What Is Spotify Connect and How Does It Work?

Use this feature to listen on a variety of devices

The Spotify streaming service provides access to a lot of great music. With Spotify Connect, one device can be a remote control for your music on any of your other compatible devices.

How Spotify Connect Works

Spotify syncs to the Spotify cloud server. When you stream 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.

Spotify Connect Operation Diagram
Marantz / Sound United

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.

    Spotify Connect with Smartphone – Choosing a 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.

    Connect to a device dialog in Spotify
  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]."

    Spotify PC App Green Bar Device Confirmation

If you're listening to Spotify on your smartphone and want to transfer music to your PC, the PC must be turned on with the Spotify app open.

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.

    Connect to a device dialog in Spotify Web Player
  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]."

    Spotify Web Player Green Bar Device Confirmation

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.

Spotify Connect allows you to transfer local or Spotify music from your PC or laptop to your smartphone if you have a Premium account. The smartphone is listed as one of your available devices.

Spotify Connect Compatible Devices

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

Spotify Connect Benefits

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, you can use it with a multi-room audio system like Sonos. When you send music from Spotify to a Sonos speaker, you can play the Spotify feed on other Sonos speakers you might have. 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.

With Bluetooth and Airplay, your phone needs to stay on while playing music from Spotify. The music streams from the phone to the chosen device rather than from the cloud to the selected device.

FAQ
  • Can I disable Spotify Connect?

    No. If you want to listen to Spotify without Connect active, download the music you want to listen to and switch to Offline Mode in the app settings.

  • What quality is Spotify Connect?

    For free Spotify, the audio quality is 160 kbps. For Premium accounts, the maximum is 320 kbps.

  • Why won't my device connect with Spotify?

    Make sure the device with the Spotify app is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the device you're trying to set up. There may be further device-specific setup steps required to connect to your Spotify account. If Spotify isn't working still, you could be having internet or Bluetooth connection issues, or there could be an outage on Spotify's end.

  • Can I connect Spotify to Discord?

    Yes. To connect Spotify to Discord, on the Discord website, go to Settings > Connections, then select the Spotify icon (the green circle with three black lines). You can then listen to other people's playlists and share your music with friends on Discord.

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