Lock screen controls on Pixel 4/Android 10

[tweedleedee]

I just set up my new Pixel 4 yesterday, and one thing I notice is that the Spotify widget with playback controls no longer appears on the lock screen. Now, the Pixel 4 does have the ability to use gestures (i.e. wave your hand) to skip forward or back while locked, but as far as I can tell, there is no way to pause playback from the lock screen. I have to pick up the phone and unlock it to pause/play on the app, and that's annoying.

I thought I looked through all the settings to make sure they are set correctly but maybe I am missing something. Ideas?

Premium plan

United States

Device: Pixel 4

Operating System: Android 10

[Johbra]

I have the same problem. This seems more like a feature of the Pixel 4 however.

[keeno79]

Can confirm its the same for me running Spotify premium on a Pixel 4 XL in the UK.

I can get to the now playing screen via the drop-down notification menu, but the little section that used to be at the bottom of the app when you were playing a song, is no longer there.

[tweedleedee]

Ah... I actually forgot that I could pull down the notification menu on the lock screen, and you're right, the controls do show up there. So, it's an extra step from just having it in a fixed place on the lock screen, but a little better than unlocking and opening the app to pause or play. Thanks for the reminder. 🙂

[keeno79]

Looks like it has just been fixed. New Spotify update solved it.

[tweedleedee]

Hmm, just updated and it looks the same to me. But reading your first message, I'm not actually sure we were talking about the same issue. You seemed to be talking about the controls on the app itself when you had it open, rather than the control widget that used to* display on the lock screen.

*I am coming from an original Pixel all the way to the 4, so it's possible this control widget went away way before this and I just never knew.

[Twink182]

I'm having the same trouble and I am pretty frustrated. I've checked every setting imaginable and no dice.

[Twink182]

Ah, I turned off the setting to unlock my phone with face recognition and that brings back regular lock screen widgets. Looks like if you want to unlock with face recognition, thats the thing you lose.

[tweedleedee · Accepted solution]

Okay after some more research I found another option. You can keep your face unlock on, but if you deactivate the "Skip Lock Screen" option (under Settings > Security > Face unlock), you can get that control widget back. As well as your other full notifications. Basically with that setting turned off when your face unlocks the phone, instead of going straight to your last used app/screen, it brings up the old standard lock screen (which has the Spotify widget, notifications that you can interact with, notification content, etc.). You then just have to swipe up from there to get to fully unlocked. One extra step.

This article does a pretty good job of explaining the why and how. 🙂 

So, it's a tradeoff, if you want the full convenience of face unlock. It might just feel uncomfortable now because it's a brand new change, I'm hoping I'll just get used to it!

[Twink182]

Amazing, thank you!!

[Johbra]

This is the solution.

[dbeavers2010]

Ok, I just figured out the way without removing Face Unlock (and without disabling Skip Lock Screen). If your phone is locked no notification displayed (black screen), then press the power button to bring up the lock screen and simply swipe down from the top of the screen (where the lock icon is) and you have the controls just like before.

I hope this helps, too.

[honaschofa]

I figured it out! It took me forever. I had all notifications turned on except for "sensitive notifications" These are the ones that show up on the lock screen of Pixel 4. Hope this helps everyone!

[INVADEM]

Thank so much! This did it. It also makes it super easy now to use gestures. Hitting the power button on the phone to bring it to the lock screen, you can now just wave your hand over the lock screen to switch between last and next songs. 

[greiko]

This solution works !! Thanks