the volume and side buttons until the power-off slider appears.
2. Drag the slider to turn off your device, then wait 30 seconds.
3. Press and hold the side button (located on the right side of your iPhone) until the Apple logo appears to turn your smartphone back on

General Pros and Cons of Spotify Premium allowing users to turn off Shuffle

Pros

Spotify Premium users can listen to the songs they like in the order that they want without random music being injected into their playlists.

One other favorite perk of Spotify Premium is being able to listen to music without ads!

Cons

Users may come across the following issues, which can result in Shuffle being turned on:

• The Shuffle button is very easily accessible
• Your playlist is set to shuffle
• Your Premium subscription has expired
• You are sharing your Spotify account with other users
• Corrupted cached data
• The Spotify App is glitchy and needs a clean install

Sources

How to easily turn off shuffle on Spotify (Even If it’s Stuck)