Imagine wanting to groove to your favorite music.
But when you ask Googe Home to play your Spotify playlist…
It ignores you.
You try again, but it won’t load Spotify at all.
What a lousy way to start your morning, right?
But relax. I’m here to help.
Continue reading to learn:
- Reasons why Spotify won’t play on Google Home.
- 9 easy fixes you should try to make your Spotify work again.
- How relinking your Google account to Google Home can fix this problem.
- And much, much more…
Why won’t Google Home play Spotify?
Google Home won’t play Spotify because of outdated software, slow internet connection, or glitches stored in its data. Sometimes, it’s also caused by not setting Spotify as your default music provider and not using the right voice commands.
Google Home won’t play Spotify: 9 fixes
#1: Use the proper voice commands
Before you dive into any technical fixes…
Ensure that you’re using the right voice commands when telling Google Home to play music.
It’s easy to get carried away sometimes and talk to your AI assistant as if you’re talking to a person.
But as AIs, they can only comprehend specific commands that they’re programmed with.
So make sure to say “Hey Google” before you state your command.
Or else your Google Home won’t detect that you’re telling them to do something.
And, if you want to play a song…
The most simple way to command Google Home is to say…
“Hey Google, play (song name).”
Avoid saying your command too creatively, like saying…
“Hey Google, I think it’s time to hear (song name).”
Google Home might not understand your command if you overdo it.
So, keep it simple and concise.
To learn more…
Visit Google’s official guide on commands here.
#2: Know your subscription type
“Google Home keeps playing the wrong Spotify song.”
If so, I know the reason and explanation for your problem.
If your Spotify is working, but it’s not playing the song you want…
The issue is rooting from your subscription type and not your software.
Although you can play both Spotify Free and Premium on your Google Home…
Keep in mind that in Spotify Free, your control over your songs is limited.
With it, you won’t be able to play specific songs and playlists on-demand.
So whenever you ask Google Home for a specific song…
Other similar songs will pop out instead of the one you want.
But fret not, as it’s easy to get around this.
How?
All you need to do is subscribe to Spotify Premium.
Once you subscribe…
You’ll be able to play your favorite music without any limitations or interruptions.
#3: Ensure your Spotify is up to date
If you’re using the correct commands yet, Spotify won’t play at all….
The first fix you should try is to ensure that your Spotify app is updated.
As one of the best music streaming platforms on the market…
Spotify developers regularly put out updates to fix bugs, glitches, and software issues.
So, it’s not unusual to have a missed update or 2 waiting to be downloaded.
The bug you’re experiencing may likely be part of their recent update’s fixes.
So, by updating your Spotify app…
You’ll also fix your Google Home problem.
“Don’t apps update automatically?”
In most cases, they do. But not always.
So, it’s best to manually check if you have an update available for download.
To do a manual Spotify app update on android:
- On your mobile device, go to Google Play Store app.
- Tap your profile icon on the upper right side.
- Tap Manage apps & devices.
- Scroll until you find Spotify.
- If there’s an Update Available beside Spotify’s name, click it.
To do a manual Spotify app update on an iPhone:
- Open App Store.
- Tap your profile on the top-right corner.
- Scroll down to UPCOMING AUTOMATIC UPDATES.
- If you see Spotify, tap the UPDATE beside it.
After updating your app, see if there are any changes.
Further reading: (9 Fixes) Spotify Not Working On Mobile Data
#4: Reboot Google Home
Like most devices, Google Home stores temporary memory and data.
These stored files exist to ensure that your experience with your AI is smooth and efficient.
But similar to people’s memory…
Google Home’s data storage can also store unwanted problems and issues.
So, you need to force Google Home to forget its bad memories.
Luckily, you can easily do this by restarting or rebooting your Google Home Assistant.
And there are 2 ways you can do this:
- Reboot Google Home from its app.
- Reboot your Google Home by unplugging.
Choose which method you want to try, and follow its designated steps below.
Reboot Google Home from its app:
- Make sure that your app is linked to the same account on your device.
- Open your Google Home App.
- Click and hold your device’s tile on the screen.
- On the upper right corner, select Settings or the gear icon.
- Choose More and select Reboot.
Reboot your Google Home by unplugging:
- Go to your Google Home device.
- Unplug its power cord.
- Wait for at least 1 minute.
- Plug your Google Home into your socket again.
This fix is simple, yet you’ll be surprised by how often it can fix recurring issues.
But if you’re one of those who couldn’t make this work, double-check if you…
#5 Set Spotify as your default music provider
When you ask Google Home to play music…
It’ll automatically try to play songs from your default music provider.
So, if you’re using a different default app, this explains why your Spotify won’t play.
“How do I set Spotify as my default music provider?”
Rest assured because it’s simple and easy.
Just follow the steps I’ve written for you down below.
To set Spotify as your music provider:
- Open your Google Home app.
