Some people have experienced Spotify that keeps playing but no sound coming out. The song advances (the time stamp moves forward) but you can’t hear anything.
I’ve searched for answers online but none of the answers worked for me. If you’re dealing with the same issue, here are some of the things you can do based on the device you’re using.
1. Choose the device to listen on
If you use Spotify on multiple devices (mobile phone and computer, for example), it gets confused. The first thing you should check is what device Spotify is currently streaming on.
In the bottom right of the Spotify client, there is an icon next to the volume slider. When you click on that, you will see your devices and “Listening On” assigned to one of them.
Switch to your current device and everything goes back to normal. If you choose the wrong device, Spotify will keep playing a song but no sound will come out.
This may be common knowledge but none of my Google searches gave me this answer, so I wanted to share this information in case anyone else has been similarly frustrated.
2. Media volume output is not turned on (mobile)
This applies to mobile phones. Often, there can be different settings for different sounds. For example, the volume slider is different for media and phone calls.
Be sure to adjust the volume for the media playback. It could be that the volume slider is turned all the way up for phone calls but is actually turned down for media (Spotify).
3. Check the volume mixer (headphones)
If Spotify is not playing audio on your PC through your headphones, check the volume in the volume mixer which you can access by right-clicking the sound icon on the taskbar.
This troubleshooting step applies if you’re using headphones. Often, Spotify would play on a computer. Songs would play through speakers just fine, but no sound through headphones.
You’ll need to right-click the sound icon on the taskbar, then open the volume mixer. From there, make sure Spotify is set at a regular volume and the mute icon isn’t on.
The solution is that simple. Of course, you can also go through the regular troubleshooting steps of restarting Spotify, restarting your computer, and changing the settings too.
However, the problem with Spotify playing but no sound through the headphones is simple because the mute icon is turned on. I hope this helps someone who uses headphones.
4. Skip the first song (Bluetooth speakers)
Another problem some people encounter is when streaming a song from Spotify through a speaker (like Sonos). The song is playing but there is no sound coming from the speaker.
You’ll know this because the time stamp on the song advances but there is no sound.
First, try skipping the first song. Often, I have to skip the first song and then the Sonos speaker starts playing. It’s a bit of a hassle, but after doing this, the sound works every time.
You can also use the speaker app to control Spotify playback. For example, if you use a Sonos speaker to play Spotify, use the Sonos app to change songs instead of Spotify.
Lastly, push the volume up button on your phone. If you use the mobile Spotify app, pushing the volume button up triggers the sound output. It starts playing after that.
I’ve had this problem for as long as I’ve had Sonos. A bit annoying, but I got used to it. Unfortunately, this happens not only for Spotify but for YouTube and Amazon Music too.
5. Clear CPU and RAM
Spotify can keep playing but no sound is coming out if your RAM is too full. Check the storage usage of the current device you’re using and see how much space is left in your RAM.
If there isn’t much space left (less than 25%) then it could cause the problem. Overloaded RAM can make almost all applications on your device not work properly.
To solve this issue, close some apps that you’re not using. Go to the storage settings and clear RAM if your device has such settings. You can also uninstall some unused apps.
This troubleshooting step applies to both mobile and desktop.
6. Always keep your Spotify app updated
If nothing works, you should also check the version of your Spotify app. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to update the Spotify app. Some bugs will be gone by then.
Just like any other software, Spotify developers release new updates to fix bugs and errors. If the sound is not coming out, maybe all you need is a simple app update.
If you’re using the Spotify Web Player (browser version), you can clear your recent cookies and cache, then use Spotify Web Player to play your music again.
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