Error: "We're having trouble playing audio on this device"

[chouse]

I recently started getting the message below (48 hours). I am using a desktop and have no issues listening to music from other sites. My account works because I can listen on my mobile. Any idea how to fix this?

[shellyzart]

I won't be able to test until tomorrow as it's a worm laptop. I have been listening on the same devices all year, and this issue started in the middle of listening on Friday. It worked Tuesday (and on firefox), but stopped working again in the middle of listening on my chromebook. I have had this account for several years and never had the issue until a few days ago.

Work laptop, bleh

mod edit: format

[Ahampton30]

I am using Google Chrome on windows 8.1. The only error message that keeps popping up is a message from Pandora saying that Pandora is having problems playing audio. I have been a user for a long time and if this doesn't get fixed soon, I will have no choice to go with someone else. I cannot keep recycling my browser every 2-4 minutes!   

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @Ahampton30. 👋

Thanks for getting back to me with that information, and sorry for the continued trouble. A lot of times quitting your browser completely, re-opening it and going back to pandora.com can help.

In the meantime, please try these steps to troubleshoot Chrome: 

1. Update Chrome.

2. Clear Browsing Data (including browsing history, cache and cookies):

• Click on the icon with 3 vertical dots in the upper right (located on the browser toolbar).
• Select More Tools and then Clear Browsing Data.
• On this screen, please select All time for the time range, and then click on Clear Data.
• Restart the browser and go back to pandora.com.

3. Bypass the Pop-up Blocker for Pandora:

• Again, click the 3 vertical dots in the upper right, and select Settings.
• Scroll down and click Advanced at the bottom.
• Under Privacy and security, click Site Settings.
• Click Popups and redirects. Under allow make sure pandora.com is listed. If not listed, click Add and enter: https://www.pandora.com, then click Add.

4. Turn off extensions.

Disable HTML5 Autoplay, Adblock, and NoScript, or allow www.pandora.com within them. To do that, go to chrome://extensions/ on your web browser.

5. Allow Pandora within your firewall or antivirus.

If you are using an internet firewall or anti-virus program, it could be blocking portions of our site. Try allowing access to pandora.com within those programs, and then try visiting our site again. If this doesn't help, then try disabling such programs entirely as a test to see if this affects your issue.

6. Try a different browser.

Using a different browser such as Firefox may help.

7. Restart your computer and try Pandora again.

Let me know how it goes.

[calicogoose]

I've been getting the same message since yesterday.  Thank you for your help.

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @calicogoose. 👋

Thanks for reporting this.

Which web browser are you using when this message pops up?

Let me know. 🎧

[calicogoose]

I'm using Firefox.

[AlyssaPandora]

Thanks for letting me know, @calicogoose. To check if this is a browser-related issue, you could try to open Pandora in a separate browser, such as Google Chrome, which you can download here.

If you prefer Firefox as your browser, please try the following steps to troubleshoot Pandora:

• Update Firefox here. 
• Clear your Cookies, Cache, and History:
  • Click on the menu icon (3 horizontal lines) in the upper right corner of your browser's toolbar.
  • Select Library, then History and click Clear Recent History.
  • Make sure Time range to clear: is set to Everything.
  • Confirm the boxes for Cookies and Cache are marked.
  • Click Clear now.
  • Restart the browser and go back to Pandora.com.
• Make sure you are accepting cookies from Pandora:
  • Again, click on the Menu icon (3 horizontal lines) and select Preferences (If you're on Windows, select Options).
  • Select the Privacy & Security tab on the left.
  • Go to Cookies and Site Data.
  • Click Manage Permissions...
  • Enter "pandora.com" in the Address of website field and click Allow. Then click Save Changes on that menu.
• Make sure you are allowing Pandora to automatically play sound:
  • Click the "i" icon to the left of the address bar while visiting the pandora.com web page.
  • In the Permissions section, confirm the Autoplay setting is set to Allow Audio and Video.
  • If not, click on the dropdown arrows to select that option.
• Turn off extensions like Disable HTML5 Autoplay, Adblock, and NoScript, or allow www.pandora.com within them.
• If you are using an internet firewall or anti-virus program, it could be blocking portions of our site. Try allowing access to www.pandora.com within those programs, and then try visiting our site again. If this doesn't help, then try disabling such programs entirely as a test to see if this affects your issue.
• Finally, if the issue persists, try rebooting your computer and returning to pandora.com

Let me know how it goes. 🎧

[sandayoung4]

I am getting this same message...please help

[AlyssaPandora]

Hey there, @sandayoung4. 👋

Thanks for letting us know about this.

