Change Default Startup Station

[tsh228]

When I open Pandora on Safari, it always starts on the same station. How do I select a different startup station?

[AdamPandora · Accepted solution]

@tsh228 This is not currently an option, however feel free to give this existing Idea a ❤️ to express your interest in getting it added to the service. 

Thanks for being a part of the community!

[pandybugg]

I find this irksome as well. Pandora defaults to my first save playlist, which is one that I do not quite wish to delete, but have largely outgrown.

[lifesperks]

So, I've been looking for an answer to "why does it default to a particular station at launch" for quite some time now. The only answer I get is that it "can be posted to feature request" and "thanks for being part of the community." 

What does that mean? That there is absolutely no solution to this? I can't count how many years I've used Pandora but I do know that it hasn't always defaulted to just one station all the time. It used to default to the last used.

Does Pandora have support to issues like this to their customers or is up to the subscribers to flail about trying to find it on their own?

Asking for a friend...

[AdamPandora]

@lifesperks Nice to see you around the community.

Selecting a default station:

That is correct - there isn't technically a feature on our website or app that allows you to select a default station upon start-up. 

If the existing feature request for this gains enough traction, it may be something our product team considers implementing in the future. I recommend giving the request a ❤️to express your interest in seeing it added as well. 

With this being said, there is a slight workaround for this if you stream Pandora on a computer. If you click on the station in your collection (if it's the first station in the list, click on another and then back to that station) and copy the URL that appears, you can create a bookmark in your browser to that station. If you open Pandora from that bookmark, it will launch with your desired station.

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Support for issues:

There are a number of other ways you can contact us with any questions you have:

1. Via email: you can create a message through our help page to contact our User Support team.
2. Live chat: you do have the option to live chat with someone from our User Support team which can be initiated through the help page. Agents are typically available for chat Monday - Friday between the hours of 8AM - 3PM (PST).
3. Via social media: you can Tweet @PandoraSupport, or post on our main Facebook page for assistance
4. Via the community: we are always happy to try and answer any questions here as well - you can create a new post, or find an existing post to comment on if it is related to what you are asking

Hope this helps! 😎

[CBlamire]

I have read that when you load Pandora on either a PC or mobile device it will revert to whatever station you were playing most recently.  This is untrue, in my case.  No matter what, it defaults to "Pixies Radio".  Every time.  I continue to enjoy the Pixies and similar artists in that vein but no longer enjoy having that style mandated as the first thing hitting my ears, and would like to change it to something else, but no matter how many times I start playing any of my dozens of different song or artist-seeded (or a non-customized radio) station and then close the app, it unfailingly force-reverts back to Pixies Radio next time I log onto Pandora.  Getting really sick of this; please advise. 😞 

[AdamPandora · Accepted solution]

@CBlamire I moved your post to this thread to keep the community tidy.

Station defaulting to Pixie's Radio:

If that is happening when streaming Pandora on your computer, then it sounds like you may need to check the bookmark that you use to access Pandora.

It should only be: https://www.pandora.com

If there is anything added onto to it (e.g., https://www.pandora.com/#/genres/top), then erase that. That is most likely the problem.

Workaround for selecting a default station on computer:

With this being said, there is a slight workaround for this if you stream Pandora on a computer. If you click on the station in your collection (if it's the first station in the list, click on another and then back to that station) and copy the URL that appears, you can create a bookmark in your browser to that station. If you open Pandora from that bookmark, it will launch with your desired station.

Hope this helps! 

[CBlamire]

OMG, do I feel dumb! Yes, thank you; this was the problem.  It never even occurred to me that I'd captured more than just the main URL when first bookmarking the site on my browser (and it was exclusively a PC issue, as the app on my phone does remain perpetually on shuffle as is my preference, but with significantly less usage than my laptop). 

I guess the silver lining is that if somebody else goofed up like this and has been tearing out their hair looking through account settings and community topics searching for answers, maybe now they'll stumble upon this and be able to edit their own bookmarks. 

Thanks again!

[AdamPandora]

@CBlamire Always happy to help. Please stay safe, and enjoy the music! 🕺🏽🎶

[Tee500]

Re. unable to change the default station.

I have the same problem and agree with most of the other users here.

Rather than have us cutting and pasting browser URLs on a regular basis how about Pandora does something to make themselves a better service?

