Spotify shuffle not working? – Here’s the reason

As one of the most popular music streaming services on the planet, Spotify has a reputation to uphold when it comes to user satisfaction.

This covers everything from ensuring the app is regularly updated with new music to constantly looking to evolve the app with new features to draw customers away from their competitors.

One feature which the has had since its early years is the shuffle feature, and it’s a reason why many users say Spotify is worth the cost. This feature allows users to randomise the order of a certain playlist or album that they are listening to.

The reason for this feature is to make a playlist or album seem different every time you listen to it, which should in theory extend the shelf life of said playlist or album.

It’s a very popular feature and used by many of Spotify’s users. But, what do you do if Spotify shuffle isn’t working? If you’re currently encountering this problem then you’ve come to the right place – let’s get to the bottom of it.

Spotify shuffle not working – Why this happens

If Spotify’s shuffle feature is not working properly, there could be several reasons behind the issue. Here are some potential causes and troubleshooting steps you can consider:

1. App Glitches: The Spotify app might have encountered a temporary glitch. Closing and reopening the app can sometimes resolve this.
2. Outdated App Version: If you’re using an older version of the Spotify app, it may not function correctly. Make sure the app is updated to the latest version available in the App Store or Google Play Store.
3. Cache Issues: The cache is where Spotify saves data to help the app run faster, but sometimes it can get corrupted. Clearing the cache in the app’s settings or deleting and reinstalling the app may solve the problem.
4. Account Issues: There might be an issue with your Spotify account. Try logging out and back in to reset your account status.
5. Device Problems: Sometimes the problem might be with your device rather than Spotify. Restarting your device can resolve unseen issues affecting the app’s performance.
6. Streaming Quality Settings: If your streaming quality is set to the highest level and your internet connection is unstable, Spotify may struggle to shuffle and play songs smoothly. Try lowering the streaming quality in the settings.
7. Connectivity Issues: An unstable or weak internet connection could affect how Spotify functions, including the shuffle feature. Check your internet connection and try again.
8. Premium vs Free Version: The shuffle feature may behave differently on the free version of Spotify compared to the premium version. For instance, on mobile devices, non-premium users can sometimes only shuffle songs in certain playlists.
9. Playlist or Song Limit: If you have a very large playlist, sometimes the shuffle function may not work correctly due to the limitations in the algorithm handling large sets of data.
10. Crossfade Feature: If the crossfade feature is on, it may sometimes interfere with how shuffle works. Try turning off crossfade in the settings.
11. Listening on Multiple Devices: If you’re logged into Spotify on multiple devices, it may cause unexpected behavior with the shuffle functionality. Ensure you’re only using one device at a time.
12. Feature Updates or Bugs: Occasionally, Spotify may update features or have bugs that temporarily disable or affect certain functionalities like shuffle. Checking Spotify’s community forums or help section can inform you if it’s a widespread issue.

These are the most common reasons why this happens. Let’s dive into what you can actually do to resolve the issue.

Re-install the app

The easiest way to fix Spotify shuffle is to perform a ‘clean re-install’ of the app.

The reason for shuffle not working is usually down to bugs within the app. The good news is that performing a clean reinstall will ensure that these are wiped out.

To perform a clean reinstall on an iOS device please follow these steps:

1. Open Spotify and navigate to the settings part of the app.
2. Select ‘storage’ and then select ‘delete cache’.
3. Now navigate away from the app and go to your phone’s settings.
4. Select ‘General’ and then ‘iPhone storage’.
5. Select Spotify from the list of apps that appear and then select ‘offload the app’.
6. Once you’ve done this, now delete the app.
7. Turn your phone off, then wait a minute or two, then turn it back on again.
8. Head to the app store and redownload Spotify.

In the majority of cases, this will allow you to use Spotify Shuffle.

However, if you find that Spotify shuffle still isn’t working for you after you’ve performed a clean reinstall then there are still some options available to you. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Check for updates

If you are running Spotify on an old version then some of its features, including shuffle, can play up.

To check to see if you need to update the app on an iOS device, head to the app store and select your profile icon on the top right hand side of the screen.

This will then bring up a screen which shows you which of your apps need updating to the latest version.

Making sure the Spotify app is working properly requires you to continually update it, as this allows the devs to fix any ongoing bugs with older versions.

If Spotify requires an update then it will appear here and will give you the option to select ‘update’ next to it.

There is a way for you to ensure that updates are never the root cause of any of your apps’ problems and this is to turn on automatic app updates.

To do this on an iOS device, head to your phone’s settings and select ‘App Store’.

Once you’re on this page you need to ensure that the bar next to ‘app updates’ underneath the automatic downloads sub heading is slid to green.

It’s also worth clearing a bit of storage space on your phone to ensure that these updates can happen seamlessly.

Having enough space free on your device is needed to update the app, which can in turn help to ensure your Spotify Shuffle plays properly.

Use a third party website to shuffle your songs

If you’ve tried the above suggestions and find that your shuffle still isn’t working then it’s unlikely that you are going to resolve the issue any time soon.

If this is the case then we suggest using www.spotifyshuffler.com to randomise your playlists.

To use this service, all you need to do is log in to your Spotify account via the website and then select a playlist or album that you want shuffled.

Before you use Spotify Shuffler, we would recommend that you turn off shuffle on your Spotify app to avoid any conflicts when logging in to the third party site.

Many users have reported positive feedback from Spotify Shuffler, claiming that it offers a true randomisation of your tracks rather than the algorithm-based approach that Spotify takes which ends up regularly throwing the same songs at you over and over again.

If you’ve fallen out with Spotify over the shuffle feature not working then don’t worry, there are plenty of other music streaming services available to you.

Check out the likes of Apple Music and Amazon Music if you’re looking for something new.

Conclusion

Shuffle not working on Spotify is a common and annoying issue that the developers need to sort out as soon as possible.

It isn’t right that users should have to perform a clean reinstall of any app, never mind one as big and as popular as Spotify.

We do hope that our above suggestions do help you to get shuffle working again, but if they don’t then as we mentioned earlier, feel free to check out some of the other services out there which may work better for you.