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Put down your iPhone and DJ your Spotify music with your voice

iOS 13 and iPadOS let you start, stop, change tracks and play a podcast using your voice.

Jason Cipriani Contributing Writer, ZDNet
Jason Cipriani is based out of beautiful Colorado and has been covering mobile technology news and reviewing the latest gadgets for the last six years. His work can also be found on sister site CNET in the How To section, as well as across several more online publications.
Jason Cipriani
2 min read
spotfiy-siri

Ask Siri, and you shall receive anything from your Spotify account. 

Jason Cipriani/CNET

It's been a long time coming, but you can finally use Siri on your iPhone or iPad to control Spotify. Start and stop music, change tracks or start playing a podcast using your voice. 

Spotify updated its iOS app with support for voice commands on the iPhone iPad  and   AirPods  as well as   CarPlay , and when using AirPlay to listen to your Spotify library on a HomePod

The release of iOS 13 and iPadOS last month made Siri's new control functionality possible, and it didn't take long for Spotify to take advantage. 

Watch this: iOS 13: Cool features you'll want to try now

What you need to control Spotify with Siri

Your iPhone or iPad has to be updated to iOS 13 or iPadOS, and the latest version of Spotify's app

Installing iOS 13 or iPadOS is easy: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any pending updates. We have a complete installation guide, including what you should do to get your device ready

Remember, updating your apps on iOS 13 and iPadOS is a little different now, but we walk you through it

23-ios-13-beta

Siri and Spotify are BFFs now. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

What do you say?

With your iPhone or iPad updated, and the latest version of Spotify installed, you don't need to do anything special. Activate Siri, just as you normally would, and give a command like, "Play NF on Spotify." 

I've been able to accomplish the same thing by saying "with Spotify" and "using Spotify." On one occasion, Siri misheard me and thought I said "Play NF Spotify" and it still worked. The key is to make sure to say Spotify at the end of the command, although Spotify's official guidance is to use "on Spotify," so if you're having trouble getting commands to work, try saying that. 

According to Spotify, some supported Siri commands include:

  • Play track / artist / album / station on Spotify
  • Play personal playlist on Spotify
  • Play personal curated playlist (e.g. Discover Weekly) on Spotify
  • Play some new releases on Spotify
  • Play podcast on Spotify

Additionally, if you're listening to a song and want to know the name, you can ask Siri, "What song is this on Spotify?" or, "What's playing on Spotify?" and get the current information. 

Controlling Spotify with Siri is a nice addition to iOS 13 and iPadOS, joining other new features such as systemwide dark mode, much-improved Apple Maps and a new gesture keyboard that finally lets you swipe to type.

Apple iOS 13: Top new features

See all photos

Originally published earlier this week.