What kind of lame company is Pandora that you can't design a fix for this?

Stop putting it in for consideration to "the team" and just get it done for christ's sake!

[AdamPandora]

@Tee500 Thank you for sharing your feedback around this.

While this is not currently an option, I recommend giving this existing feature request a ❤️ to express your interest in getting it added to the service: Default station option

Hope we continue to see you around the Community! 

[mewz76]

I figured out that my 'default-on-opening' station was the one that had the 'download' button clicked. Turned off the 'download' on the station I didn't want, clicked it on the one I did, and now the station I want opens on startup. 

[scQue814]

I was part of the original thread regarding shuffle mode issues.  And shuffle mode does appear to be fixed. (Thank you!)  I've been meaning to post this all week, but just haven't had the time.  

Now, however, every single time my Pandora loads (Android phone, and either desktop app) it no longer begins playing the last station setting.  Instead, it begins playing the station the first station in my alphabetical listing!  This is bad for several reasons:  (a) it disrupts the continuity of the listening experience and (b) it threatens to massively skew my metrics.  

Also, the Apple desktop app forces the user to re-login every time the app launches.  Slightly irritating.

I currently have 3 stations downloaded--which I never wanted, because I don't want it taking up space on my phone!--and one of those stations is Air, the first band in my collection, alphabetically.  As it currently stands, if I ever did want to properly engage offline mode, I would never be able to get rid of Air as a top-playing station. 

Additionally (as I have implied), I do not want those stations downloaded to my phone, and I can't seem to get them removed.  Whenever I switch the toggle, it just goes back to being turned on.  (And also, why would you not let the user choose which 3 stations are downloaded, anyway?  Certainly you'd want to choose the most appropriate stations for where you have the worst cell phone reception.)  

[AdamPandora]

@scQue814 I moved your post over to this existing thread: Change Default Startup Station

While this is not currently an option, I recommend giving this existing feature request a ❤️ to express your interest in getting it added to the service: Default station option

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Signing in on Apple Desktop App:

To clarify, is this the only device that requires you to sign in each time you want to stream Pandora?

If so, I recommend running through the following troubleshooting steps: Troubleshooting the desktop app on Mac

Let me know how it goes.

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Choosing your downloaded stations:

At this time, Pandora Plus listeners cannot add, delete or swap out which stations will be available for offline listening. Feel free to upvote this existing feature request with a ❤️if you'd like to see it added to the service: Choose your own Offline stations with Pandora Plus 

In the meantime, if you're wanting to have other offline stations available to you, try listening to those other stations more (ones that are currently not on your Offline station list). Since we periodically refresh the stations that are available to you offline (based on your listening habits), we may surprise you with adding them to your list! 

Alternatively, you may consider upgrading to Pandora Premium which allows subscribers to download any station, playlist, album or song in their collection for offline listening.

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Removing downloaded stations:

You should be able to remove those downloaded stations.

To do so, tap on the station you want to un-download to open it. You can then tap on the Downloaded icon to remove it from your downloads.

This being said, if you sign out of the app/sign back in, or uninstall/reinstall the app, these stations will automatically download again, and you will need to go through this removal process again.

Hope this helps!

[scQue814]

The "downloaded" icon does not appear anywhere within the Artist station.  It only appears on my list when I'm looking at the full alphabetical listing.  

And this may or may not have something to do with it: The toggle to turn off the off-line feature apparently stuck this time.  (It is currently turned off in my profile settings. Though, the downloaded icon is still there in the alphabetical listing. Not sure what button you want me to press without deleting the station entirely.)  

[AdamPandora]

@scQue814 Can you please do me a favor and send me a screenshot of what you are seeing when you tap on that station?

Thanks for continuing to work with me on this. 

[brandyrundel]

It needs to be an option because mine always starts up with Christmas Music.  Please advise.

[scQue814]

Apparently I can't send a photo via the community website. Webadmin, please fix!

[scQue814]

It gives me the option to upload a photo on desktop, but the screenshot you're requesting is on my phone. The only way to access the community forum via phone is via phone's web browser. This option does not (at first) give me the option to upload photos. After signing in, it does give the option, but won't load the photo--likely because it's too large of a file (but that is mere speculation).  

[Rallenz]

I want the same last station to play when I sign off and back on