Without thunderous communication, Spotify just added a button that heavy music consumers have been waiting for years. A new series of settings finally allows most videos to be cut in the application, which directly limits mobile data consumption.
The timing is not trivial. For years, Spotify has multiplied video content: filmed podcasts, clips integrated into songs, vertical formats like social networks and the famous Canvasthese animated loops that run in the background. Enough to make the interface heavier and annoy some users. As Antoine Roche summarizes on Les Numériques, “you will finally be able to get rid of one of the worst flaws of the application”.
Spotify: what is this new button to cut videos and protect your mobile data?
Until now, you could already deactivate the Canvasand parents with a family subscription had the option to block all videos for profiles under 13 years old. But for the rest of the users, it’s impossible to really disable videos.
The latest update is a game changer. Spotify deploys a new dedicated section which allows everyone, free or Premium account, to finely deactivate several categories: Canvasmusic video and concert videos, as well as other videos such as vertical creator formats. On mobile, these options are found in “Content and display”, then in the “Videos and canvas” section. On desktop, head to preferences, “Display settings” section.
Once the boxes are unchecked, the application stops loading these videos, which immediately reduces the amount of data transferred in 4G or 5G, but also the load on the processor and therefore the battery.
Disabling videos on Spotify: what impact on the experience and your data plan?
Technically, a video requires much more data than a simple audio stream. Even short loops like Canvas or excerpts from clips quickly weigh more than the track itself. By deactivating these elements, you return to an experience close to a classic audio player, much lighter in terms of data.
Concretely, deactivate videos on Spotifyit’s a double benefit. On the one hand, your data envelope melts less quickly when you listen to music outside WiFi in transport or on the move. On the other hand, the interface is simpler: the reading screen is less cluttered, reading is less distracted by permanent animations and video extracts that start without you asking.
For many users, this setting will probably become a reflex to activate on a smartphone, while possibly keeping the videos on a fiber-connected PC where data consumption matters less.
Option deployment, compatibility and other settings to watch out for
According to Les Numériques, the new product is being deployed on mobile, desktop and web applications. Phonandroid specifies that the option is not yet visible to everyone in France, but that it is already starting to appear in certain regions. If you don’t see the “Videos and canvas” section, check that your application Spotify is up to date and wait a few days.
Good news: these settings are available for all profiles, including free ones, and complement the parental controls already in place on family offers. To go further in reducing consumption, you can also take a look at the audio quality options or the existing data saver mode, in order to further limit the amount of mobile data used by Spotify.