- New options to disable canvas, video clips, and podcast videos and focus only on audio.
- Family plan administrators can block or allow videos for each member, especially minors.
- The video display setting applies to all devices: mobile, computer, web, and television.
- Spotify strengthens user control over how they want to interact with audiovisual content.
Spotify has introduced new tools for managing video content within its app, allowing users to listen only to the audio of songs and podcasts. The streaming platform is thus strengthening user control over the listening experience at a time when visual formats are increasingly being combined with traditional audio.
With these new features, both individual users and families can limit or completely disable videos, looping canvases, and podcast video recordings , which is especially useful for avoiding distractions, saving data, or simply enjoying music the way it's always been done: with just the sound.
Full control of the video to focus solely on the audio
The main new feature is the ability for any user to adjust how visual elements are displayed in the app. From now on, it's possible to quickly turn off looping videos (canvas), music videos, and other audiovisual formats that accompany songs and audio programs, all from a single menu.
Spotify wants this setting to be a permanent, not a one-off, choice: changes are saved and automatically applied across all devices linked to the account , whether using a smartphone, computer, the web version, or a smart TV. This eliminates the need to repeat the settings every time you switch devices.
This move to offer more flexibility comes at a time when the platform has been increasingly integrating video, from short artistic loops to podcasts recorded in audiovisual format . However, not everyone wants—or can—consume that visual content all the time, and that's where these new options come in.
As the company explained, the goal is for listeners to be able to decide exactly how they want to engage with the videos that complement the music and podcasts , without imposing a single experience. The idea is for each person to adapt the application to their lifestyle and listening style.
How to disable videos, canvas, and video podcasts in the app
Accessing these new controls doesn't require digging through menus. Users can manage everything from the settings section itself, where playback options are centralized. Specifically, Spotify has enabled a dedicated "Content and Viewing" section that groups together video-related options.
Within that menu, you can enable or disable looping videos (canvas videos), music videos, and any other type of video that plays on the platform, including podcast recordings offered in both audio and video formats. A few taps are all it takes to configure the app for audio only.
Once these changes are saved, the settings are associated with the account, so you don't need to repeat the process on each device . It doesn't matter where you listen from: your preference to show or hide video is respected on mobile phones, computers, the web, televisions, and other compatible devices.
This way of working is especially practical for those who frequently switch between different screens and want to maintain a consistent audio-only experience , for example, when using headphones on the street, switching to a computer at home, or connecting Spotify to the living room TV.
New options for family plans and children's accounts
In addition to general adjustments, Spotify has focused on family subscriptions, which often include users with different needs, especially those with children. Administrators of these plans—usually a parent or guardian—can now enable or disable video content for any member of the plan directly from the app's settings.
This feature is now available for all family plan accounts managed for users under 13 , according to the company. This allows the type of visual content displayed on each profile to be tailored to the user's age or the context in which the platform is used.
A typical scenario would be a parent who decides to temporarily block videos while their child is studying , so the child only has access to the audio and potential distractions are reduced. Later, when the child finishes their homework, the video can be easily re-enabled.
This level of control can also be useful at other times of the day, for example, if you want to limit the consumption of visual content before bed or during certain hours. The idea is that those managing the family plan have flexible tools to adapt Spotify to the household routine.
A more flexible experience for different types of listeners
These updates come after years in which Spotify has evolved from a simple music player into a much broader platform, encompassing personalized playlists, podcasts of all kinds, video content , and interactive features . With so many formats available, not all users value the same thing.
Some people prefer to make the most of visual content, such as creative canvases or video versions of their favorite podcasts, while others prefer to avoid distractions, save mobile data, or reduce screen time and stick to audio only . The new options aim to balance these different usage patterns.
The platform itself has emphasized that "control changes everything" and that when people have the ability to decide how they want to consume content, the time spent listening to music or podcasts can be perceived as more valuable and better used. It's not just about adding features, but about allowing them to adapt to each user's routine.
In Europe and Spain, where the use of streaming services is widespread, these tools can fit especially well in family, study and work environments , where people often want to accompany their day with background audio without having to be constantly looking at the screen.
With this move, Spotify takes another step in its strategy to offer a more personalized experience, allowing each account, whether individual or family, to decide the extent to which they want to integrate video into their listening experience . Those who wish can rely on the visual content; those who don't can leave the app configured to enjoy only the audio.
Taken together, these changes reinforce the idea that the platform wants listeners to set the pace: from the new settings sections to the family options, everything points to greater freedom to design an audio-only experience or a combination of audio and video , depending on what best suits each moment.
