Spotify users are reporting a major bug with the current version of the Android app. The bug means that the Now Playing bar which usually sits near the bottom of the screen, just above Home, Search, and Your Library, keeps disappearing, seemingly at random. Thankfully, Spotify is aware of the issue, and is seeking to fix it in a future update.
Users Report Their Now Playing Bar Keeps Disappearing
Across Spotify’s Community forums and on Reddit, Spotify users have been complaining that the Now Playing bar keeps disappearing from the app. According to the reports from those affected, this happens at random times, with no discernible pattern. One minute, they’re listening to a song or podcast without any issues, but the next minute, they cannot pause or skip what’s currently playing, as the Now Playing bar has disappeared from the screen.
The problem seems to be limited to Android users running the latest version of the Spotify app, strongly suggesting that Spotify has inadvertently introduced the bug with the latest update.
The bug seems to be mostly affecting Samsung handsets, but that could just be based on how many users have Samsung phones these days. It also doesn’t seem to matter which version of Android you’re running, with complaints from those using Android 11 and Android 12.
This writer has first-hand experience of this, and it has made using Spotify a chore for several days. I asked Spotify for help on Twitter, and had a long and winding back and forth leading to me clearing the data and cache, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and various other attempts at fixes. All to no avail, as the problem persists. And when the Now Playing bar disappears while you’re playing something, the only solution is to force-stop the app.
Spotify Acknowledges the Problem, Promises a Future Fix
Spotify has now acknowledged this disappearing Now Playing bar bug exists in an update on Spotify Community, with a promise to fix the issue in a future update. The company is asking affected users to «make sure you set your Spotify app to update automatically», which it claims «should soon do the trick».
The streaming service has linked to the support page detailing how to switch on automatic updates. Whether you choose to do so or not, it suggests that a fix isn’t too far away.
What to Do If Your Now Playing Bar Keeps Disappearing
If you’re currently experiencing this bug, and finding that the Now Playing bar keeps disappearing from the Spotify app, your choices are limited.
You can either stop using Spotify altogether until the company updates the app with a fix, or put up with the bug interrupting playback.
If the Now Playing bar does disappear from your screen while using the Spotify app, go to Settings > Apps and scroll down to Spotify. Then open the App Info page and select Force Stop. This should force Spotify to close, ending playback. When you reopen the app, the Now Playing bar will have magically returned, at least temporarily.
Bugs Are Inevitable, But This One Needs Fixing ASAP
All companies mess up occasionally, whether by introducing bugs such as this one or leaking users’ private data. In the big scheme of things, this isn’t too bad, and people will forgive Spotify if it’s quickly and easily remedied.
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