I can’t understand why Spotify restricts free users’ control over the playback order; only Premium members can listen to music in the normal order. This feature should be available to all users, not just members.
Spotify seems to be driving its users toward its competitors. However, I have to keep using Spotify because all my playlists are there, but I won’t spend any more money on it. Therefore, I’ve figured out some ways to turn off Smart Shuffle Spotify Free without a Premium, which should be helpful to you, too.
Why Does Spotify Force Shuffle on Free Accounts?
This is clearly a tactic Spotify uses to force users to upgrade to a paid account.
Starting around 2019, Spotify implemented this policy, and many users began to find that they had no control over their playlists. The big green play button means “shuffle play,” but many users still mistakenly believe it to be the play button.
When a user wants to play music in any order, a pop-up will appear on the screen asking, “Want to play songs in any order?”, reminding the user to purchase Premium.
In 2025, Spotify announced that free users could now play the songs they wanted, and the restriction of only being able to shuffle had been removed.
This change may seem to remove the restrictions, but it is not.
According to the information I found, Spotify starts shuffle playback after free users finish listening to a song. Free users only have a fixed amount of on-demand time per day. Once the limit is reached, users can only skip six songs per hour.
Clearly, the free version of Spotify still has shuffle functionality, and we still need to find a way to consistently listen to music.
How to play music playlists in sequence on Spotify PC?
There’s a crucial distinction in Spotify’s policy: the shuffle restriction primarily applies to mobile devices. Spotify’s desktop applications, both the Spotify for Pc and Spotify web player, allow free users to disable shuffle and play music sequentially.
Method 1: Turning Off Shuffle on Spotify Pc
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Open the Spotify desktop app on your Windows PC or Mac.
- Start playing any song, album, or playlist.
- Look at the playback controls at the bottom of the screen.
- Locate the shuffle icon—two crossed arrows.
- Click the shuffle icon once to turn it off. When disabled, the icon will appear gray.
- Your music will now play in sequential order.
Keyboard Shortcut Method:
For even faster control, you can use keyboard shortcut stoggles shuffle mode on and off:
- Windows: Ctrl + S
- Mac: Cmd + S
Method 2: Spotify Free Web Player No Shuffle
- Log in to your account in the Spotify web player.
- Select any playlist, album, or song to begin playback.
- In the playback controls at the bottom of the screen, click the shuffle icon to disable it.
- The icon will turn gray, indicating shuffle is off, and your music will play in order.
After shuffle playback is turned off, sequential playback will automatically start. Spotify’s desktop client and web version are relatively user-friendly for free users, and usually allow sequential playback.
How to play music playlists in sequence on Spotify on Mobile?
Method 1: Use “Play Next” and Queue Control
Steps:
- Find the song you want
- Click the three dots (⋮)
- Select “Add to Playlist” or “Play Next”
- Repeat for more songs
Although this is a bit inconvenient, it avoids using Spotify’s shuffle feature.
Method 2: Play Albums Instead of Playlists
This was the method users used when Spotify’s shuffle feature first appeared.
Steps:
- Search for an album
- Tap the first song instead of the green play button
- The songs will be played in album order.
Downsides:
- Doesn’t work for custom playlists
- Limited flexibility
Still, it’s a clean way to avoid a shuffle in many cases.
Method 3: Use Spotify Premium Mod APK
You can try using:
Spotify Mod APK offers sequential playback, unlimited skips, and high-quality music streaming, and all features are free. Spotify Lite Mod can also reduce memory usage.
My method
I’ve tried all the methods mentioned above, and currently, I recommend using the Spotify Premium Mod APK. It includes all the features of Spotify Premium, and it’s free.
Although Spotify has changed its policy, it’s too late. The new policy is still too bothersome for me. I’d rather pay for my favorite artists’ albums individually than give my money to Spotify. If Spotify relaxes its restrictions again, I might consider paying for it, but not now.
FAQ
Q: Does the web player method work on all browsers?
A: The Spotify web player works on most modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. However, for the best experience, ensure your browser is updated to the latest version and that you have a stable internet connection.
Q: What other restrictions have been removed from the free version of Spotify?
A: To encourage users to share music links online, Spotify allows users to instantly listen to songs shared by friends on social platforms. Previously, free users could not play directly.
Q: Why did Spotify suddenly relax its restrictions?
A: Because many users cannot stream certain music on Spotify, they switch to other platforms such as YouTube, leading to a loss of Spotify users. Had to loosen the restrictions.
Q: Why does Spotify only restrict the playback order on mobile devices?
A: Mobile listening represents the majority of Spotify’s user engagement. The inconvenience caused by forced random playback can enhance users’ willingness to pay. Therefore, limiting the mobile listening experience is the most effective way to increase paid subscribers.
