Android: Playback stops when screen Locked or App Backgrounded

[Marcia13]

Pandora randomly stops playing on Android

Has this problem ever been resolved?  It seems lots of folks have had this same problem but I couldn't find a definitive reason why or a solution.  I have a Pixel 4A 5G and just started a paid subscription a few days ago.  I can listen for about thirty minutes or so, and then for no apparent reason, it stops.  The only way to get it started again is to exit the app and then try again.  This glitch needs to be fixed...please!

mod edit: changed title for clarity

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @angeldebord. 👋

Sounds like you've already run through these steps: Troubleshooting for Android Devices

Could you share a few more details around your experience?

• Have you encountered any error messages? If so, what exactly does it say?
• Does this happen the app is backgrounded or when your screen is locked?
• Also, does the app shut down? Or, does the music stop but load again when you open the app?

Thanks for your help with this. 🎧

[angeldebord]

When it's backgrounded, and even if I'm in the app and screen is locked. No
error messages. And no it does not reload music when I open the app back
up, I have to re click on my station I was listening to.

[AlyssaPandora]

Thanks for getting back to me with those details, @angeldebord. I moved your post over to this existing thread to keep everything organized: Android: Playback stops when screen Locked or App Backgrounded

I would recommend checking out the accepted solution for this thread. I've included some steps below:

Disable Battery Optimization:

When updating the OS on Android devices, the battery optimization on all apps may be automatically turned back on by default. This can cause performance issues or interfere with playback when the app is backgrounded.

Please try the following steps:

• Open your device Settings and then Apps.
• Scroll to find Pandora or use Search in the upper right hand corner.
• Select Battery
• Next select Unrestricted.

Due to the numerous models of Android devices, we are unable to provide step by step instructions for every device. Please look up the steps to manage battery optimization for the specific make and model of your device and disable this for the Pandora app if the above does not apply.

Hope this is helpful. 🎧

[angeldebord]

I changed setting to unrestricted, I cleared the cache data as a research said to try that and that did not help either. It is still kicking me out of my stations and sending me to my list of stations....

[murphy2u]

App stops playback if screen is off.  Already submitted a support request ticket but received no reply.  Posting here based on link being provided in reply to my app review noting this issue (as many have).  I sequenced through steps listed on page 1 (again) with no change.  Providing the following information as requested at the bottom of page 1:

• Model: Samsung S20 5G
• Carrier: Verizon (phone is unlocked though)
• Android version (Settings > About Phone): Android 13 (One UI v5.1)
• Pandora version: 2405.1 (reinstalled)
• Are you connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data when this is happening? Happens in both cases
• Have you identified any other patterns or notable information?
  Only started in last ~month for me, probably in conjunction with a software update; I have been a Pandora user and paid subscriber for years without issue, including previously with this device.
  Note: you may want to update your troubleshoot steps to note that you cannot add Pandora to the Never auto sleeping apps list once battery use is set to Unrestricted under Apps.

[TannerPandora]

Hi @murphy2u 

Welcome to community!

Sorry to hear that setting your battery to unrestricted didn't help resolve this for you. I appreciate you providing your device details, it's very helpful. I've gone ahead and passed this along to our engineering team for further review.

Thank for your patience!

[murphy2u]

@TannerPandora - will someone from the engineering team reach out to me?  I do not yet have any reply to my issue submitted via application issue support.  Thank you for your clarification.

[TannerPandora]

Hi @murphy2u 

I checked in with our support team and I'm not seeing a case associated with the email address on your Pandora account.

Did you use a different email address? If yes, I'll reach out to you privately to follow up, please do not post your email publicly on community.

If it's the same email address, can you let me know if you submitted through Pandora Help?

[murphy2u]

I submitted using the in-app support request, including the same email used for my account (and is the same email for my paid subscription), but clearly that just gets circular filed. 

I'll resubmit everything again using the link you provided (will be my 4th communication of this with Pandora...).  Thank you for you  efforts to at least provide a helpful reply.