• How are you listening when this error message pops up?
• Are you using the Pandora App for Windows or MAC computers?
• Or, are you using a web browser? If so, which one?

Let me know, and I can follow up with you. 🎧

[sandayoung4]

On my desktop using Microsoft edge.

mod edit: removed personal info

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi, @sandayoung4. 👋

Thanks for getting back to me with that information.

Please try these steps:

1. Clear your browser's history, cache and cookies.
   • Click on the three dots in the top right (located on the browser toolbar).
   • Select Settings
   • Select Choose what to clear under the Clear browsing data title.
   • Check the boxes for Browsing History, Cookies and saved website data and Cashed data and files.
   • Click Clear.
2. Turn off extensions like Disable HTML5 Autoplay, Adblock, and NoScript, or allow www.pandora.com within them.
3. If you are using an internet firewall or anti-virus program, it could be blocking portions of our site. Try allowing access to www.pandora.com within those programs, and then try visiting our site again. If this doesn't help, then try disabling such programs entirely as a test to see if this affects your issue.

Once you've completed this, restart your computer and then try loading pandora.com again.

++

To check if this is a browser-related issue, you could try to open Pandora in a separate browser, such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox:

• To install Chrome, go here.
• To install Firefox, go here.

Let me know how it goes. 🎧

[lawhawke11]

I recently starting getting  this message after every couple of songs: 

We're having trouble playing audio on this device.  I keep having to hit refresh and that works, but its annoying.  I never had this before. I have not change my computer or settings.  Did you put out an update of some kind?

[Beannie]

So I have the same problem as well. I have already contacted support and ran Pandora's diagnostics, my device is unable to retrieve media. I am using Microsoft Edge and the Desktop App, both keep running into the same problem. After a few songs and ads I will get to a song that it can't load and it will just start skipping songs until I get the error that says " We're having trouble playing audio on this device". I have cleared my browser history, reset my computer and internet, allowed ads to flow freely for Pandora and reset everything again and again. I love listening to my pandora stations so please help me with some more ideas here

[colten1994]

Same issue here. Started outta nowhere.

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @lawhawke11 @Beannie @colten1994. 👋

Sorry for the continued trouble with that error message.

If you haven't already, you can find steps on how to add Pandora to the allowlist in your ad blocker on our help page.

Some anti-virus software like Kaspersky can have anti-banner settings enabled that behave similarly to ad blockers. If you're using Kaspersky software, identify the version you have installed and follow their instructions on how to disable that feature: 

Kaspersky Internet Security 2019

Kaspersky Internet Security 2017

Kaspersky Total Security 15

Let me know if this helps, or if the issue persists. 🎧

[colten1994]

Hello, I'm not using anything except windows defender, and I do not have any ad block services running. Using Firefox. I tried downloading the windows store version of pandora to rule out my web browser interfering, it does the same exact thing as the web version.

[Beannie]

I have already gone into Microsoft Edge settings and allowed Pandora.com through. I do not have other ad blockers that I know of. I have also tried the desktop app for Pandora and ran into the same issue there. I do not have issues with other music streaming websites or apps but I WANT PANDORA!

[Beannie]

I'm retesting mine. I did not think it mattered if it was www.pandora.com or just pandora.com but I fixed it to the full www.pandora.com and cross your fingers that was the simple error I made and is all was needed to fix it. I'll find out shortly

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @Beannie @colten1994 @lawhawke11. 👋

I checked in with our Device team about this. We did make some changes this morning that should help with this issue. I would recommend logging out of your account and then signing back in to see if the issue persists. Thanks for sticking with me on this! 🎧

[Beannie]

I have had my music playing since your first post without any issues. I am satisfied and going to say I won't have any issues from this point on! GREAT WORK AND THANK YOU DEVICE TEAM AND ALYSSA!!!!