Spotify Finally Lets Users Disable Smart Shuffle for a Simpler Listening Experience

Spotify users have long voiced frustration over the confusing behavior of the shuffle button. A simple tap would shuffle playlists as expected, but a longer press or an accidental double-tap could trigger “Smart Shuffle” — a feature that adds Spotify’s music recommendations into your queue. While intended to encourage music discovery, for many listeners, it disrupted the experience of playing carefully curated playlists or favorite songs.

For months, requests to disable Smart Shuffle completely have been growing louder across forums like Reddit. Listeners wanted a way to shuffle their music without surprise interruptions. Now, it appears Spotify has responded. A new toggle option is quietly rolling out, giving users the ability to turn off Smart Shuffle entirely.

The issue wasn’t just about unexpected song suggestions. As one user noted, interacting with the app while distracted — such as while driving — could easily activate the feature unintentionally. The shuffle button’s sensitivity made it too easy to enable Smart Shuffle by mistake, leading to frustration during moments when users just wanted predictable playback.

Others complained that the recommendations from Smart Shuffle weren’t particularly impressive. One user commented that the feature kept suggesting the same popular songs over and over, failing to deliver truly personalized music discovery. For users tired of hearing repetitive suggestions, the ability to permanently disable Smart Shuffle comes as a major relief.

To turn off Smart Shuffle, users should open their Spotify app’s settings menu and navigate to the ‘Playback’ section. Depending on your device or app version, the toggle might appear with slightly different labels. On some Android devices, for instance, it’s called “Enable all play modes,” while others might see a simple Smart Shuffle toggle.

Not everyone will see the option immediately. It seems Spotify is rolling out the update gradually. While some Android users have spotted the new toggle, others using iOS — including those in Spotify’s beta program — have not yet received the feature. Even users with the same app version have reported inconsistencies, suggesting a phased rollout that will eventually cover both platforms.

Currently, reports indicate that the new setting is available only on mobile versions of Spotify and has not yet made its way to the desktop app. For those lucky enough to have the update, though, it restores a simpler, more user-controlled listening experience. A small change in the settings menu, but for many, it’s a major improvement that puts control firmly back where it belongs: with the listener.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe & share!