How to Fix Spotify Not Showing on Lock Screen?

Do you find that Spotify or its media controls are not showing up or working on your device’s lock screen and looking for solutions to fix Spotify not showing on the lock screen?

Whenever we want to listen to our favourite melodies, we always go to the Spotify app and start playing them. Spotify has always impressed us when it comes to offering best-in-class music streaming quality. 😄 But Spotify lacks a bit in providing the best music listening experience, as it has a lot of bugs that keep appearing while playing music. ☹️

Recently, many users reported that their Spotify app has stopped showing the playback option on the smartphone’s lock screen. 🚫 They also added that the issue appeared after updating the app from the native app store. If you’re also on the facing end of this issue, we know how to get rid of this with ease. 😀

Therefore, in this article, we’ve shared eleven possible workarounds ⚒️ that can help you fix the Spotify not showing on the lock screen issue. You can try the mentioned fixes to easily get Spotify’s playback controls back on your phone’s lock screen. ⬇️

If you need help with Spotify not working or playing songs while the app is running in the background, you can check out our other complete guide for that here.

 

Note: All the fixes in this guide cater to Android and iPhone users, as the solutions only apply to the Spotify mobile app. Try all the solutions carefully and fix the issue without putting much effort and time.

 

 

Why Is Spotify Controls Not Showing Up on My Lock Screen?

Here are some of the most common reasons that can cause Spotify not showing on the lock screen issue. Check the list below:

1. Unstable Logging Status (Fix 1)
2. App Not Allowed To Display Notifications (Fix 2)
3. Background Restrictions (Fix 4)
4. Enabled Battery Optimization (Fix 5)
5. Security and Privacy Issue (Fix 6)
6. Outdated Spotify App (Fix 9)

 

 

12 Fixes For Spotify Controls Not Showing on The Lock Screen

Here in this section, we’ve listed more than 8 solutions ⚒️ to eliminate Spotify not showing on the lock screen issue. But before proceeding to the complex solutions, we have some basic solutions that can fix the issue in seconds. We first suggest rebooting the affected device 🔄. In some cases, doing this fixes the problem without doing much.

Once done, check whether the issue is fixed. If the issue is still there, follow other troubleshooting solutions 👇 mentioned in this guide. Check the first solution below and get Spotify again on your smartphone’s lock screen.

 

1. Log Out and Log In to Spotify

During the research, we found that this issue could also occur because of an incomplete or unstable account login process. It could be possible that your Spotify account isn’t logged in properly, which is why this issue appears while using the Spotify app. Many users said that logging out and logging back into the Spotify app 🔄 can fix the issue.

Therefore, One of the first things you can do to fix your problem is to check if you are having login problems. To do this, you can try logging out and then logging back into the platform. Basically, this action refreshes your account login information with the application, alleviating various miscellaneous issues.

Doing so will make sure that the account has been signed in properly this time. This will also refresh the account settings and eliminate all the issues with the account. You can try following the steps below to do the same and see if it fixes the issue:

 

For Mobile Users (Android & iPhone)

1. First, open the Spotify app on your Android device or iPhone and click on the Gear icon at the top right edge of the display.

 

2. Once the Settings section is opened, scroll down until the end and stop once you find the Logout option.

 

3. Now, tap on Log out to sign out of your Spotify account on the active device. Once you do this, you’ll see a login screen.

 

4. You need to now sign in again to the Spotify app with the same account. So, tap on login on the login screen and sign in using the correct account login credentials. You can also log in without the password.

Once you’ve signed in to your Spotify app, play a song on Spotify and turn off the screen 📱 to lock the phone. Now, check if the playback options are visible on the lock screen. If you still can’t see the controls on display, continue following other solutions.

 

 

2. Make Sure Spotify is Allowed to Show Notifications

Some users said they had kept the notifications enabled for the Spotify app on their phones. But when they updated the Spotify app to the latest version, they found the notifications toggle for the app got disabled. So, if you’ve also recently updated the Spotify app, this could be the same with you.

Due to this, we suggest ensuring that the Spotify app is allowed to show notifications 🔛 and playback controls on the phone’s lock screen. Follow the below-mentioned steps to ensure the same in a few simple steps:

 

For Mobile Users (Android & iPhone)

For Android

1. To do so, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and move to the Apps section to look for the Spotify app.

