A fairly common complaint is that Spotify works normally while the phone screen is on, but once the screen turns off, songs begin skipping, pausing, or jumping to the next track on their own. Sometimes playback stops entirely after a few seconds. When the screen wakes again, Spotify behaves normally.
This usually isn’t a Spotify bug. In most cases, the phone is aggressively managing background apps to save battery. When the screen turns off, the system limits Spotify’s background activity, interrupts its connection, or shuts down audio processing temporarily. The result looks like random skipping.
Check Battery Optimization Settings
Battery optimization is the most common cause.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps → Spotify.
- Tap Battery.
- Select Unrestricted or Allow background usage.
On some Android devices, this option may appear as “Don’t optimize” or “No restrictions.” After changing it, restart Spotify and test playback with the screen off.
Disable Background App Restrictions
Many phones add an extra layer of background control beyond standard battery settings.
- Open Settings → Battery.
- Look for Background limits, Sleeping apps, or App management.
- Remove Spotify from any restricted or sleeping app list.
If Spotify appears under deep sleep or restricted apps, the system will interrupt playback as soon as the screen locks.
Allow Background Data Usage
If Spotify loses network access when idle, tracks may skip while trying to reconnect.
- Open Settings → Apps → Spotify.
- Select Mobile data & Wi-Fi.
- Enable Background data and Unrestricted data usage.
This is especially important if Data Saver mode is enabled.
Turn Off Data Saver or Power Saving Mode
System-wide power saving features often interfere with streaming apps.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Battery.
- Disable Power Saving, Ultra Power Saving, or similar modes.
Test again with the screen locked. If skipping stops, the restriction was system-level.
Clear Spotify Cache
Corrupted cached data can cause playback instability during background operation.
- Open Settings → Apps → Spotify.
- Tap Storage.
- Select Clear Cache.
Do not clear data unless necessary, as it logs you out.
Check Bluetooth Device Behavior
If you’re connected to earbuds or a car system, automatic media controls may trigger skips when the device enters low-power mode. Disconnect Bluetooth temporarily and test playback using the phone speaker.
Alternative Fix: Reinstall Spotify
If none of the above changes help, remove Spotify completely and install a fresh copy from the Play Store or App Store. This resets background permissions that sometimes remain misconfigured after updates.
Once Spotify is allowed to run freely in the background, playback should continue normally even after the screen turns off.