Issues with google cast support

[hiyakker]

I'm on Family premium plan running on Android and Windows across numerous devices.  We mostly listen via various Google Home devices which used to be a bit clunky, but usable. There have been recent changes that now seem to make Spotify a very poor experience with such devices.

1. On desktop (windows) the new "connect to device" behaviour doesn't provide any Google home devices as an option. You have to start playing via the mobile app first, then only the active device gets picked up.  This appears to be deliberate, but is really cack-handed.

2. From mobile device the UX is still as clunky as ever, but now the connection is unreliable too. devices continually fail to start playing (connection noise on device heard, by spotify gets hung on "connecting" in app). This is only fixable by forcing the app to close and re-launching. 

3. Via desktop or mobile app you have to reconnect to the device after pausing playback.

4. Mobile and desktop app will often claim to be playing different music on the same device. 

5. Devices will often not appear on the list (even though groups with those same devices in might appear and work fine). This seems to be last used device disappearing off the list, which is particularly annoying.

[hiyakker]

Addition to this above:

6. Cast devices disconnect mid-track

[kerr1ck]

Same here; I have a brand new Chromecast which Spotify on iOS sees quite readily, but the windows app does not, despite both the phone seeing the laptop and vice versa.

[hiyakker]

I hope that you sort it.  I've just gone back to Play Music and plan to cancel my spotify membership shortly. A paint as it means losing my playlists, but Cast support is critical to me and Play recommendations are way better anyway. 

[motobecane42]

This is happening to me too. Spotify Chromecast support has always been indifferent, but this is verging on making Spotify useless to me.

[TK1578]

yeah its really annoying!

[frecky13]

YES - this post and these comments mention the entire potpourri of issues I am experiencing with my devices. I have a Google Home Hub, Google Home, and two Google Home Minis that I cast to from my Google Pixel 2 XL. I wish I could cast to them using my Windows 10 computer. My computer doesn't see the Google devices as a cast option, but it does see my campus office computer as an option. The disconnection mid-track, having to reconnect after pausing, and hanging on connecting issues are SUCH a pain. I'm also annoyed by the fact that when I request a single song by name it plays the song... then it plays it again and proceeds with playing similar music. The song issue may or may not be related to casting, I haven't done enough testing to isolate the variables. 

Is it just me or did most of these issues appear in the last 6 months? Casting and requesting songs used to be such a smooth experience - either that or it didn't happen enough to get on my nerves.

[acid_c]

i have the same issues with my chromecast and its been going on for over two months  now. (i was apart from my gadgets since june last year and only got back mid feb)

its only with spotify as all other streaming apps work just fine as well as screen mirroring

its really frustrating as neither my computer or my mobile are connected to good speakers so casting on tv is the best way to listen with better playback quality

seems to me that Spotify is not very concerned in solving theese isues as the original message've been going unsolved for over two weeks? 

[BridgetH]

I've been having the issue with my cast devices disconnect mid-track. It now happens every time I try to cast, it will disconnect 3-5 times in a row before finally working as normal. On some occasions it will pause mid-track for no reason but remain connected. I also have the issue with it disconnecting when paused. My issues have been happening over the last 2 months with more and more frequency. I cast from an android phone to a standard chromecast device. All devices are up to date, and I have done all the standard troubleshooting, reinstalling apps/rebooting devices and network connections/reconfiguring the chrome device. But the issue persists.

[MattSuda]

@hiyakker  @kerr1ck 

Good news!

You can now find Chromecast in the connect "devices available" menu in the Spotify desktop app and browser web player. Now you can cast your music to Chromecast from the desktop app without having to use the iOS or Android app.

Make sure your Spotify desktop app is up to date

I've seen a few other people say it also shows Google Home devices. Do they show up for you?

[hiyakker]

That sounds like good news. Too little too late for me though. With the app unusable for months and no response from Spotify I cancelled out family account and went elsewhere.