Spotify is supported by all Samsung Tizen Smart TVs, including all UHD and Crystal UHD ranges, as well as the 4K and 8K QLED ranges.
However, older Samsung TVs running the Orsay operating system will not run Spotify.
Unfortunately, Spotify sometimes does not work properly on a Samsung TV. Some of the most common problems with Spotify on Samsung TVs include:
- Stuck at the welcome screen.
- Spotify app crashes frequently.
- Buffering problem.
- Blank screen.
- Gray screen.
- No sound output.
Keep in mind that Spotify is supposed to work whether you are using the Free version or the Premium version. You don’t need to pay for Spotify for it to work on a Samsung TV.
Here are some troubleshooting tips:
1. Discharge (cold boot) your Samsung TV
Press and hold the “Back” button until your TV takes you to the Samsung Smart Hub. Then, simply relaunch the Spotify app and check to see if the app is working properly now.
If it doesn’t, you’ll need to discharge your Samsung TV.
Press and hold the power button on your Samsung TV remote until the TV turns off and back on. When the TV comes back on, Spotify should work properly now.
If you don’t have your Samsung remote, there’s another way you can discharge your TV.
Keep the Samsung TV turned on, then unplug it from the wall outlet. Hold the power button for 30 seconds while the TV is on and unplugged from the wall outlet. Wait for 5 minutes.
After five minutes, you plug your Samsung TV into the wall outlet and turn it back on. Your Samsung TV should be fine. Open the Spotify app and it should be working.
According to Samsung, your TV can run low on memory, or residual electrical charge can build up on your TV. This can result in some glitches like the Spotify app not working.
Other times, the menu of the TV may not open, or the TV can take a long time to turn on. Discharging or cold booting your TV drains the charge and resets the main board.
2. Open YouTube then switch to Spotify
This workaround is for you if Spotify plays a song but no sound is coming out of your Samsung TV. You’ll need to “trigger” the sound output on the TV to allow Spotify to play music.
On your Samsung TV, switch to the YouTube app and play any random video. Switch back to Spotify and play a song on your TV using the remote control.
I don’t understand how this works, but for some reason, this workaround seems to engage the sound output of the TV. Now, you can control Spotify with your phone or any other device.
It seems to be a bug. I can play YouTube anytime I want on my Samsung TV but not Spotify. If there is no sound output, try this simple workaround that works for me every time.
3. Switch audio format to Dolby Digital
Another workaround you can try if Spotify is not producing any sound output on a Samsung TV is to switch the audio format to Dolby Digital.
To set up your TV’s input audio, navigate to Settings and select Sound, and then select Expert Settings (it’s named “Additional Settings” instead of “Expert Settings” on some Samsung TVs).
Select HDMI Input Audio Format, and choose Dolby Digital. Changing the audio format to Dolby Digital worked amazingly. In my mind, the sound clarity of Spotify is even better!
4. Make sure your Samsung TV displays the correct time
In some cases, the time on your Samsung TV might not be set correctly. It may sound simple, but incorrect time can produce an error on some apps, including Spotify.
Go to Settings, and make sure the time displayed on your Samsung TV is correct. You can also adjust the time to follow the network if the TV is connected to the internet.
5. Make sure your Samsung TV’s software is up to date
You should always keep the software up to date when you’re using a smart TV. Some apps may not work properly if a system update is available and you have yet to update it.
On your Samsung TV, navigate to Settings > Support > Software Update. If there is a new update, you should select “Update now”.
Software updates usually take a few minutes. While your TV is updating, do not turn off the TV and wait until the update is complete. Open Spotify and check if it works normally.
6. Make sure your phone’s software is up to date
If you use your phone to log in to Spotify on your Samsung TV, make sure your phone’s software is up to date. Also, check the Spotify version on the phone.
A friend of mine once tried everything. Resetting, reinstalling Spotify, and clearing the cache on the TV from the device manager, but nothing worked.
Then, she noticed that there was a software update for her Galaxy S10 phone. After she updated the software and used the phone to connect to Spotify, it worked.
Because your phone runs on the same Wi-Fi network as your Samsung TV, the Spotify app may have stopped working since you’re using your phone to run Spotify on the TV.
7. Hook up an Android TV streaming media player
If you’re sick and tired of the buggy Spotify app on Samsung TV, forget about it and just hook up an Android TV streaming media player, which you can connect through HDMI.
This particular affordable media box costs less than $100, is easy to set up, and runs Spotify perfectly. It’s not the best, unlike the NVIDIA SHIELD media player, but it gets the job done.
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