Spotify users can finally say goodbye to unwanted music videos thanks to a new setting that allows them to disable the feature entirely. This move comes after user frustration over videos playing automatically, consuming data, and battery power.
The addition of music videos to Spotify has been a point of contention for many. Videos would often play by default when an artist had uploaded content, sometimes with different audio mixes that clashed with the preferred album versions. Even for those who enjoy music videos, the automatic playback and its impact on bandwidth and battery life were significant concerns.
Adding to the annoyance, the desktop app's implementation was clunky, with videos barely visible in a small album art panel until manually enlarged. The selection of available videos also seemed inconsistent and random, often leading users to check YouTube first for a better experience.
Fortunately, Spotify has introduced a straightforward toggle in the settings. On mobile, navigate to your profile icon, then Settings and privacy, followed by Content and display. You'll find toggles for music videos, the Canvas feature (animated album art), and video podcasts under the "Videos and Canvas" section. Disabling these should significantly reduce Spotify's bandwidth usage.
For desktop users, the process is similar: click your profile icon in the top-right, go to Settings, and scroll down to the "Videos and Canvas" section to find the disabling options for music videos and Canvas. While a "Switch to video" button might still appear, clicking it will now inform you that videos are disabled in settings, effectively removing the feature from your playlists and artist pages.
While the new control is a welcome change, some users, like the author, wish Spotify had implemented music videos with more consideration. The hope is that future design choices will offer clearer separation between audio and video content, ensuring users can opt for album versions without unexpected video interruptions.