 

2. Now, search for the Spotify application in the Apps section and tap on it (👆) to open the properties section.

 

3. Move to the Notifications (🔔) section to check whether you’ve allowed the Spotify app to show notifications.

 

4. Once the Notifications section is opened, ensure the Show notifications toggle is active (🔛) or enabled.

 

5. Lastly, make sure the Playback toggle in the Others section or Notifications (🔔) section is active or enabled (🔛).

 

For iPhone

1. To ensure the same on iPhone, move to the Settings (⚙️) section and proceed to the Notifications (🔔) section.

 

2. In the Notifications, search for the Spotify app and tap on it (👆) to open the notifications settings of the app.

 

3. Now, make sure the Allow Notifications toggle for Spotify is enabled (🔛) so the app can show notifications.
4. Lastly, check whether the Lock Screen option is checked in the Alerts section. If it isn’t checked, please tick (✔️) it.

 

Now, check whether the Spotify app is now displaying playback options on the phone’s lock screen.

 

 

3. Enable The Devices Lock Screen Option in The Spotify App

The Spotify app has a Device Lock Screen option that lets you decide whether the app should show playback options on the lock screen. If you keep this option disabled, the playback controls won’t appear on the phone’s lock screen. As a result, you won’t be able to control your music from your phone’s lock screen. 🚫

It could be possible that you’ve kept this option disabled, which is why this issue is occurring. You must make sure that the Device Lock Screen option is enabled (🔛) to get the Spotify widget on the phone’s lock screen. But this option is only available for iPhone users. So, if you’re an iPhone user, you can follow the steps below to do the same:

 

For Mobile Users

1. To start, open the Spotify app on your iPhone and tap on the Gear (⚙️) icon at the top right corner to open the app’s Settings section.
2. Next, move to the Devices (📱) section.

 

3. Then, ensure the Device Lock Screen toggle is enabled (🔛), so you can control music even when the phone is locked.

 

Once you’ve enabled this option, open the Spotify app, play a few songs, and lock out the phone’s screen to check the issue’s status.

 

 

4. Give The Spotify App Permission to Run in The Background

Some users reported that when they minimize the Spotify app and lock the phone, the playback controls display in the notifications centre for a while and then disappear automatically. If that’s the same with you, then it could be possible that you haven’t allowed the Spotify app to run in the background. 🚫

To let the app run in the background, you need to give the Spotify app all the required permissions. You can provide all the necessary permissions to the Spotify app from your smartphone’s settings with ease. Follow the below-mentioned steps to check the same:

 

For Mobile Users (Android & iPhone)

For Android

1. To do so, open Settings (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and move to the Apps section to see the installed apps.

 

2. Search for the Spotify app in the Apps section and tap on it (👆) to open the properties section of the app.

 

3. Next, navigate to the Battery section of the app’s properties and make sure the Allow background activity toggle is turned on (🔛).

 

For iPhone

1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your iPhone and keep scrolling until you find the Spotify app.

 

2. Then, tap on the Spotify app and check whether the Background app refresh toggle is turned (🔛) or active.

 

Once done, restart your smartphone, and check if Spotify is now visible on the phone’s lock screen or not.

 

 

5. Disable Battery Saver Mode On Your Smartphone

In some cases, it’s found that keeping the Battery Saver Mode enabled (🔛) on the phone can also lead to this issue. This is because when you keep the Battery optimization mode enabled, the system doesn’t let the apps perform high battery consumption tasks to save the phone’s battery, and this could be the same with the Spotify app.

Therefore, you need to ensure the Battery optimization mode isn’t enabled 📴 on your smartphone. We suggest following the mentioned steps to ensure the same:

 

For Mobile Users (Android & iPhone)

For Android

1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and navigate to the Apps section.

 

2. Now, locate the Spotify app in the Apps section and tap on it (👆) to move to the app’s properties.

 

3. Next, tap on Battery (🔋) and then tap on the Optimise battery usage option to see the battery usage.

 

4. In the end, search for Spotify in the Optimise battery usage section and ensure the toggle next to it it’s turned off (📴).

 

For iPhone

1. To do the same on your iPhone, move to the Settings (⚙️) section of your iPhone and proceed to the Battery (🔋) section.

 

2. In the Battery section, look for the Low Power Mode on your phone and make sure it’s disabled (📴) or turned off.

 

After turning off the Battery optimization mode on your phone, open the Spotify app, and check the status of the issue.

 

 

6. Check Sleeping Apps

The function of the Sleeping Apps feature is to save battery through existing applications that are running in the background. Although this can be a very helpful feature because it keeps your apps in check by avoiding unnecessary data usage, it can also be the reason why you’re having problems with the Spotify app.

You can check if Spotify has been added to the Sleeping App list by following the step-by-step process below:

1. First, go to the Settings menu and click the Battery and Device Care tab, then tap Battery

 

2. Then, tap Battery Usage Limits, then click on Sleeping Apps to see all the apps that are automatically exited by your device.

