Spotify Not Working on Apple Watch? How to Fix the Problem

Check your Bluetooth connection, then restart the app or restart your Apple Watch

By
Jerri Ledford
Jerri Ledford
Jerri Ledford
Senior News Editor, Fact Checker
  • Western Kentucky University
  • Gulf Coast Community College
Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others.
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Updated on March 27, 2024
Reviewed by
Jessica Kormos
Jessica Kormos
Reviewed by Jessica Kormos
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others.
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This article explains what to try if Spotify stops working on your Apple Watch. These troubleshooting steps should help get you back to listening in no time.

Why Can't I Play Spotify on My Apple Watch?

If you're having trouble with Spotify on your Apple Watch, it's most likely caused by a network connection issue or a glitch in the software, but it could be something else entirely. Either way, this is usually indicated by problems such as:

  • Missing controls when trying to skip, fast forward, stop, or play songs
  • Spotify Premium music won't stream to connected headphones
  • Spotify isn't connecting at all

Regardless of how it appears or why it happens, walking through these troubleshooting steps should get your Spotify app working again.

How to Fix It When Spotify Won't Work on Apple Watch

Walk through these troubleshooting steps in the order we've listed them until you find the one that fixes your issue so you can get back to listening to your favorite tunes and podcasts.

Remember, Spotify works differently for free users. If you want to stream Spotify without your iPhone nearby, you'll need to have a Spotify Premium subscription.

  1. Connect your watch to Wi-Fi. You must connect your Watch to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone. If not, your Spotify app won't work on your Watch. Double-check you're using the same Wi-Fi for both devices and then try Spotify again.

  2. Check that Bluetooth is working properly on your Apple Watch, phone, and, and headphones. This is necessary because your Watch won't play anything from Spotify through its own speaker.

    To make sure Bluetooth is turned on for your Apple Watch, press the Digital Crown, then go to Settings > Bluetooth to find the toggle. Follow the same path on your iPhone to check its settings.

  3. Close Spotify on your Apple Watch and then open it again. Doing this can fix any weird issues and make the app start fresh without any problems.

    Alternatively, if Spotify is frozen, hold the side button until the shutdown screen appears, then hold the Digital Crown until the app closes.

  4. Restart your Apple Watch. If closing or force-closing the app doesn't work, rebooting will clear everything from memory and might be all that's necessary to get Spotify to work again.

  5. Update your Apple Watch and update your iPhone apps to install any pending bug fixes that might address the problem with Spotify.

    Once everything is updated, resync your Apple Watch and try to use the Spotify app again.

  6. Delete the Spotify app from your Apple Watch. Once it's completely removed, install it once more. A reinstallation is an excellent way to ensure you're working with a newly updated and uncorrupted app.

  7. Reset the network settings on your iPhone. This process should automatically refresh the network settings on your Apple Watch to ensure you're using the same settings.

    After completing this step, your Bluetooth devices, Wi-Fi networks, and VPN settings will be reset, so you'll have to reconnect them afterward.

  8. Make a Genius Bar appointment if you're still having trouble. The Genius Bar workers are accustomed to dealing with all manner of problems, including issues like Spotify not behaving correctly on your Apple Watch. A meeting with a Genius Bar expert could have you up and running again in no time.

Can You Listen to Spotify on Apple Watch?

The short answer is yes, you can listen to Spotify on your Apple Watch, whether you have a free or premium Spotify account. Since 2021, premium Spotify subscribers have also been able to download their favorite playlists, albums, and podcasts to their Watch to listen even when it isn't connected to an iPhone.

However, you should be aware that if you're using a free Spotify account, you'll need to have your iPhone always available when using Spotify from your Apple Watch. That's because the free version of Spotify only lets you control music playback; it's actually streamed through your phone. If you want to listen to Spotify without your iPhone, get Spotify Premium on your iPhone.

Apple limits how much storage can be used for downloaded audio files. So, be cautious about what you save offline but remember that the limit is around 25% of the total storage, which is plenty for most people.

FAQ
  • Why is Spotify not working on my computer?

    If you're encountering problems with the Spotify desktop app and get the You're Offline error, you likely have an internet connection issue. If your internet is fine, but you're still having problems, there may be a Spotify bug. Restart your computer and reopen Spotify, or try deleting and reinstalling the Spotify desktop app.

  • Why is the Spotify web player not working?

    There could be a browser problem or an issue with the web player. On a Windows PC, make sure you've downloaded the Media Feature Pack. Open Spotify in incognito or private browsing mode, clear the browser cache, enable protected content, and log out of Spotify on other devices.

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