To turn off Spotify, press the pause button within the app or use your device's media controls to stop playback instantly. This is the most direct way to turn off Spotify when you want to silence the music without closing the app or logging out.
How to turn off Spotify: Stop playback instantly
The simplest way to stop Spotify from playing music is to tap the pause button. You can find this button inside the Spotify app itself, or use the media controls on your device's lock screen, notification shade, or playback widget. This action halts the current track and prevents the next song from starting, giving you immediate silence without any further steps. If your music keeps cutting out when you join a voice chat, you may need to stop Discord from pausing Spotify. If a video is playing instead of audio, you may need to turn off video on Spotify to stop the visuals.
Close the Spotify app completely
If you want to stop Spotify from using system resources or running in the background, you should close the app entirely. This does not log you out of your account, but it does prevent the app from continuing playback or consuming battery.
To close the Spotify mobile app:
- First, pause any playing music using the pause button in the app or your device's media controls.
- Open your device's recent apps or multitasking panel (on most phones, this is done by swiping up from the bottom or tapping the recent apps button).
- Swipe the Spotify app card away from the screen to close it.
If Spotify continues to show media controls or play after you swipe it away, pausing playback before closing the app often resolves the issue. On desktop, close the Spotify window using the window controls, click the X button on Windows or the red close button on macOS.
Log out of Spotify on any device
Logging out is a reliable way to stop Spotify from playing on a specific device, especially if you share the device or want to prevent accidental playback. Once logged out, the app will not play music until you sign in again.
To log out of Spotify on mobile or tablet:
- Tap "Settings and privacy."
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and tap "Log out."
To log out of Spotify on desktop or the web player:
- Select "Log out" from the menu.
How to log out of Spotify on all devices
If you want to log out of Spotify on all devices at once, for example, after losing a device or suspecting unauthorized access, you can use the "Sign out everywhere" option. This is the only way to log out of Spotify on all devices simultaneously without accessing each one individually. To do this:
- Go to your account page on Spotify.com in a web browser and log in.
- Navigate to "Security and privacy."
- Click "Sign out everywhere."
Note that this option does not log you out of partner devices like speakers, game consoles, or TVs. To remove access from those devices, you must go to your apps page and choose "Remove Access."
Uninstall Spotify for a permanent solution
If you want to completely remove Spotify from your device and stop it from running or playing music ever again, uninstalling the app is the most permanent option. This also removes any downloaded music and playlists stored locally on your device.
To uninstall Spotify on mobile:
- Go to your device's settings.
- Select "Apps" or "Applications."
- Find and tap "Spotify."
- Choose "Uninstall" and confirm.
To uninstall Spotify on desktop:
- On Windows: Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features, find Spotify, click it, and select "Uninstall."
- On macOS: Open Finder, go to Applications, locate Spotify, and move it to the Trash.
Cancel your Spotify subscription
If you have a Spotify Premium subscription and want to stop being charged while still keeping the app installed, canceling your subscription is the right step. This downgrades your account to the free tier, which includes ads and limited features, but stops future payments.
- Open a web browser and go to the Spotify website.
- Log in to your account.
- Go to your account settings and select the "Subscription" or "Premium" section.
- Choose the option to cancel your subscription and follow the prompts to confirm.
After cancellation, you can still use Spotify with the free version, or you can choose to uninstall the app if you no longer want to use the service at all.
