Desktop App + Web: Error "We're having trouble playing audio on this device"

[Bob-M]

Recently (around July 10th) Pandora music started shutting down unexpectedly and displaying the message that read "We'er having trouble playing audio on this device."  This was after years of uninterrupted and satisfactory service.

Trying various troubleshooting suggestions provided by Pandora Support has not fixed the issue.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?

mod edit: updated title for clarity

[Injuis]

It look literally a full month to update us with nothing.  Thanks for that, Pandora.

[hcaba001]

This is a useless response and gives your customer no solution whatsoever. 

I have had Pandora for over a decade and this issue persists. I am getting close to cancelling my longtime subscription.

[sauermf]

Pandora, please fix this problem.  I started receiving these errors in Spring of 2025.  I run IT in my company, and I can attest that there are no overzealous ad blockers or privacy extensions applied to my company, so any changes that may affect this would be made by Chrome or Microsoft.  Pandora should work to resolve this immediately, otherwise, people will leave for other streaming music competitors who don't subject this error to their customers!!  Frustrated.....

[strangiato]

I am also experiencing this same issue at work. It just started happening within the last month or so. Before that, I streamed Pandora for years without issue.

I have no issues using the mobile app on my iPhone.

I am also in IT for my company and can verify there are no blockers installed. I am using Chrome, which is up to date. I have cleared browsing history, cache, and cookies, and restarted my computer multiple times since the problem started. I also made sure that Pandora was added to "Allowed to send pop-ups and use redirects". My local Windows firewall is not enabled.

[sean_b_mccormac]

Has anyone been able to fix this problem?  This has also been happening at my work desktop computer Windows 10 Pro.  Pandora plays fine on my cellphone.

[joeislove]

Any updates on this? It's truly wild to me that you can know about this issue for as long as you have and you don't even have an update on what's going on. What happened to Pandora? 

[slf_tulsa]

Thank you for your recommendation.  This same issue just started happening to me today (9/2/2025), and has been persistent all day on both Chrome and MS Edge.  After everyone left the office, I rebooted the cable modem for the office, and now I'm back up and listening to Pandora.  I have to admit that I didn't expect it to work, but it did.  So thank you again.

[AtlJImK]

Same issue here, followed all of the guidance to no avail. Pandora please fix or I will be forced to cancel after nearly 10 years of loyalty.

[LML5]

Happening for me as well - just started in the last couple weeks.  SUPER ANNOYING to pay for a service that seems to have broken itself, and can't be solved.

[slf_tulsa]

Perhaps I responded too soon... got to work this morning and the same issue is happening again.  Unfortunately I can't just bring down the internet and reboot the equipment during operating hours.  So hopefully Pandora will find a fix, and quickly. 😃

[Bob-M]

No, this problem has not been resolved for several months.

Bob-M

[hippo123]

Sill experiencing this issue, 2 months later. Unbelievable.  What I find interesting is that users are experiencing it across a variety of desktop Browsers and Operating systems. The phone app seems to work fine. 

[VaDeR-D]

So is support or anyone at Pandora even interested in fixing this issue?  Or is this a see how many people leave before it becomes an issue?  

I'm having a similar experience on Windows 11, using Edge and Chrome.  Stops after a few songs saying it can't and to contact support... I'm a premium member.

Moderator Edit: Merged comments

[jcraft26]

I'm experiencing the same on my Google Chrome browser, and it's getting worse and worse.  I hope I don't have to cancel my subscription 😞

[limited]

Been using Pandora since 2008.  Because of this issue, I am about to cancel my subscription and move to Spotify.  Pandora, get your **ahem** together and get this resolved or you are about to lose the last remaining holdout customers that you have.  

[bfarmer2030]

yes I have, is there any way to fix it?

[bfarmer2030]

I'm going to be honest, I find it very irritating that you are having this problem. Pandora is normally the place I go when I want to listen to a good podcast and now I can no longer do that. I know that they are trying to fix this however I do wish they would find a temporary way around it until the problem is gone for good.

[TomGilbert]

I have been having the same problem and suffering alone. Now I find out I'm not alone. The problem started in July. I use the desktop application on Windows 10. If the app uses my default browser in the background, then it is the current Firefox. I have had a Pandora subscription for years beyond count. There is nothing wrong with my internet, router, etc. and I have restarted the router several times. The problem is with Pandora. 

[TomGilbert]

Thank you for your response. It is exactly how I feel and I have poured the same or almost as much money into Pandora as you have. 

[VaDeR-D]

The real question is are they really looking into this problem?  You'd think there would be more communication about it.  Especially if it is making people leave because it has become unusable...