@TannerPandora -- the link you provided is just the general help page--that is not useful.  I will now attempt to search that page and its linked pages to find where I can resubmit my support ticket.  Why not just provide a direct link to where I can submit another ticket?

@TannerPandora - I've resubmitted via the send email link (note that there are no relevant help page search results using the terms ticket, submit, report, problem).  

Moderator Edit: Merged posts

[TannerPandora]

Hi @murphy2u 

I am a little confused with the method you're reaching out to us. Pandora doesn't offer an in-app support request through our app.

Most support inquiries go through our Help page website. From the Menu Bar on our Help Page, tap on More, then tap Contact Support.

You can also use this - direct link - to contact our support team through email.

For a complete list of the ways to contact Pandora, please visit the thread - How to contact customer service.

If you continue to have trouble, I can create a support case for you and escalate to our Support Team.

[murphy2u]

@Tanner Thank you for your reply note.
In reply:
It has been a week and no one from Pandora support has reached out or in any way replied to my support request.  It is odd that a support request was submitted but there is no email notice of submission or way to reference the submission from accessing my account (on the app or via PC web browser.)  The support request included explicit mention of my account email address, and I verified that I have received not only notices about your community post replies but also Pandora's main account (from last years' rate increase notice).  I have likewise verified that there are not any messages that have gone to spam.

Re: app-based problem submission--I didn't realize that following the help dialogue in the app took me to a mobile website instead of the app--my apologies for that point of confusion in how I submitted my first support request.

Please provide any help you can.  If I don't hear from Pandora in the next 7 days with some useful technical support, I will terminate my subscription forever.  This issue continues to render Pandora's service as unusable.

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi, @murphy2u. 👋

Thank you for the feedback, and sorry to hear that you've had trouble with the playback when your screen locks. I understand how frustrating that can be. Unfortunately, we didn't receive an email case for you. We reported this issue to our team so that they can investigate further. 

In the meantime, we've gone ahead and manually created an email case for you. Someone will be in touch shortly. Thank you for raising the alarm on this issue. 🎧

[murphy2u]

I finally got an email from Pandora Support later the day I posted my previous message. 

@AlyssaPandora - in reply, I hope you saw my screen capture from my issue submission above.  The case number I was finally provided in the email I received was 05102020 (that should have been automatically provided upon submission).

For anyone else, the support email I got was only an acknowledgement, no other suggested troubleshooting or likely assistance.  "While I don't have any further steps to provide you that I believe would help to resolve this immediately, I am happy to pass this along to our engineering team for further investigation" Unless someone from support or engineering actually reaches out to help in the next week, my subscription and all future business with Pandora will end.

[Tokemon313]

I have the s23 ultra has a adaptive battery setting the was added a few updates ago turn that off it helped me 

[3BueLLC]

Motorola 2023 5g same issue and mine occurs when I am not on Bluetooth and all my restrictive settings are off from battery to pausing app when not in app being off never had this issue till the 5g network for some reason and does it randomly and as soon as I click on the app music continues 

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi, @3BueLLC. 👋

Thanks for visiting the Pandora Community.

Sounds like you've done all the recommended steps here. In the meantime, I've shared your report about this issue with our engineering team.

We appreciate your patience during this process. 🎧

[murphy2u]

As an update - I updated to the 2402 update that just came out but that didn't change anything unfortunately.  Pandora has offered no other support communication in the last week and I still can't use the service as paid for, so I am taking my business elsewhere.  Good luck to all the others who have the same problem....

[Dorisanderson]

When I play the music and  when the cellphone goes on lock screen the music stop playing if this continue I will cancel my subscription with you

[AlyssaPandora]

Hey there, @Dorisanderson. 👋

Sorry to hear that you're having trouble. I moved your post over to this existing thread as it sounds more like what you're encountering: Android: Playback stops when screen Locked or App Backgrounded

Looks like you may be using a Samsung device. I would recommend checking out the accepted solution for this thread as it may help resolve the issue you're experiencing.

If you continue to have trouble, please let me know. 🎧

[MusicFan11929]

Same problem on Android.  As soon as view and other screen music stops (including this site).  If screen saver comes on it stops...