I’ve had Spotify app on my Apple Watch Series 6 for a while now. And I’ve had instances when this music streaming service crashed or didn’t work at all.
Often, Spotify fail to work on Apple Watch because Bluetooth is off, the app froze, there’s no Wi-Fi connection, or the app requires an update. Besides network issues, it’s possible that your headsets aren’t working, making it impossible to listen to Spotify on Apple Watch.
Fortunately, I’ve fixed the Spotify not working on Apple Watch problem more than once. So if you’re facing a similar issue, this guide has the most recommended fixes for you.
Why is Spotify Not Working on Apple Watch?
The following table is a summary of why Spotify won’t play on your Apple Watch, as well as what I recommend you do to fix the problem.
| Possible Cause | Recommended Fix | |
| 1. | Apple Watch and iPhone are not connected to a Wi-Fi network | Check the Wi-Fi connection and reconnect if disconnected. |
| 2. | Apple Watch Bluetooth is OFF | Check your Apple Watch settings to ensure the Bluetooth is ON. |
| 3. | The Spotify app may have frozen | Close and open the app. Also, try to force quit and open it again. Otherwise, restart your Apple Watch. |
| 4. | Current Spotify version is more than likely obsolete | You should update the Spotify app for Apple Watch to the latest version. |
| 5. | Corrupt installation of the Spotify app | Uninstall and re-install the Spotify app on your Apple Watch. |
| 6. | There may be an issue with your network setup | Reset your phone’s network. |
| 7. | Your headsets are probably not working | Charge your wireless headset if they don’t have power. Try other sets if the current ones aren’t working. |
Related Reading
- Why Your Apple Watch Is Not Tracking Steps
- How Strong is Apple Watch Screen?
- Apple Watch Is Not Designed for Netflix Videos
- Why Your Apple Watch Can’t Detect Your Voice
How to Fix the Spotify Not Working on Apple Watch Problem
Following are seven things to do if Spotify keeps crashing or won’t work on your Apple Watch:
1. Connect Your Apple Watch to Wi-Fi
If you can’t get Spotify to play on your Apple Watch, chances are you haven’t connected the smartwatch to Wi-Fi network.
Here’s the deal:
Spotify is an online streaming app that requires Internet access to work. And unless you have a premium subscription with the service, you can’t download their music to your Apple Watch for offline use.
So ensure you connect your watch to an existing Wi-Fi network. To learn how to connect the watch to a Wi-Fi network, click here.
If you had previously connected the two gadgets to the same network but you’re still facing this issue, try disconnecting the watch from Wifi and reconnecting it again.
2. Turn Your Apple Watch’s Bluetooth On
You probably can’t hear Spotify music playing on your Apple Watch because you haven’t paired your wireless earbuds with the watch.
You may mistakenly turned Bluetooth off on your Apple Watch. Your headphones or earbuds may have run out of charge. Or the watch may be out of range with your headset.
This one, too, is an easy fix.
- Turn on your Bluetooth headphones or wireless earbuds.
- Swipe your Apple Watch from the Bottom to open the Control Center.
- Check if the network icon at the top left side of the watch is blue (which means the Bluetooth service is active).
- Tap on the icon if it isn’t blue to turn on Bluetooth
- Search for your earbuds or headphones’ name on the Apple Watch device screen and tap on it to connect.
Your Apple Watch and headphones or earbuds is now connected and ready to communicate with each other.
Simply open the Spotify and play your music.
3. Restart Your Apple Watch
If you’ve used your Apple Watch for an extended period without doing a restart, the Spotify app may freeze and fail to work altogether.
Close and restart the app to fix this issue.
If you’ve already restarted the app but it still freezes or crashes instead of playing music, try force quitting.
To do this:
- Press and hold down the side button until the power off screen shows.
- Press and hold down the digital crown until the Spotify app closes.
- Open Spotify and test to see whether it’s responsive and working as it should.
If force quitting the app doesn’t work, restart your Apple Watch.
4. Update Spotify to the Latest Version
Spotify developers work around the clock to ensure the streaming service is not only stable but also secure.
They’ll make updates to the app from time to time to fix bugs, upgrade security, and add new features. Every tweak boosts user experience and makes the streaming service easy to use.
So if Spotify keeps crashing instead of playing a song from your playlist, it’s likely that the app needs an update.
Go to the Apple Store and update the app to the current version. Then, reopen your playlist and keep listening to your favorite songs or mixes.
5. Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify
It’s highly likely that Spotify is not working on your Apple Watch because watchOS considers the app as corrupt.
Fortunately, this problem takes at most five minutes to fix. All you have to do is uninstall the app and reinstall it.
Because reinstalling Spotify gets you the latest version of the app, you won’t have to worry about software corruption again.
6. Reset Your Network
Unless you have a Spotify subscription that allows you to download and listen to music offline on your Apple Watch, you’ll need to connect to a reliable network for a good streaming experience.
Sometimes Spotify fails to work on Apple Watch because of poor network connection or a general network issue.
This one is an easy fix, though.
Go to settings on your Apple Watch and select the option for resetting your network. Then, reconnect the watch to the same network and try replaying Spotify again.
7. Check Your Headsets
An Apple Watch requires wireless earbuds or headphones for sound output.
So if Spotify loads well and plays music but you can’t hear the audio, it’s likely that your headsets are out of charge or damaged.
Recharge your headset if its battery drained. Turn the headphones or earbuds back on, connect them to Apple Watch, and try playing Spotify again.
If the headsets don’t work despite having power, they’re highly likely dead. Buy new ones if this is the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is Spotify Crashing on My Apple Watch?
Spotify is crashing on your Apple Watch because it doesn’t have access to the Internet.
Check to make sure you have Wi-Fi turned on. Or you can use your cellular data plan if you’re not near Wi-Fi’s source.
Closing Thoughts
It’s unlikely that Spotify will fail to work on a well-maintained Apple Watch, but it can happen nonetheless.
The best thing to do is to not panic and think of taking the watch to an Apple repair shop near you.
Sometimes the problem is just a software glitch, which you can fix by restarting your Apple Watch. Or it could be an issue with the Spotify servers, in which cause you would just have to wait for the service to fix the problem.
What’s more?
The fixes I’ve shared in this guide don’t cost anything. So don’t hesitate to try them to fix the problem at hand.
