Playback isn't working
4 min read · Updated 2026-08-04
Music won't start, stalls mid-track, or stops unexpectedly? Work through these checks in order.
Most playback problems come from a stale app session, a network hiccup, or a device output that changed without you noticing. The steps below resolve the large majority of reports.
Before you start
Check the service status panel first — if Music is degraded, playback issues may resolve on their own.
Quick checks
- Confirm your device is not muted and the correct output device is selected.
- Pause and resume the track once — this re-requests the audio stream.
- Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data (or the reverse) to rule out a network path issue.
- Fully close and reopen the app, then play a different track.
Clear the playback cache
A corrupted cached segment can stall a single track while everything else plays fine.
- Open Settings, then Storage.
- Select Clear playback cache. Your downloads are not removed.
- Restart the app and try the track again.
Still stuck?
One track only?
If a single track fails everywhere but the rest of the catalogue plays, the release may be temporarily unavailable in your region.
- Note the track or release URL.
- Note your device, operating system and app version.
- Include any error message you see.
Working again?
Great. If it comes back, contact Music Support with the details above and we'll dig into the logs.