The Unofficial Guide to Disable Spotify Connect on all devices

Spotify Connect, while convenient for many users, can be frustrating for those who prefer more control over their music playback across devices. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to manage and effectively disable Spotify Connect on various devices.

Understanding Spotify Connect

Spotify Connect allows users to control music playback across multiple devices seamlessly. However, this feature can sometimes lead to unwanted device switching, battery drain, and other issues. Before diving into the solutions, it's essential to understand how Spotify Connect works and why you might want to disable it.

Disabling Automatic Device Switching

One of the most common issues with Spotify Connect is the automatic switching between devices. Here’s how you can mitigate this:

• Manual Device Selection: When you want to play music on a specific device, ensure you manually select that device from the Spotify app. To do this, play a track and then tap the album cover at the bottom of the screen. Tap the connect speaker icon at the bottom right and select the desired device.
• Removing Default Music App Settings: If your phone is set as the default music app, this can trigger automatic switching. Go to your phone settings, find the "Apps" section, and check if Spotify is set as the default music app. Disable this setting to prevent unwanted switching.

Managing Connected Devices

To avoid unwanted connections, you can remove devices from your Spotify account:

• Removing Devices: Go to the Spotify app, tap the gear icon (profile settings), and navigate to the "Devices" menu. Here, you will see a list of devices currently connected to your Spotify account. Tap the three dots next to the device you want to remove and select "Forget Device".
• Sign Out Everywhere: If you want to ensure no devices are connected to your account, you can sign out everywhere from your account page. This will log out all devices and require them to log back in, effectively removing any unwanted connections.

Preventing Local Network Discovery

For users who find the local network discovery feature annoying, here’s how you can manage it:

• Switch Off Local Devices Only: On the Spotify mobile app, go to Settings > Devices and switch off "Show local devices only." This setting allows the app to see devices not currently on your WiFi network, but disabling it can reduce unwanted connections.
• Disable Background App Refresh: While this doesn’t completely disable Spotify Connect, disabling background app refresh can help reduce battery drain and minimize the app’s activity in the background. Go to your phone settings, find the "Apps" section, and disable background app refresh for Spotify.

Additional Tips for Specific Devices

Here are some device-specific tips to help you manage Spotify Connect:

• iPhone Settings: Ensure Spotify has access to your local network by going to iPhone Settings > Spotify > Local Network and toggling it on. This is necessary for Spotify Connect to work correctly, but you can adjust this setting based on your needs.
• Android TV: If you're using Spotify on an Android TV, ensure that Spotify is allowed to display over other apps. Go to TV Settings > Apps > Special app access > Display over other apps.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter issues with Spotify Connect, here are some troubleshooting steps:

• Restart the Spotify App: Sometimes, simply restarting the Spotify app can resolve connectivity issues.
• Restart Devices and WiFi: Restarting the device running the Spotify app, the speaker or smart display, and even your WiFi network can help resolve connectivity problems.
• Update Software: Ensure that your Spotify app and all connected devices are up-to-date, as outdated software can cause compatibility issues.

By following these steps, you can better manage and effectively disable Spotify Connect on your devices, reducing the frustration associated with unwanted device switching and battery drain.