Spotify Podcasts Not Working? [Reasons, Fixes, Alternatives]

Spotify is among the most used platforms for audio podcasts in the world. However, if you’re having trouble accessing them, you’re in the right place.

The culprits range from internet connectivity to the right issues. In this article, I shall discuss all of them along with solutions to get them to work.

Reasons Behind Spotify Not Playing Podcasts & Ways To Fix It

There can be one or more reasons responsible for this. The most common ones are as follows:

• Your device is under robust parental controls and the podcast you want to play might fall under the “explicit content” category.
• Your region doesn’t have the right to access specific podcasts.
• There’s some technical glitch on Spotify’s servers.
• You might have blocked an artist.
• Your playback is limited due to the location.
• Your app is outdated.
• Your internet is too weak to load a podcast.

However, before you give in, I want to tell you troubleshooting these issues is simpler than you think. Here are simple ways you can follow when you encounter an interruption in playing a podcast.

Fix 1: Turn Off DNS

Checking for blocklisted servers with DNS ensures that your device’s DNS settings are not blocking Spotify’s servers. Here’s how you can check your device settings.

Steps for Android:

1. Go to your device Settings.
2. Navigate to “Connections”.
3. Scroll down to “More Connection Settings”.
4. Look for the “Private DNS” option.
5. Switch to automatic DNS and restart Spotify.

Steps for iPhone:

1. Go to your device Settings.
2. Navigate to Wi-Fi settings.
3. Click on the “i” next to the wifi name.
4. Look for Configure DNS.
5. Switch to automatic DNS and restart Spotify.

Fix 2: Log Out & Re-login

You often forget that the many challenging problems have the most straightforward solutions. So, just sign out and sing in again to bring your Spotify back to life.

1. Go to the Profile tab in the top-left corner.
2. Select “Settings and Privacy”.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and click “Log out”.

Once you log out of your account, give it a few minutes, and log in again. This might let you get back to listening to your favorites again.

Fix 3: Look for Updates

A common reason why Spotify won’t play podcasts might be that you are still using the old app version. To update your app:

1. Go to your App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Search the Spotify app in the Search bar.
3. Click the Update option if available.
4. Now try playing a podcast.

Fix 4: Clear the App’s Cache

If you are a music lover like me, I know it’s disappointing when your screen reads “Can’t Play Podcast”. Therefore, the simplest method to eliminate this issue is to clear the app’s cache data. Clearing the cache may solve minor glitches that might cause podcasts not to play.

1. Go to app management on your phone settings.
2. Choose Spotify from the list.
3. Clear the cache and try again.

Bonus: Contact Support

Some glitches might need breathing time to resolve on their own. Therefore, sometimes, all you can do is sit back and give it a moment. If you’ve waited for enough time, you might want to contact Spotify support.

Sometimes when a bug arises, the Spotify team starts working to solve it, all you need to do is wait it out, and before you know the issue will be resolved.

Note: If you’ve subscribed to a lot of podcasts and it has got your list messed up, you can remove podcasts. Here’s how.

Note: If your list is accumulated due to multiple subscriptions, you can remove podcasts easily.

Alternatives To Play Podcasts

If you are as restless as I am and can’t wait for these long processes to show results, below are some straightforward fixes you can try.

1. Download and Play

If you are facing keep on facing trouble loading the podcast often, you can also try the old-school way of downloading the podcast. This way, you can also avoid any issues that may arise due to connectivity.

1. Go to the podcast of your choice.
2. Navigate to the three dots in the top-right corner.
3. Choose Download.
4. Go to Your Library, followed by podcasts on the top.
5. You’ll find all your downloaded podcasts.

2. Listen on Desktop

What’s stopping you from accessing Spotify on your desktop if you’re facing troubles on your phone? Switch to the desktop version and listen to your favorite podcasts online. I used this when I started facing issues constantly.

It might take you some time to get used to the desktop but it will be right to say that Spotify has worked equally hard to make the desktop experience for us smooth and seamless.

3. Try a Different Device or Account

If you can access a different device, try logging in from a different account to enjoy Spotify uninterrupted. It’s possible that sometimes your device may be glitching or too old to support the latest version of the app, and thus you are experiencing problems with Spotify.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up!

It’s infuriating when your favorite podcast refuses to play after repeated attempts. Spotify is a seamless app with a fantastic listening experience. However, some technical glitches are a part of any app, and these glitches are mere pauses.

With the easy fixes mentioned above, you can go back to hitting play, savor stories, and experience an uninterrupted listening experience.