Default
Door staff@engadget.com (Gabriela Vătu) - 20 Oct 2026
If you've already disabled Start music automatically and Spotify still starts on its own, you're not imagining things. Spotify users have reported this exact issue across community forums for years, with threads dating back to 2022 that remain active today. But it's worth noting that sometimes your car may not even be to blame at all. Any Bluetooth device paired with your phone, like headphones and speakers, can affect autoplay. According to Spotify's support team, the behavior depends on how a given Bluetooth device interacts with Spotify's API.
That distinction matters because Spotify cannot always prevent a connected device from sending a "play" command when it reconnects, powers on or resumes a media session. Before blaming your phone or reinstalling the app, check whether autoplay happens only with one Bluetooth device and test it with another speaker, headset or vehicle if possible. Keeping Spotify, your phone's operating system and the device firmware updated may reduce connection glitches, but there is no guaranteed universal fix when the command originates from the Bluetooth accessory.
Since Spotify prioritizes easy connections across thousands of hardware combinations, a universal fix isn't guaranteed anytime soon. Some drivers find success through Android Auto's settings, others through Spotify's app permissions and plenty report that neither option works consistently for their specific car or phone. If nothing pans out, you could just remove Spotify from Android Auto entirely, but that means that you won't be able to access Spotify from your car's display.
The bottom line is that you should start with Android Auto's Start music automatically toggle since it resolves the issue for many drivers. If music still plays uninvited, try the Bluetooth unpairing trick before removing the app from Android Auto entirely. Given how inconsistently Bluetooth behaves across car models, expect some trial and error.
That distinction matters because Spotify cannot always prevent a connected device from sending a "play" command when it reconnects, powers on or resumes a media session. Before blaming your phone or reinstalling the app, check whether autoplay happens only with one Bluetooth device and test it with another speaker, headset or vehicle if possible. Keeping Spotify, your phone's operating system and the device firmware updated may reduce connection glitches, but there is no guaranteed universal fix when the command originates from the Bluetooth accessory.
Since Spotify prioritizes easy connections across thousands of hardware combinations, a universal fix isn't guaranteed anytime soon. Some drivers find success through Android Auto's settings, others through Spotify's app permissions and plenty report that neither option works consistently for their specific car or phone. If nothing pans out, you could just remove Spotify from Android Auto entirely, but that means that you won't be able to access Spotify from your car's display.
The bottom line is that you should start with Android Auto's Start music automatically toggle since it resolves the issue for many drivers. If music still plays uninvited, try the Bluetooth unpairing trick before removing the app from Android Auto entirely. Given how inconsistently Bluetooth behaves across car models, expect some trial and error.