Spotify

Spotify puts songs, podcasts and playlists in one Android library. Search is the quickest route when you know an artist, while a saved playlist is more useful for a commute with several different albums; if you only remember a melody, a recognizer like Shazam can name the track first. Following an artist and saving one song serve different purposes: one keeps track of new releases, the other keeps a specific recording within reach.

The free tier can play music and podcasts with ads, but the controls and catalog access available on a phone can differ from Premium. Spotify describes offline downloads as a Premium feature. Before a trip without mobile data, check that the desired playlist has actually finished downloading while connected.

A podcast episode has its own progress and queue, separate from a music playlist. For long interviews, playback speed and a saved episode are more useful than restarting from the show page. Switching between phone and another supported device can change where playback continues, so the active output device is worth checking if sound seems to disappear.

Spotify AB is the publisher of the Google Play version shown in the screenshots, and the official installation link leads to that listing. Subscription plans and audiobook access differ by location, so look at the plan options shown in your account inside the app before subscribing: they list what is actually offered where you live.

Search by lyric and daily mixes

When you remember only a line from a song, you can type the lyric into Spotify search. It often finds the track without a separate app. Artist names and albums work the usual way.

Daily mixes are built from what you already play. There are also over 40 genre categories, from Charts and New Releases to Sleep, Workout and Classical. Popular Radio playlists collect music around a single artist.

The catalogue lists more than 80 million songs and 4 million podcasts. Podcasts can be followed so new episodes appear in your library. Individual episodes can also be bookmarked into playlists.

Your own playlists and shared ones

Any account can create playlists for a mood, a workout or a long drive. A playlist can be shared with friends as a link from the app. Other people’s public playlists can be saved to your library in one tap.

Keep a small number of playlists for daily use and name them clearly. A long list of half-finished ones is harder to use on a small screen than a few that are kept up to date.

Four Premium plans and audiobook hours

Premium comes in four versions: Individual, Duo, Family and Student. There is no long commitment, and a plan can be cancelled at any time. It removes ad breaks and adds on-demand playback.

In Australia, the UK and the US, Premium includes audiobooks. Individual subscribers and the managers of Duo and Family plans get 15 hours of listening per month from over 250,000 titles. The Google Play listing shows purchases from $4.99 to $203.88 per item.

Spotify on Wear OS and the TV

A Wear OS watch can play music and podcasts without the phone nearby. It also works as a remote for the phone or any other Spotify device. Tiles and complications put Spotify on the watch face.

With Premium, music can be downloaded to the watch for offline listening. Spotify also runs on tablets, computers, PlayStation, Chromecast and TVs. The same account keeps your library in sync across all of them.

When music stops with the screen off

Some Android phones limit apps in the background to save battery. Spotify may then pause after the screen locks or skip a download. Setting battery usage for Spotify to unrestricted in the system app settings usually fixes it.

A full storage chip can also stop downloads halfway. Free up space, then open the playlist again while on Wi-Fi so the missing tracks finish.

Nielsen measurement and how to opt out

The Android app includes Nielsen audience measurement software used for market research. You can opt out in the app settings if you prefer not to take part.

Spotify is rated Teen on Google Play. Keep that rating in mind before setting the app up on a child’s phone.