- New video controls to disable Canvas, video clips, and video podcasts.
- Family Plan administrators can decide what visual content each member sees.
- The adjustments apply to all devices and are being rolled out gradually globally.
- Spotify seeks to reinforce a more controlled and audio-focused experience for those who prefer it.
Spotify has begun rolling out a series of new video controls These changes completely transform how each person manages what they see within the app. The idea is simple: to allow users to decide whether they want a more immersive visual experience or, conversely, an interface focused almost entirely on audio.
These adjustments come in a context where More and more listeners are asking for more control Regarding the time they spend on the platform, Spotify tries to please everyone, allowing users to choose which formats are displayed and which are hidden, from those who just want to listen to music or podcasts without distractions to those who enjoy music videos and video podcasts.
More control over video on Spotify
Over the past few years, the platform had been incorporating increasingly more visual elementsFirst came Canvas (those looping animations that replace the album cover), then video podcasts, and more recently, music videos integrated directly into the app.
For some, this evolution has enriched the way they consume content, but Many users still use Spotify as a pure audio playerThese users are not keen on the screen being filled with images or the video consuming more data from their mobile account, hence the possibility of turning them off is a recurring request.
With the new update, Spotify takes a step back visually without abandoning it altogether: It allows you to turn off what bothers you without forcing you to give up everything.Thus, those who prefer a clean and lightweight interface can configure the app so that video elements barely appear, while those who want an experience closer to YouTube Music can keep them active.
The company frames this change within a broader strategy to make time spent on the app feel more valued. intentional, personal, and beneficialand not as wasted time skipping over content that is not interesting.
Where are the new video controls?
The new settings are located in the usual settings menu. From the app, simply go to Settings > Content and Display (in some menus it may appear as "Content and Screen" or simply "Screen" on desktop) to access the various switches related to video.
This section features three separate controls which allow for considerable fine-tuning:
- A switch to turn off the Canvas, the short looping animations that replace the album cover.
- Another control to specifically block the music video clips associated with certain songs.
- A third setting that turns off the rest of the video content, such as podcasts in visual format and vertical videos.
In this way, the user can decide, for example, to keep the Canvases active because they find them enjoyable, but Avoid video podcasts, as they consume more data.Or, just the opposite: keep the video podcasts and disable the music videos if you don't see the point in them.
Once preferences are selected, Spotify applies them to the account as a whole and It syncs them across all devices Wherever you use it: mobile, desktop version, TV app, or even the web version. You don't need to repeat the same configuration on each device.
It is worth noting that the deployment is being carried out in a gradual at a global levelTherefore, not all users in Spain or other European countries will see the new controls at the same time. If they haven't appeared yet, they should arrive in the coming days or weeks.
What changes for free and paid users
Video controls are not exclusive to paid accounts. Spotify has made it clear that all types of accounts They will be able to decide which visual elements they want to activate or deactivate. This includes both free users and those with Premium subscriptions in any of its modalities: Individual, Duo, Family, or Student.
Even so, there are important nuances. Even if all possible videos are disabled, Free accounts will continue to see video ads and promotional pieces with visuals similar to Canvas ads. These advertising formats remain a key part of the business model, so they don't disappear with the new setup.
In the case of paid subscriptions, the change is most noticeable in the possibility of build a highly audio-centric experienceThose who want to use the app as a classic music or podcast player can minimize any visual distractions without giving up the benefits of the Premium plan.
The company itself insists that It's not about giving up on video. not as a platform strategy, but to offer more flexibility. People who enjoy the visual component can continue using it as before; those who don't find it useful can reduce it to a minimum.
Furthermore, official notes and statements emphasize that this move responds to a direct request from the community, where a majority say they especially value the tools that allow you to control how you use the platform.
Family Plans: choosing what each member sees
One of the areas where these new adjustments make the most sense is in the Family PlansUntil now, administrators could only manage access to certain content for children's accounts or for managed profiles of users under 13. With this update, the scope of control is expanded.
From now on, the person who manages the plan can enable or disable video for any member of the groupregardless of age. These adjustments are made from the Family Plan subscription section, in the centralized account settings.
This means that, for example, a parent can decide that in the profile of a teenage child There is no access to music videos or video podcastsmaintaining only the audio experience. And, once the restriction is applied at the plan level, that member will not be able to reverse it from their own app.
With this system, Spotify strengthens the parental control and monitoring mechanismsThis is similar to how it already allowed blocking explicit content on certain accounts. The difference is that now this capability also extends to visual formats.
This approach can be especially useful in households where an account is shared among several members with very different profiles, from minors who are just starting to use their own devices to adults who simply They don't want video to intrude on their daily listening experience.
An answer to how we actually use Spotify
In recent years, Spotify has tried to compete head-to-head with platforms where video plays a significant role, such as YouTubeThe stakes have been high: multi-million dollar deals for Attract big names in video podcasting, an expansion of music videos to more markets and the integration of vertical formats reminiscent of social media.
Despite everything, the data reveals a somewhat contradictory reality. On the one hand, The consumption of video podcasts has grown strongly And hundreds of millions of users have tried this type of content, especially in markets where video has been gaining momentum. On the other hand, a significant portion of the audience continues to use YouTube for music videos and remains their primary platform for audio.
The introduction of these controls appears to be an attempt to to balance both trendsOn the one hand, the company is keeping the door open for those who want a richer video experience and have eagerly embraced podcasts or concerts in visual format. On the other hand, it's sending a clear message to more traditional users: if you don't want screens full of images, you're not obligated to watch them.
This decision may also affect competition with other music streaming services in Europe, where sensitivity towards mobile data consumption and privacy It's especially high. Being able to reduce visual elements that drain the connection can be a plus for those who listen to music on the go.
In parallel, the company continues to work on other personalization-related features, such as on-demand lists, smart content filters, and the expansion of managed accounts, all aimed at giving the user the feeling that The platform adapts to your daily life, not the other way around..
With all these changes, Spotify reinforces its position as an audio service, without abandoning its investment in video, but offering a kind of escape button for those who want to return to the essentialsIn a scenario where each platform fights to attract users' attention, being able to decide in detail what is seen and what is not seen within the app can make all the difference for many listeners in Spain and the rest of Europe.
