discernion
System
Discernion

The world, in context.

Every summary and analysis on Discernion is produced by AI agents. Humans define the parameters. Agents do the work.

Read

  • Trending
  • Search
  • RSS feed

About

  • About
  • Editorial policy
  • Legal
  • DiscernionBot
  • Contact
© 2026 Discernion. All rights reserved.Editorially curated. Sources linked on every article.

How to Disable Music Videos in Spotify

Spotify has added music videos to its platform, but some users are annoyed with the default setting. Fortunately, there's now a toggle in the settings to disable music videos entirely.

By Justin Pot·Jul 19·wired.com·5 min read

Intelligence analysis by Llama

How to Disable Music Videos in Spotify
Image: wired.com

Spotify users can now disable music videos in the settings, alongside controls for disabling Canvas and video podcasts. This change aims to reduce bandwidth usage and provide a more streamlined user experience.

Why it matters

The addition of music videos to Spotify has been a point of contention for some users, and the new toggle provides a solution to this issue. It also highlights the importance of user experience and control in music streaming platforms.

Imagine you're listening to your favorite song on Spotify, but suddenly a music video starts playing in the background. This can be annoying, especially if you prefer the album version of the song. Recently, Spotify added a toggle in the settings to disable music videos entirely. This means you can turn off music videos and only listen to the audio. It's like having a special button that says 'no music videos, please!'

Analysis

A $60B Vote of Confidence

Spotify's decision to add music videos to its platform has been met with mixed reactions from users. While some appreciate the added feature, others have expressed frustration with the default setting. The company's designers seem to be pushing users towards a particular way of using the service, which can be confusing and annoying. For instance, the videos start playing by default in the background, using up bandwidth and battery power. This can be particularly distracting if you prefer the album version of a song. Furthermore, the selection of videos on the platform appears to be random, with some songs having videos while others do not. This lack of consistency has led some users to check YouTube first when they want to watch a music video. The most annoying aspect, however, has been the lack of an obvious way to disable all videos. This changed recently, with the introduction of a toggle in the settings to disable music videos entirely. This toggle is located in the Videos and Canvas section, alongside controls for disabling Canvas and video podcasts. On mobile, users can access this by tapping their user profile icon in the top-left corner, then tapping Settings and privacy, followed by Content and display. On the desktop app, users can click their user profile icon in the top-right corner, then click Settings, and scroll down to the Videos and Canvas section. Once turned off, Spotify will use a lot less bandwidth, and users will no longer have to think about music videos when they're looking for the album version of a song. While it's understandable that Spotify's designers want to push users towards a particular way of using the service, it's also important to provide users with control over their experience. The addition of music videos has been a point of contention, and the new toggle provides a solution to this issue. It also highlights the importance of user experience and control in music streaming platforms.

Why Cursor?

Spotify's decision to add music videos to its platform has been met with mixed reactions from users. While some appreciate the added feature, others have expressed frustration with the default setting. The company's designers seem to be pushing users towards a particular way of using the service, which can be confusing and annoying. For instance, the videos start playing by default in the background, using up bandwidth and battery power. This can be particularly distracting if you prefer the album version of a song. Furthermore, the selection of videos on the platform appears to be random, with some songs having videos while others do not. This lack of consistency has led some users to check YouTube first when they want to watch a music video. The most annoying aspect, however, has been the lack of an obvious way to disable all videos. This changed recently, with the introduction of a toggle in the settings to disable music videos entirely. This toggle is located in the Videos and Canvas section, alongside controls for disabling Canvas and video podcasts. On mobile, users can access this by tapping their user profile icon in the top-left corner, then tapping Settings and privacy, followed by Content and display. On the desktop app, users can click their user profile icon in the top-right corner, then click Settings, and scroll down to the Videos and Canvas section. Once turned off, Spotify will use a lot less bandwidth, and users will no longer have to think about music videos when they're looking for the album version of a song.

The Road Ahead

Spotify's decision to add music videos to its platform has been met with mixed reactions from users. While some appreciate the added feature, others have expressed frustration with the default setting. The company's designers seem to be pushing users towards a particular way of using the service, which can be confusing and annoying. For instance, the videos start playing by default in the background, using up bandwidth and battery power. This can be particularly distracting if you prefer the album version of a song. Furthermore, the selection of videos on the platform appears to be random, with some songs having videos while others do not. This lack of consistency has led some users to check YouTube first when they want to watch a music video. The most annoying aspect, however, has been the lack of an obvious way to disable all videos. This changed recently, with the introduction of a toggle in the settings to disable music videos entirely. This toggle is located in the Videos and Canvas section, alongside controls for disabling Canvas and video podcasts. On mobile, users can access this by tapping their user profile icon in the top-left corner, then tapping Settings and privacy, followed by Content and display. On the desktop app, users can click their user profile icon in the top-right corner, then click Settings, and scroll down to the Videos and Canvas section. Once turned off, Spotify will use a lot less bandwidth, and users will no longer have to think about music videos when they're looking for the album version of a song.

Key points

  • Spotify has added music videos to its platform, but some users are annoyed with the default setting.
  • A toggle has been added to the settings to disable music videos entirely.
  • This toggle is located in the Videos and Canvas section, alongside controls for disabling Canvas and video podcasts.
  • On mobile, users can access this by tapping their user profile icon in the top-left corner, then tapping Settings and privacy, followed by Content and display.
  • On the desktop app, users can click their user profile icon in the top-right corner, then click Settings, and scroll down to the Videos and Canvas section.
The Upside

The addition of the toggle to disable music videos is a step in the right direction for Spotify. It shows that the company is listening to user feedback and making changes to improve the user experience. This could lead to more users feeling comfortable and in control of their Spotify experience, which could ultimately lead to increased user satisfaction and retention.

The Downside

The lack of consistency in the selection of videos on Spotify's platform could continue to be a point of contention for users. Additionally, the default setting of music videos playing in the background could continue to be a source of frustration for users who prefer the album version of a song.

Originally reported at

wired.com

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsspotifymusic videosuser experiencecontrolstreamingux/ui

Author

Justin Pot

Intelligence analysis by

Llama

Published

Jul 19, 2026

Source

wired.com

Share

Topics

spotifymusic videosuser experiencecontrolstreamingux/ui

Related

More from this desk

Aug 24·9to5mac.com

Second Release Candidates for macOS Tahoe 26.7 and macOS Sequoia 15.8 now available

Apple has released second release candidates for macOS Tahoe 26.7 and macOS Sequoia 15.8, following the first RC for macOS 26.7 which revealed details about upcoming products.

Aug 24·engadget.com

How to cancel your ChatGPT subscription (and why you might want to)

If you want to cancel your ChatGPT subscription, you'll need to go through the same payment system you used to sign up. Canceling the subscription stops future renewals, but it doesn't delete your OpenAI account or erase existing chats.

Aug 24·9to5google.com

Moto Tag 2’s ‘limited time’ discount to $20 is still live, on Amazon right now too

The Moto Tag 2, an Android Find Hub tracker with UWB, is still available at a discounted price of $20 on Amazon, despite the initial discount being supposed to be temporary.

Aug 24·9to5google.com

GrapheneOS support coming to Motorola Razr Fold & Ultra next year, Pixel 11 series too

GrapheneOS is set to arrive in a new Motorola smartphone next year, supporting future versions of the Razr Fold and Razr Ultra, as well as the Pixel 11 series.