13 Ways to Fix Spotify Not Working on Android Auto

Spotify not working with Android Auto can materialize in many ways, such as a missing icon, choppy audio streams, or a non-responsive, blank screen. Below are several troubleshooting tips to get Spotify and Android Auto to work together again.

Causes of Spotify Not Working With Android Auto

Here are some possible reasons why Android Auto and Spotify aren't working correctly:

• There's a temporary communication hiccup between the two
• Android Auto isn't running in your car
• Your car isn't compatible with Android Auto
• Android Auto is hiding the Spotify app
• Spotify is restricted from running in the background
• Your phone has too weak of an internet connection to stream
• The app needs to be updated to fix a bug
• The app cache has become corrupted
  

How to Fix Spotify Not Working on Android Auto

Follow these tips in the order you see them to fix it when Android Auto won't play Spotify:

1. Unplug your phone from the car to disconnect from Android Auto, then force Spotify to close, reconnect your phone, and then start Spotify. Although this is a tedious step, it's more often than not the fix for this problem.

2. Restart your Android device. This will serve two primary functions: it will refresh the connection between Spotify and Android Auto and it will clear out any temporary glitches that a restart typically fixes.

3. Park your car and restart it by turning the ignition off and on. Or, if you can't do that, some infotainment systems can be restarted by pressing and holding the infotainment's power button.

   The previous steps should be enough to restart communication between your phone and car, but this is a smart next step, especially if you're getting this error:
   

    Spotify doesn't seem to be working right now.
   

4. Open Android Auto from your car. This is a basic but crucial step that's easy to overlook. It's possible for your phone to be plugged into your car and everything else running correctly, but Android Auto hasn't been triggered. It must be turned on for your phone to put Spotify on your car's display.

   For example, with your phone plugged in, you might see an Android Auto button on your car's head unit. Tap it to load the Spotify icon and icons for all your other Android Auto apps.
   

   Not all cars work the same way. Consult your car manufacturer's user manual for details specific to your vehicle.

5. Add Spotify to Android Auto if it's not showing up as an option in your car.

   You shouldn't need to do this because it happens automatically once Spotify is installed on your phone. However, it's possible to hide apps from displaying in Android Auto, which would explain why Spotify is missing.

6. Quickly check whether other apps, like Google Maps, work with Android Auto. If they are having trouble, too, check out this more general guide: Ways to Fix It When Android Auto Is Not Working. That article will also help you determine if your car is compatible with Android Auto.

7. Allow Spotify to run in the background to fix things like buffering issues and unresponsive screens. Here's how to do that on a Google Pixel: Go to Settings > Apps > Spotify > App battery usage, then switch on Allow background usage.

8. Check your phone's mobile internet connection, which must be solid to avoid audio cutting out while streaming.

   One quick fix we've seen resolve some data connection issues is to cycle through Airplane Mode; turn it on for a few seconds, and then turn it back off.
   

   If Spotify skips only at certain times during a drive, especially if it's always at the same time along a repeated route, then it's very likely a signal issue that's out of your control.

9. Update your Android apps and update the Android OS. If a known bug prevents Spotify from working correctly with your car, there's a good chance an app update or operating system update will fix it.
   

10. Clear the cache for Android Auto and Spotify. Deleting an app's cache clears away potentially corrupted temporary files that could be to blame for Spotify not working with Android Auto.

11. Reinstall Spotify. See How to Delete Apps on an Android Phone if you're not sure how to do this. Then, install Spotify again from the Google Play Store.
    

12. Some users have had luck getting Spotify to work with Android Auto only after turning on an option that lets you use unofficial apps.

    To do this, first, enable Android Auto's developer mode, and then from the three-dot menu, tap Developer settings > Unknown sources. Finally, completely close down Android Auto and Spotify before you try using it again.

13. Turn on autostart for Spotify. This will allow the app to start back up again in the background after being closed.

    This is only relevant on some phones, like those from Xiaomi, Huawei, and Realme. Here are some steps to try, depending on your phone maker:

    • Security > Manage apps > Permissions > Autostart > Spotify.
    • Settings > Apps > settings icon > App auto-launch.
    • Settings > App management > App list > Spotify > Auto Startup.