- Tap Account on the top right corner.
- Select Settings.
- Under services, choose Music.
- Select Spotify to be your default music provider.
Note: If you can’t find Spotify on the list under Music, select No default provider instead.
If this didn’t fix the problem, try to…
#6: Fix your internet connection
“What does my internet have to do with Spotify not playing?”
Let’s not forget that the Google Home device connects to its servers through Wifi.
This means that if you’re having internet connectivity issues…
You’ll likely have problems with your Google Home as well.
Your smart device won’t be able to communicate with your app effectively.
And this can stop your command from going through.
“But I have no idea how to fix my internet connection.”
Don’t worry. I got your back.
Here are simple tips to improve your internet connection in seconds:
Tip 1: Restart your router
You can do this by unplugging it from its socket, waiting for 1 minute, and plugging it back to power again.
Tip 2: Place your Wi-fi router closer to your Google Home
Doing this ensures that you’re getting the strongest signal in the shortest amount of time possible.
Tip 3: Reduce the number of devices using your Wi-fi
Having too many users on your Wi-fi reduces the internet signal strength your Google Home is getting.
Reading tip: Solved: Google Home (Mini) Not Connecting to WiFi
#7: Relink your Google account
To play Spotify through your Google Home, they need to be linked together first.
But there are rare instances when errors occur during the linking process.
This results in issues like Spotify songs not playing through your Google Home speakers.
“How can I fix this?”
The simplest way to fix this problem is to re-link your Google account to Google Home again.
But before you can re-link, you need to unlink your account first.
To unlink your Google Account:
- Open your Google Home app.
- Ensure that you’re on the account linked to your Google Home device.
- Tap the devices icon on the upper right corner.
- Find the device you want to unlink.
- Tap the 3 dots on the upper-right of its device card.
- Select Settings > Linked accounts.
- Tap the “X” on your account’s name.
- Choose UNLINK.
For more information on how to unlink your accounts, watch this:
To re-link your Google Account:
- Open your Google Home app again.
- Tap the devices icon on the top-right.
- Find the device you unlinked from earlier.
- Tap the 3 dots on the device card.
- Select Settings.
- Tap the yellow banner on the top of your screen.
- Sign in using your account.
Try checking if Spotify can now play through your Google Home speakers.
#8 Do a clean reinstall of Spotify
“What’s a clean reinstall?”
According to experts…
A clean reinstall is a software installation where the previous versions of the said software are completely erased.
“How is this different from a normal reinstall?”
The 2 differ in the source of data and information.
When you delete and reinstall an app normally…
There are still remaining caches and data hidden on your phone.
So even if you do it…
The issues from your previous app version can resurface on your new one.
But a clean reinstall prevents this from happening.
You won’t just delete your app.
You’ll delete its data too.
Does it sound intimidating?
Don’t worry.
I assure you, it’s much easier to do it than to learn why it works.
The steps to clean and reinstall an app depend on the OS you’re using.
But don’t worry, as I’ve written separate steps for android and iOS users.
For iPhone users:
- Open your Spotify app.
- Go to Settings > Storage > Delete cache.
- Exit Spotify and head to your phone’s Settings.
- Tap General.
- Go to iPhone storage.
- Find Spotify from the apps listed.
- Choose Offload the app.
- Tap the Delete app option.
- Turn your iPhone OFF and wait for 3 minutes.
- Turn ON your phone and install Spotify from the App Store again.
Note: The Android step-by-step process below is only applicable to those who have versions 6.0 and above.
For Android users:
- On your Android, go to Settings.
- Select Apps and tap Spotify.
- Select Storage & Cache > Clear Storage.
- Go back once and select Uninstall.
- Open the File Manager.
- Go to Internal Storage\Android\Data.
- Delete com.spotify.music
- Restart your device.
- Install Spotify from Google Play Store.
Once you’ve clean reinstalled your Spotify app, link it to your Google Home app again.
#9: Factory reset your Google Home
If you’ve tried all fixes already but still can’t make it work…
The last method you can try is to reset your Google Home to its factory defaults.
Note: This will delete all your personalized settings and the linked accounts on your Google Home device.
So, before you proceed, make sure that you know the credentials you need to set it up again.
To reset your Google Home to its factory defaults:
- Find the mic button on your Google Home device.
- Press and hold it for 30 seconds or until you hear the alert.
- Once you hear the signal, continue pressing for at least 10 seconds.
- Wait for the rebooting to finish.
Link your Google account again and set Spotify as your default music provider.
If this doesn’t resolve the issue as well, try to contact Spotify themselves.
To contact Spotify, go to their official Contact Us Page.
The page will direct you to all the different ways to contact Spotify’s team.
“Can I call Spotify directly?”
Unfortunately, no.
Spotify still doesn’t offer phone call assistance to their customers.
But don’t worry.
You can still access them through: