@JessKitsos85 try these steps that I had found to be very helpful, I did some of my own research to see how I could resolve some playback issues.
Pandora Keeps Crashing – Android
If Pandora keeps crashing on your Android device, there are several different things to try. Start with a restart of your phone to see if that helps. If the crashing issue still persists, it’s time to clear the app cache.
Battery Saver Mode
Many Android devices feature an aggressive battery saver feature that can kill music streams. You must make an exception in battery saver mode to avoid interruptions to music streaming. Here’s how to do that.
- Open the ‘Settings app on your smartphone.
- Scroll down to ‘Apps & Notifications‘ and tap it.
- Find ‘Pandora‘ and tap ‘Advanced.’
- Find the ‘Battery’ prompt then ‘Battery saver.’
- Exclude Pandora from ‘battery optimization‘ mode.
Now the smartphone should stop killing Pandora as it streams music. If you need help finding the settings for your specific device, SIDE NOTE: Devices running Android 6. x and higher include battery optimization features that improve battery life by placing apps in Doze mode or App Standby.
- Optimization is turned on by default and can be turned off / back on as preferred.
- Apps with optimization turned off may continue to impact battery life.
- Doze Mode:
- starts when the device is stationary and not charging and the screen is off.
- prevents the device from syncing and accessing the network, Wi-Fi from scanning, etc.
- allows SMS, MMS, phone calls, alarms, and Amber Alerts to still function.
- stops when the device is moved, the screen turns on, or the alarm clock sounds/vibrates.
- isn't affected by notifications.
- App Standby:
- conserves battery power by preventing apps from accessing networks, syncing, etc. when not in use or not generating any user-visible notification.
- stops when the device becomes active or is plugged in.
- From a Home screen, navigate:AppsSettingsBatterySettingsBattery
- Tap theMenu icon(located in the upper-right).
- TapBattery optimization.Apps/services unable to be optimized appear grayed out.
- Tap the "Not optimized"dropdown menu(located at the top).
- TapAll apps.
- Tap the appropriate app, tap one of the following then tapDone:
- Optimize
- Don't optimize
Allow Pandora to Run in the Background
Sometimes devices will kill apps that are running in the background. If Pandora keeps crashing when your lock screen turns on, this is the likely culprit. Here’s how to stop background restrictions on Pandora.
- Press and hold the ‘Pandora‘ icon on the home screen.
- Tap the ‘Gear‘ icon to access ‘App Info.’
- Next, select ‘Advanced‘ and then ‘Battery.’
- Make sure Pandora can run in the background.
- If the ‘Background restriction’ setting says ‘Restricted,’ then remove the restriction.
Now you should be able to play the Pandora app in the background without it crashing. If you are still experiencing crashes, check the Pandora Twitter account for an official outage. If the music streaming service is experiencing problems, that’s where it alerts its customer base.
Pandora Is Lagging – How Do I Fix It?
Sometimes the Pandora app isn’t crashing, but it buffers in the middle of songs or lags. These issues could be caused by a poor WiFi signal, cell signal, or something else entirely. Here’s a quick list of things to check if your Pandora app is buffering too much.
Check Power Saving Mode
Sometimes your smartphone includes aggressive battery-saving measures that may shut down your music. This problem isn’t specific to the Pandora app since it can affect all music players. Make sure the power-saving mode is set to ‘Off’ on your device when you want to listen to music.
Turn Off High-Quality Audio
Sometimes your connection with a cell tower isn’t strong enough to handle high-quality tracks. It’s a bummer if you want to listen to hi-def music, but it can also cause Pandora to buffer if the connection is weak.
P.S I found this Solution for me at Digitalmusicnews.com. If it did not work I would not be sharing it here for other Pandora users to try to see if it would be a workable solution for you as well.
Take care and stay safe.
