Headphone Controls sometimes ignored or starts LG stock music player

[Chetic]

Phone: LG G2

Sometimes when I've listened to music without unlocking my phone or changing song for a while, if I try to change song with the headphone controls the stock music player takes over. However most of the time nothing happens when I press the change song button.

I have two sets of headphones with controls and both have this problem.

[Daniel]

So they work on for a while, but if left untouched for a period of time they stop working? Sounds like android closing the hook. Can you confirm?

[Chetic]

Yes that is correct. Is there anything I can do about it?

[Daniel]

I don't think so I'm afraid. I don't think it's anything Spotify can do either as it'll be android handling the processes more aggressively due to the screen being off. If you're at a desk you can keep the screen on when charging by enabling the option in 'developer options'.

Let me have a think if that's another way.

[Chetic]

Any ideas?

Is it possible the native music player (the one that sometimes starts when I press the button) steals the headphone controls hook at regular intervals in locked mode? I wonder what  I could do about that since it's impossible to uninstall it. It's kind of ridiculous how the Android platform design allows for these kinds of problems.

[Daniel · Accepted solution]

Hi. Sorry for the delay. I'm wondering if using a dedicated app to manage the headset controls may help.

Can you try installing the app below, configure it and let me know how you get on?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.jays.headsetcontrol

The next idea is a clean install to see if that may help force the app to take control of the relevant hooks

[Chetic]

Yes!

I can confirm installing JAYS Headset Control and configuring it to target Spotify solved the problem. It's not a beautiful solution but seems to work reliably. Thanks a lot, Daniel!

[Daniel]

Great, glad it's working for you. I'm baffled as to why, I assume must be some hook the stock player is putting onto the control. I know it's not ideal, but at least this work-around is doing what you need.

Thanks for coming back to let me know it works!