Volume buttons on device don't work when casting

[PeterPan58]

As of Spotify 8.9.xx and newer I can't control the volume on my iPhone when casting to a Chromecast device. I need to go into the slider inside the Spotify app to change the volume.

This is not an iOS or apple issue:

My non working version of Spotify is 8.9.16.556 and just today updated to 8.9.18.xx which has the same bug.

On another iPhone a WORKING version of Spotify is 8.9.14.526

The latter works perfectly fine. It is not a iOS problem but a Spotify bug!

Both iPhones run iOS 17.3.1

If this is not being actively solved by Spotify I'm sorry to say I will cancel my subscription and change to Tidal. This is a CORE functionality.

[timnoo]

Weird thing is. My girlfriend has the exact same phone (iPhone 14 Pro), iOS (17.5.1) AND Spotify version (8.9.64.456). All the settings on OS level that control audio or network are identical (even VPN settings and stuff). She can constantly control the speakers through the physical buttons, I can’t anymore.

I only get the volume controller when I’m inside of the app and press vol-up. So annoying…

If someone has an idea on the settings… happy to compare the two phones.

[Beeeble]

For months I haven’t been able to control the volume for Spotify connect using my iPhone’s volume buttons. Within the last week I have been able to very occasionally, but most of the time it still doesn’t work. 

There must be something else going on here if it can work intermittently?

[djaychirp]

Still broken on iOS version 8.9.66.462. This is my most used feature in my busy life.

Been a subscribers since more than 13+ years and getting **bleep** as the price of loyalty?

Spotify, please fire the developer who broke this and/or the Product Manager who got "creative" and broke this Spotify Connect core feature.

The only consolation is that volume control works by turning the Apple Watch crown but then Spotify app drains the watch battery as it is always in foreground.

[roycomputer]

For anyone still having issues, try closing the app and clearing it from your multitasking menu to restore volume control. My experience is that if i had Spotify open and playing on AirPods or whatever and then switch to cast on Sonos or a speaker then the volume controls don’t work. Quitting the app completely makes it work. 

[Bmack1234]

How can we request this feature back? It’s such a  slow UX right now! It’s the first time Spotify has annoyed me in my years of loyalty. 

[k0rt3x]

Have you heard of Sonos?

Get your act together.

[djaychirp]

This workaround doesn’t work for me. For others, this is unreliable at best.

Let’s call it what it is - a regression and a bug that needs fix and validation testing by Spotify team.

[Sickofthisapp]

I’m about to crash out stop updating your app just leave it how it was this sucks there is no reason why I should not be able to change the volume of my speaker from my phone fix your app.

[DeliciousDom]

There is actually news to this... Including a seemingly redesigned Volume Controll in the app rolling out from 3rd Sept onwards, at least according to this article

https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/29/spotify-points-finger-at-apple-over-an-unwelcome-change-to-volume-...

The New slidernis eben already explained here:

https://support.spotify.com/uk/article/spotify-connect/

Some news from the spotify Team in this support-thread would have appreciated by most I think, beeing ignored not so much...

[RossANZL]

That sucks! Its a pain opening the app up everytime 

[PeterPan58]

I'm not truly convinced about that. We know how two different versions of Spotify where one has worked flawlessly and one hasn't. On the same iOS.

That shouldn't be possible if it's true what spotify says.

They don't give a hoots arsh about their customers.

[roycomputer]

Well it seems like the article was right. There must have been a server side change done last night as without any app updates it worked yesterday and no longer works today. Instead I have the pop up show at the bottom of the screen. What a tragedy. Between Spotify and Apple this has to be one of the worst user experience decisions to have been made. Shame. 

[mcj59]

As a Spotify, Apple and Sonos user, I’m beginning to think there is a conspiracy by tech companies to make my life as miserable as possible! As they clearly don’t give a damn about my business, I’m no longer prepared to give them it. I’m ditching Sonos, will cancel Spotify, and am looking at alternatives to Apple. Thus hitting these companies in the only place that matters to them - their pockets. It’s a pity that the thousands of other impacted users don’t do likewise.

[roycomputer]

Big companies beef and us consumers must suffer. Unfortunately its not as simple as just hopping over to the other options. Not just because of the cost. Often its just a shift to another set of issues. Android at least gives you more freedom and choice than apple but google is known to kill services, and generally not keep as high level of polish as apple, Sonos are still some of the best speakers you can get in this format, and Spotify has the great connect feature where other streaming services need you to use airplay. Allowing Jams with friends and also not draining your phone battery since the speakers stream from the web independently. This all makes it so much more frustrating because were totally at the mercy of these stupid regressive decisions caused by corporate beefs. Not to mention that the amount of users needed to kick up a fuss about this in order to make any change greatly exceeds the amount that care enough about this to do anything. I guess this is why its good to have anti-monopoly regulations in place. So long as they dont back fire and just make the monopolising companies throw hissy fits and just remove features altogether.

[AlejaR]

Hey folks,

Thanks again for raising this to the community.

Spotify is rolling out a new way to control your volume when listening via Spotify Connect on your iPhone. Instead of using the hardware buttons on the side of your iOS device, you will now need to use the volume slider within the Spotify app. This change is a result of Apple discontinuing the technology that powers some of Spotify’s volume controls.

We'll be here if anything else comes up.

[Layla08]

Can we no longer use our volume buttons to change the volume on a speaker?!

[kopurando]

If you use AirPlay, volume still works. But frankly, it's mind blowing how in 2024, age of AI, VR and AR, adjusting volume is still an issue. When exactly did it all go so wrong, people?

[mGlorfindel]

So this only just rolled out to my devices and I must say I am shocked at how Spotify are blaming Apple which feeds into a lot of people’s beliefs. 

However, what I really can’t believe is that no provision was made to add the digital volume control to the Lock Screen widget. The ease of use to just tap the buttons when the device is locked should have been considered with the change. 

I generally don’t like speaking to the Echos to turn the volume up as they are set at odd increments but I suppose I will either have to do that or find another platform. 

[mGlorfindel]

Just add to my reply the reason given is discrepancies in volume but having been listening since 08:00 here the volume has still gone up and down on each song so it seems this is just a tantrum at having to use a certain method enforced by another company. These inter corporation squabbles are pathetic and only hurt the users. 

[mcj59]

It started to go wrong when these companies got too big and too powerful, and started to treat customers as captives to be exploited rather than customers to be served. Then, when things go wrong, they just point fingers at each other rather than work in the best interests of their customers.  Thus customers end up not only being treated like scum, but also the victims of pathetic squabbles between companies. All aided and abetted by ineffective consumer bodies and regulatory oversight.