 

3. Lastly, if you find the Spotify app on the list, press and hold the Spotify icon in order to reveal the options setting and click Remove.

 

 

7. Turn Off Face Widgets

The Music Widget enables the user to get back to the music they were listening to. With its pop-up feature, it allows the user to control any media playing on their device. If the Music Widget is enabled on your device, you can try turning it off to see if it will solve your problem with the Spotify app.

1. To start, go to your device’s Settings and click on Lock Screen, then click Face Widgets.
2. After that, tap the toggle switch to turn off Music, then check if the Spotify app can be seen on your lock screen.

 

 

8. Allow Spotify in Security & Activity

Suppose you’ve enabled the notifications for Spotify but still not getting Spotify in the Alerts or Notification section. If that’s the case, then it could be possible that the app isn’t allowed to show notifications 🚫 on the phone’s lock screen. You need to make sure that the app can display notifications on your phone’s lock screen.

The same can be checked from the Security & Activity 🛡️ area of the Settings app. You can manage all your phone’s notifications from this section. Follow the below-mentioned steps if you need assistance with the same:

 

For Mobile Users (Android)

For Android

1. Firstly, open Settings (⚙️) on your Android smartphone and move to the Security & Privacy (🛡️) section to modify the phone’s security settings.

 

2. Now, move to the Permission Management (📱) section to view all the permissions given to the apps.

 

3. Lastly, look for the Spotify app in the Permission Management section and enable (✔️) the Display on Lock Screen option.

 

You should now see Spotify music playback controls in the notification centre or phone’s lock screen without such issues.

 

 

9. Remove Spotify From the Sleeping Apps List

If you’re a Samsung user, then it could be possible that the Spotify app has been added to the Sleeping Apps list. According to Samsung, sleeping apps are applications that you don’t use more often but keep consuming more phone’s power. This is the reason the system adds them to the Sleeping apps category to conserve phone battery.

You need to ensure that there are no background usage limits on the Spotify app. 🚫 We suggest following the below-mentioned steps to check the same with ease:

 

For Mobile Users (Android)

For Android

1. First, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Samsung phone and move to the Battery and device care (🔋) section.

 

2. Now, tap on Battery and then select the Background usage limits (🚫) option to see all the apps that have been put to sleep to save the phone’s battery power.

 

3. Next, tap on Sleeping apps to view all the apps running in the background but put to sleep to optimize the phone’s battery.

 

4. Search for the Spotify app in the Sleeping apps section. If the app is present in the Sleeping apps section, select it (✔️) and tap on Remove (🗑️).

 

The issue must be resolved now.

 

 

10. Force Close & Restart the Spotify App

We always recommend users force close and restart the affected app 🔄 when the issue seems to be with the app’s core functioning. In most cases, this resolves the issue.

Doing this will completely close the app and its operations and start them over again to make sure the app works perfectly next time. You can execute the below-mentioned process to force close and restart the Spotify app:

 

For Mobile Users (Android & iPhone)

For Android

1. To start, open the Settings app (⚙️) on your Android phone and proceed to the Apps section to view all the apps installed on the phone.

 

2. Then, look for the Spotify app in the Apps section and tap on it (👆) to open the properties section of the app.

 

3. In the end, tap on the Force close (🚫) option to terminate the Spotify app and all its running tasks.

 

For iPhone

1. Press the volume up button and the volume down button on the left side of the iPhone. Next, press and hold the Power button for a few seconds.
2. Now, tap on AssistiveTouch and hold the Home button for a few seconds until the Lock screen appears.
3. At last, enter the phone’s password (🔐) to move further and close all the apps running in the background.

Once done, open the Spotify app on your phone, play a song, and lock the phone. Now, check whether Spotify is now visible on the phone’s lock screen.

 

 

11. Update the Spotify App From The Native App Store

Many users started facing this issue after updating the Spotify app to the new version. It could be the same with you. Sometimes, the new updates don’t align with the phone’s software and conflict with it, which leads to issues like these.

To overcome these issues, developers push new app updates, which usually include the solutions to the issues. You can also try updating the Spotify app to the latest version 🔄 and see if it fixes these issues. Check the below-mentioned steps to update your Spotify app to the latest version:

 

For Mobile Users (Android & iPhone)

For Android

1. Open Google Play Store on your Android smartphone and search for the Spotify app using the search at the top.

 

2. Now, tap the Update (🔄) button next to the app to start updating the Spotify app on your Android phone.

 

For iPhone

1. To do so, open the Apple App Store on your iPhone and tap on the Profile at the top right edge of the screen.
2. Next, scroll down to the Automatic Upcoming Updates section and search for the Spotify app in the same section.
3. If there’s an Update (🔄) button next to the Spotify app, tap on it to start updating it immediately.

