Question:

“As an avid gamer, I’ve encountered a persistent issue with Spotify on my PC where the music playback randomly pauses and resumes during gameplay, requiring me to switch out of the game to manually restart the song. At times, the app also gets stuck, replaying a segment of a track repeatedly, which is quite disruptive. I’ve attempted several fixes, including reinstalling Spotify from both the Microsoft Store and the official website, disabling hardware acceleration, and setting the proxy to ‘no proxy’. Interestingly, Spotify functions flawlessly in a web browser. This problem arose after I upgraded my PC components, transitioning from an MSI B460M PRO-VDH motherboard and an i5 10400f processor to a GIGABYTE Z690 Aorus Elite AX motherboard with an i5 12600k processor. Could you provide any expert advice on resolving this frustrating issue?”

Answer:

As gamers, we often rely on Spotify to provide the perfect soundtrack to our gaming sessions. However, technical issues can disrupt this harmony, as some users have reported their Spotify playback randomly pausing or getting stuck on a loop while gaming. This can be particularly frustrating when you’ve just upgraded your PC components and expect a seamless experience.

Understanding the Issue

The problem described involves Spotify’s desktop application on a PC, where music playback intermittently pauses or replays parts of a song during gaming. This issue seems to occur post-upgrading PC components, suggesting a potential conflict between the new hardware and Spotify’s software.

Troubleshooting Steps Taken

The user has already undertaken several troubleshooting steps:

• Reinstalling Spotify from both the Microsoft Store and the official website.
• Disabling hardware acceleration within Spotify’s settings.
• Changing the proxy settings to ‘no proxy’.

Despite these efforts, the problem persists, although Spotify operates without issue when accessed via a web browser.

Expert Recommendations

Here are some expert recommendations to tackle this issue:

1.

Check for Software Conflicts

: Ensure that there are no other applications running in the background that could interfere with Spotify’s playback. This includes other media players or streaming services.

2.

Update Drivers

: Since the issue arose after a hardware upgrade, it’s crucial to update all related drivers, especially the audio and motherboard chipset drivers, to ensure compatibility with the new components.

3.

Adjust Power Settings

: High-performance power plans can sometimes cause issues with streaming services. Try switching to a balanced power plan to see if it resolves the playback problem.

4.

Examine System Resources

: Monitor your system’s resources while gaming and using Spotify. If the CPU or memory usage is exceptionally high, consider closing unnecessary applications or lowering game settings to free up resources.

5.

Contact Support

: If the issue remains unresolved, reach out to Spotify’s support team with details of the problem and the steps you’ve already taken. They may provide a solution tailored to your specific setup.

6.

Alternative Applications

: As a temporary workaround, consider using Spotify’s web player or a different music streaming service until a permanent fix is found.

Conclusion

Technical issues can be a nuisance, but with a systematic approach to troubleshooting, you can often find a solution. By following the recommendations above, you can hopefully resolve the Spotify playback issue and return to a seamless gaming and listening experience. Remember, keeping software up-to-date and reaching out for support when needed are key steps in maintaining a smooth-running PC gaming setup. Happy gaming, and may your music never skip a beat!