How to listen together on spotify

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How to create a group session on Spotify:
1. Open Spotify
2. Play a song
3. Tap the icon in the bottom left hand corner
4. Scroll down and select "Start Session"
5. Have friends scan the Spotify code or invite them via text message
6. To end a group session tap the icon in the bottom left hand corner again scroll down and select "End session."
How do Spotify group sessions work?
How do you start a group session on Spotify?
Ending a Spotify group session
What is a Spotify listening party?

(Pocket-lint) - Spotify allows its Premium users to simultaneously listen to music and podcasts with friends who aren't nearby using a feature called Spotify Group Session.

Even though the feature initially launched in 2020, it still remains in beta.

In March 2021 Spotify announced that the feature is available in Polestar 2 vehicles, It will let one host and up to five Premium users in the same car share control of audio in real-time. Back then, the Polestar 2 was the only vehicle featuring Android Automotive but presumably, the service extends to other Android-powered in-car entertainment systems.

Listen together, in real-time
Everyone invited can control what plays
The feature is still in beta

Designed to cater to users who want to virtually socialise, Group Session essentially lets any premium user generate a shareable link with up to five friends or family members - who also must have Spotify Premium - enabling the entire group to stream the same content in real-time.

Imagine each user listening on individual devices, and each having the ability to control tracks, all from safe, socially distanced locations.

But even outside of quarantine, Group Session is handy for long-distance couples or anyone really who wants to host a virtual music-listening party.

Group Sessions is limited to paying users - or Premium subscribers - of the Spotify mobile app for phones and tablets. Technically, Group Session is still in the beta phase, which means it’s being tested, and Spotify warned that its features could change.

To host a session, select the Connect menu, and then you will be able to start a session, which generates a shareable link that can be sent over social media or other apps.

Open Spotify and play something
Tap the Connect button at the bottom of the screen
Tap Start a remote group session
Tap Invite Friends
Here you can: - Share with any social or messaging app listed- Choose Copy Link to send your own way
- Show them a Spotify code that they can scan to join

Invited listeners can choose to listen on their own device or listen on your device and control it from their device. Plus, any person in the streaming party can pause, play, skip, select, or add tracks in the queue.

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Users will need to use a third-party solution to actually chat, as there is no built-in way to message other Premium users in a Spotify Group Session.

Writing by Maggie Tillman. Editing by Britta O'Boyle.

If you want to listen to a new album or podcast with all your long-distance besties, and you don't want to just hold your phone up to your speakers, try creating a Group Session on Spotify.

Last year Spotify unveiled Group Sessions for Spotify Premium users. Group Sessions allow Premium users to listen to music or podcasts simultaneously with up to five friends who also have premium accounts, no matter where they are in the world. All users in a group session can pause, play, skip, and queue music.

Follow the steps below to listen to music at the exact same time as your friends.

How to create a group session on Spotify:

1. Open Spotify

2. Play a song

3. Tap the icon in the bottom left hand corner

Tap the icon in the bottom left hand corner. Credit: screenshot / Spotify

4. Scroll down and select "Start Session"

Tap "Start Session" to create your group listening session. Credit: screenshot / Spotify

5. Have friends scan the Spotify code or invite them via text message

The Spotify QR code is found in a brown rectangle at the bottom of the session and scanning it will add a user to the session. The other way to add friends to the session is to tap "Invite friends" to share the URL to the group session over text message. You won't get a notification when someone joins your group session, but you can see if anyone is in your group session at anytime by tapping the computer and speaker icon in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.

Select "Invite friends" to message your friends the link to the group session or have friends scan the QR code to join. Credit: Screenshot: Spotify

6. To end a group session tap the icon in the bottom left hand corner again scroll down and select "End session."

Tap "End session" to end the group session. Credit: screenshot / spotify

Try out other fun Spotify features!

Spotify allows you to listen to music with others via group sessions and listening parties. Through slick integration with the service’s mobile app and Discord, no matter the distance, you always have the option of sharing an auditory experience. Let’s go over how to listen to Spotify with friends.

Read more: How to find friends on Spotify and follow them

How do Spotify group sessions work?

With Spotify group sessions, users can listen to the same music in real-time. Everyone involved can control what plays, and leave whenever they feel like it.

It’s a really neat feature, but there are some important caveats. It’s still in public beta testing, which could translate to occasional glitches. More importantly, it’s limited to Spotify Premium subscribers and only those listening from an Android or iOS device. Groups are limited to seven people, which is usually more than enough but does put a kibosh on silent raves.

How do you start a group session on Spotify?

If you’re subscribed to Spotify Premium, you can participate in the beta. To get started:

Start playing something in the Spotify mobile app. Tap the Spotify Connect button in the lower-left, which usually looks like a speaker sitting in front of a screen. However, if you’re already listening to something on a speaker, you may see another icon in its place (like Google Cast, pictured). If you don’t want session audio to be limited to that speaker, you’ll have to switch back to phone/tablet output.
In the following popup, find an option at the bottom titled Start a remote group session. For speaker listening, make sure Multiple people can join and control this speaker is toggled on.
Once you’ve started a session, tap Invite friends. You’ll be given various link-sharing methods depending on your platform, or the option to copy a link you can paste anywhere.

Ending a Spotify group session

To end a Spotify group session, press the Spotify Connect button again. At the bottom, you’ll see a section marked Remote group session, including icons for active listeners. Tap End session, then Confirm.

What is a Spotify listening party?

Roger Fingas / Android Authority

If you’re a Discord user and a Spotify Premium subscriber, you can host desktop listening parties with the Listen Along feature. These are similar to group sessions, but hosts are in complete control, and people can talk to each other via text chat (voice chat won’t work).

There’s no limit to the number of people who can listen, and only the host needs to have Premium. However, mixing in Spotify Free users introduces ad breaks during which Premium listeners will get complete silence.

First, make sure you have Spotify connected to Discord and open both desktop apps. On Discord, go to any channel where you can send messages — this includes private messages. In the field where you type text, you’ll see a gray plus icon.