 

Once the Spotify app is updated to the newest version, open it and check the issue’s status.

 

 

12. Re-install The Spotify App on Your Device

If updating the app doesn’t resolve the issue, then you can try reinstalling it. This worked for many users, and you can try the same. Doing this will remove all the existing Spotify app data from the phone and eliminate all the issues with the app. We suggest clean installing the app 🔄 from the native app store.

This ensures to the removal of any faulty or corrupted installations of the Spotify app on your device that might be resulting in this Spotify lock screen issue by installing a new clean version of the app.

For instance, Android users can install the Spotify app from the Google Play Store. At the same time, iOS users can re-install it from the Apple App Store. Also, make sure to remove/uninstall the existing Spotify app from the phone first. We hope this fixes the issue for you.

Follow the steps below to perform the clean install method:

1. First, log out of Spotify. For this, you can go back to the first method if you can’t remember how to log out from the app.
2. Open the Settings app on your phone and then click the Apps tab and search the Spotify app.

 

3. Click the Force Stop button at the lower right corner of the screen and then click the Clear Data button to remove all the data from the Spotify app.
4. If reinstalling the latest version of the Spotify app doesn’t help, you can try installing the old version of the app.

 

 

Conclusion

We all use Spotify a lot to listen to our favourite songs. It’s indeed a great music streaming platform, but the minor issues in the app keep annoying us all the time 🥲. Many users are currently facing an issue with the Spotify app, where they’re unable to get the Spotify playback options on their smartphone’s lock screen.

To fix the Spotify not showing on the lock screen issue, we mentioned 10 tried and tested solutions 🛠️ with detailed explanations. We hope the above-mentioned workarounds help you get the Spotify music playback options on your phone’s lock screen. 😁

As mentioned before if you need help with Spotify not playing songs while in the background, you can check out our guide for that issue and obtain more fixes here.

Once you’ve tried all of the potential solutions written above, you may solve the problem to Spotify not displaying on your phone’s lock screen. Now that you know how to fix your problem, you can enjoy listening to the music or podcast you love!

Once you’ve tried all the listed solutions, share your experience with this troubleshooting guide by answering the questions below. ⬇️

1. Did we help you fix the Spotify playback options not showing on the lock screen issue? 🤔
2. Which of the mentioned solutions helped you fix the issue?
3. Is there any other fix that helped you fix the issue but was not mentioned in this troubleshooting guide?

Also, share this troubleshooting guide with someone who is also facing the same issue with the Spotify app. 😊

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Fixing Spotify Not Showing on Lock Screen Issue

Why Can’t I See Spotify on my Lock Screen?

You need to enable the Devices Lock Screen option in the Spotify app to get Spotify playback options on the lock screen. To enable this option, move to the Settings section of the Spotify app. Then, move to the Devices section and enable the Devices Lock Screen toggle.

 

How Do I Enable Spotify on my Lock Screen?

To get Spotify on your phone’s lock screen, you need to make sure that the Spotify app is allowed to show alerts. To turn on the Spotify app’s notifications, proceed to the Settings section of your phone. Then, search for the Spotify app in the Notifications area, and make sure the Show notifications toggle is enabled.

 

Why Is My Music Not Showing up On My Lock Screen?

There could be varied reasons behind the Music not showing up on my lock screen issue. But the most common cause seems to be background restrictions. It could be possible that the Spotify app isn’t allowed to run in the background, which is why this issue is appearing. You can check Fix 4 to know more about this in detail, along with the steps and screenshots.

 

Why Does Spotify Not Show up on The Lock Screen iPhone?

If this issue appears to you, then it could be possible that you haven’t allowed the Spotify app to show alerts on your phone’s lock screen. To know more about this issue and resolve it, we suggest checking Fix 2 and Fix 6 to learn bout this issue in a comprehensive manner.

 

How Do I Get Spotify on my Lock Screen on Samsung Phones?

Follow the below-mentioned steps to show Spotify on your Samsung phone lock screen:

1. Open the Settings app on your Samsung phone, move to the Applications section, and look for the Spotify app.
2. Then, tap on the Spotify app to open the properties section and proceed to the Notifications section to modify the notification preferences.
3. Now, make sure the Show notifications toggle is enabled. Lastly, ensure that the Playback toggle in the Show notifications section is enabled.