X

10 Spotify Settings to Change for Better Listening

These changes can make Spotify easier to use, or they could save you some money.

Zachary McAuliffe Staff writer
Zach began writing for CNET in November, 2021 after writing for a broadcast news station in his hometown, Cincinnati, for five years. You can usually find him reading and drinking coffee or watching a TV series with his wife and their dog.
Expertise Web hosting, operating systems, applications and software Credentials
  • Apple software beta tester, "Helps make our computers and phones work!" - Zach's grandparents
Zachary McAuliffe
4 min read
Spotify streaming music app

If you haven't changed your Spotify settings, you're missing out.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Spotify has over 456 million users worldwide who enjoy a wide range of musical artists, as well as a large selection of audio and video podcasts

If you've only listened to music or podcasts in the Spotify mobile app and never changed the settings, you're missing out on features that can improve your listening experience. 

Here are 10 Spotify features on the mobile app to crank your listening experience up to 11.

Find an artist's radio page 

Did you know there's an easier way to find an artist's radio playlist instead of searching through their Spotify page? Open an artist's page or album, tap the three dots settings button next to the Follow button. On the next page, tap Go to radio and you will be taken to that artist's radio playlist.  

Use Data Saver

Spotify's Data Saver is one way you can save money while using the app. To turn Data Saver on, open the Spotify app, tap the gear icon and tap Data Saver. You can choose to set your music quality to low or stream the audio from video podcasts when you aren't on Wi-Fi. There's also an option to only download the audio from video podcasts to save memory on your phone.

Music on the Spotify app

Changing these settings in the Spotify app can save you money, improve the audio and more. 

James Martin/CNET

Turn on Offline mode

Offline mode can be good if you're running out of data on your mobile plan, or if you only want to listen to what you've downloaded. To enable Offline mode, open the Spotify app, tap the gear icon, tap Playback and tap the switch next to Offline. Once enabled, premium members will be able to listen to downloaded songs and podcasts and free users will be able to listen to downloaded podcasts. 

Turn on Gapless Playback

Gaps between songs can be annoying. Turning on Gapless Playback can make the songs on a playlist or album overlap so it feels like a continuous flow of music from your favorite DJ. To turn it on, open the Spotify app, tap the gear icon, tap Playback and tap the switch next to Gapless Playback. Above Gapless Playback, there is a Crossfade slider that lets you adjust how much overlap songs have with each other. You can choose between zero and 12 seconds depending on your preference.

Manage Autoplay for similar songs

If the album or playlist you are listening to comes to an end, Autoplay will play similar songs to the album or playlist that ended. This feature is automatically on, but to turn it off or back on, open the Spotify app, tap the gear icon, tap Playback and scroll down to Autoplay. You'll see the options On this device and On other devices with switches next to them 
under Autoplay. If the switches are enabled, after your Action Bronson album ends, you might start hearing Chance the Rapper or Mac Miller. If the switches disabled, the music stops once the album ends. Autoplay works whether you shuffle an album or playlist or play them straight through. The feature won't work if you use Spotify's repeat feature for albums or playlists.

Enable voice commands 

Spotify no longer supports voice commands in its mobile app, but you can still connect to voice assistants like Alexa to use voice commands. To enable voice commands for assistants and apps, open the Spotify app, tap the gear icon and tap Voice Assistants & Apps. There is an option to enable notifications for suggestions on your device to connect to voice assistants and apps. If enabled, Spotify will help you link your account to these other assistants and apps.

Manage your app notifications

Spotify can send you push alerts or email notifications for things like new music from artists you follow, virtual or in-person concerts from your favorite acts or other Spotify news. These are automatically on, but if you want to turn them off open the Spotify app, tap the gear icon and tap Notifications. In the next menu you'll see options like Music & Artist Recommendations and Audiobooks. Tap into the options you want notifications for and you'll be able to turn on push and/or email notifications for your selected items.

Start a Private session

Spotify makes recommendations based on what users listen to. If you want to listen to the Jonas Brothers, a guilty pleasure you would never tell anyone about, without being recommended to 5 Seconds of Summer, start a Private session. To do this, open Spotify, tap the gear icon and tap Privacy & Social. Private session will be the top option. Now you can listen without fear of unwanted recommendations. 

Adjust your audio quality

Spotify audio quality settings

Adjusting your audio quality on Spotify is easy.

Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET

The Spotify app also lets you adjust your base volume, audio quality and even access an equalizer. Changing these settings can improve your audio quality for any situation. Check out CNET's article detailing how to change these settings

Reorder your playlists

If you keep making and losing playlists, Spotify makes it easy to organize and reorder your playlists. The app lets you sort playlists by Recently played, Recently added, Alphabetical and Creator. You can also create a Custom order, but you have to do that on a desktop. Check out CNET's article on how to change the order of your Spotify playlists.

For more on Spotify, read how to find the lyrics to what's playing on Spotify or check out Spotify's revamped design.

Watch this: Spotify's Car Thing, Demystified