What Is Spotify Connect and How Does It Work?

The Spotify streaming service provides access to a lot of great music. Still, you might not want to listen on the same device as you go about your day. When you get home from work or finish doing errands, you might want to listen to your favorite songs on your PC, home audio system, or TV.

With Spotify Connect, one device can serve as a remote control for your music on any of your other compatible devices.

How Spotify Connect Works

Spotify is synced to the Spotify cloud server. When you listen to streaming music, it's sent from the cloud unless you use Spotify's offline mode.

The Spotify Connect feature allows you to control your music on various compatible listening devices on the same Wi-Fi network, including speakers, smart TVs, Amazon Echo, Google Home, Chromecast, PCs, and many more.

What You Need to Use Spotify Connect

Before you can transfer Spotify music from one device to another, you need the following:

• A Spotify account.
• Connect your Spotify-compatible devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
• An up-to-date Spotify app or current software on all compatible devices.

How to Use Spotify Connect With Smartphones and Tablets

Here's how to use your smartphone or tablet to select another device to play music:

1. Open Spotify on your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet and play a song.

2. Tap Devices Available at the bottom of the screen.

3. Tap the device you want to listen to your music on.

4. Your smartphone returns to the play screen and displays the new device name at the bottom of the screen, and your music begins playing on the chosen device.

How to Use Spotify Connect With PCs and Laptops

Here's how to use your PC or laptop to choose the device that plays music:

1. Open Spotify on your PC or laptop and play music.

2. Select Connect to a Device in the lower-right corner of the Spotify screen.

3. Select the device you want to play the music on.

4. A green bar displays at the bottom of the screen with the words "Listening on [name of the device]."

How to Use Spotify Connect With the Spotify Web Player

Here's how to use a web browser to choose the device that plays music:

1. Open Spotify in a compatible web browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Opera) and play music.

2. Select Connect to a Device in the lower-right corner of the Spotify screen.

3. Choose a device from the list.

4. A green bar displays at the bottom of the screen with the words, "You're Listening on [name of the device]."

Using Spotify Connect With Free vs. Premium Accounts

Initially, Spotify Connect only worked with the Premium subscription plan. However, it now works with the free plan with a catch. Not all Spotify Connect compatible devices work with the free service option.

Devices That Spotify Connect Works With

Some of these devices are compatible with Free and Premium accounts (such as Google devices), while others only work with Premium-only accounts (such as Alexa devices).

• Wireless speakers: Sonos, B&W, Bose, and Marshall
• Smart speakers: Google Home, Amazon Echo, Harman Kardon Invoke, and Sonos One
• Home theater receivers and HiFi components: Select models by Anthem, Denon, Marantz, Onkyo, and Sony
• Smart TVs: Select models from LG, Samsung, and Sony
• Video and music streamers: Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Roku
• Game consoles: Nvidia Shield, Xbox One, and Sony PlayStation 4
• Wearables: Samsung and Google
• Cars: Select models from BMW, Ford, Jaguar, and Land Rover
  

The Bottom Line

Spotify Connect makes listening to music convenient. As you move from location to location in the same network (such as your house or office), you can transfer music from one device to another without losing a beat.

Here are some additional benefits of Spotify Connect:

• Make and receive phone calls without stopping the music.
• Once you select a device, you can turn off your smartphone, PC, or laptop, and the music plays on the designated device.
• Although Spotify Connect only allows streaming music playback transfer to one device at a time, you can use it with a multi-room audio system, such as Sonos. When you send music from Spotify to a Sonos speaker, you can play the Spotify feed on other Sonos speakers you might have at the same time. A Spotify Premium subscription is required.
• If you have a Premium account and are listening in offline mode, you can use Spotify to play music on more than one device at a time.
• Although you can use Spotify with Bluetooth instead of Spotify Connect, the quality isn't as good.
• iPhone or iPad owners can use Spotify with Airplay.