Summary
- Spotify has rolled out a new option under Playback settings to disable Smart Shuffle.
- The Smart Shuffle feature adds recommended songs between playlist tracks and can be annoying.
- If you don’t see the option yet, it’s because the update is rolling out gradually.
If I had to pick only one streaming service to keep, it would
be Spotify
. I’ve been a loyal user for over 10 years now, and my listening habits have become so integrated with it that switching to another
music streaming service
, like Apple Music or YouTube Music, is impossible; believe me, I’ve tried.
However, just because I love Spotify so much doesn’t mean there aren’t things that
annoy me about the service
. One feature in particular that has always bugged me is Smart Shuffle, which plays recommended songs while you’re shuffling through your playlists. Spotify first added Smart Shuffle back in 2023.
I’ve accidentally enabled Smart Shuffle many times, and essentially the only way you can tell you’ve activated it is if you see a little star right next to the shuffle button. This can sometimes be hard to notice, especially if you quickly pop on a playlist to listen to at work or while driving. Thankfully, Spotify is finally rolling out a new option that lets you say goodbye to Smart Shuffle once and for all.
Spotify
- Premium Subscription
-
$12 per month
- Free trial
-
Yes
- Ad plans
-
Free with advertisements
Related
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How to disable Smart Shuffle on Spotify
You should be able to turn it off under Playback settings
First spotted by Spotify users on Reddit, Spotify has added a new option to its mobile app under Playback settings called “Enable all play modes.” When this option is turned on, it lets you select Smart Shuffle when shuffling your playlist. By turning it off, it removes the option to choose Smart Shuffle altogether.
If you’re trying to discover new music, Smart Shuffle can admittedly be handy, but if you just want to hear the songs you’ve curated for your playlist, it can be quite annoying…
This feature appears to still be rolling out for users, so if you don’t see it yet, that’s probably why. It should show up soon. I currently have it available on Spotify on my iPhone, but not yet for Spotify on my Android.
It’s also possible that this new feature could show up as a different option for you. Some users on Reddit are reporting seeing it pop up as a Smart Shuffle toggle under listening controls, rather than a “Enable all play modes” setting under Playback.
Spotify first introduced Smart Shuffle back in March 2023, as a way to “breathe new life into your Spotify Playlists.” So if you’re listening to a playlist and enable Smart Shuffle, Spotify will play personalized recommendations in between songs that match the tone of the playlist you’re already listening to. If a playlist has more than 15 songs in it, Spotify will add a recommended track every three songs.
Personally, for discovering new music, I stick to my Discover Weekly playlist…
If you’re trying to discover new music, Smart Shuffle can admittedly be handy, but if you just want to hear the songs you’ve curated for your playlist, it can be quite annoying, and as I mentioned earlier, easy to activate by mistake while shuffling. Personally, for discovering new music, I stick to my Discover Weekly playlist, which has consistently recommended some amazing tracks for me that I would not otherwise have found. I don’t like using Smart Shuffle with my playlists, but I have found it decent if I’m shuffling my liked songs, as there’s a lot of variety in there.
Whether you like Smart Shuffle, or hate it, it’s nice to see Spotify make it an optional feature now. If you don’t have the ability to disable it yet, you should soon as the update gradually rolls out. In other news, Spotify’s latest earnings report reveals that the platform now has 268 million paid users.
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