To get Spotify on an iPhone’s lock screen, you must first ensure that your device settings allow Spotify to display notifications.
Navigate to your iPhone’s ‘Settings,’ then ‘Notifications,’ and select ‘Spotify.’ Make sure ‘Allow Notifications’ is enabled.
Additionally, you can customize how Spotify notifications appear on your lock screen. Now, when playing music on Spotify, you should see playback controls on your lock screen.
How To Get The Spotify Widget On The Home Screen?
To get the Spotify widget on your iPhone’s home screen, you must first ensure that your device is running iOS 14 or later, as widgets are a new feature introduced in this version. Open the Spotify app and play a song.
Minimize the app so you’re on the home screen. Press and hold a space on your home screen until the apps jiggle. In the upper-left corner, you’ll see a ‘+’ icon. Tap on it to open the widget menu.
Scroll down and select the Spotify widget. You can choose from different widget sizes according to your preference.
Once you’ve made your selection, tap on ‘Add Widget.’ Position the widget where you want it on your screen, then tap ‘Done’ in the upper-right corner.
Now, you’ll have a Spotify widget on your home screen, allowing you to control playback without opening the app.
How To Get The Spotify Widget On The Lock Screen?

Unfortunately, as of the current iOS version (iOS 15), Apple doesn’t allow third-party apps like Spotify to have widgets on the lock screen.
The lock screen widget feature is only available for Apple’s apps, such as the default Music app. However, you can still control Spotify playback from your lock screen.
When you’re playing music on Spotify, the playback controls will appear on your lock screen. This includes play/pause, previous track, and next track. You can also see the album art and the song’s name on the lock screen.
If you want a similar feature as a lock screen widget, you could consider setting Spotify as your default music service if you use a feature similar to iOS 14.5 or later. This way, you can use Siri to play your music on Spotify without unlocking your device.
Remember, controlling and unlocking, using your Spotify music from your lock screen depends on the Spotify app having the necessary permissions.
So, always ensure that under your iPhone’s ‘Settings,’ then ‘Notifications,’ the ‘Spotify’ app has ‘Allow Notifications’ enabled.
The Spotify Lock Screen widget is not working.
If your Spotify lock screen widget is not working as expected, here are some troubleshooting steps you can take:
- Check the Spotify App Version: Ensure you’re using the latest version of Spotify. Regular updates often fix minor bugs and glitches, including issues with lock screen widgets. You can update your app through the App Store.
- Verify Notification Settings: As mentioned earlier, head to ‘Settings’ > ‘Notifications’ > ‘Spotify’ and ensure ‘Allow Notifications’ is enabled. If it’s already enabled, try toggling it off and on again.
- Restart Your Device: Sometimes, a simple reboot of your iPhone can resolve minor technical issues. Press and hold the power button, then slide to power off. After a minute, turn it back on.
- Reinstall Spotify: If the problem persists, try deleting and reinstalling the Spotify app. Press the Spotify app icon, select ‘Delete App,’ and then download it again from the App Store. Remember, this will delete all your downloaded music.
- Contact Spotify Support: If all else fails, contact Spotify Customer Support. They may be able to provide more specific assistance based on your account and device details.
Remember, as of iOS 15, Apple doesn’t allow third-party widgets on the lock screen. If you’re missing lock screen controls, it might not be a bug but a limitation of the current iOS version.
Predicted Spotify Lock Screen Features in iOS 16.
As of the time of writing, iOS 16 has not yet been released, and therefore the precise features are unknown.
However, based on the previous updates and industry trends, we can make some educated predictions about what we might expect for Spotify on the lock screen in iOS 16.
Improved Lock Screen Controls.
The current iOS version allows basic controlling of Spotify playback from the lock screen. We hope to see more enhanced controls, such as adding songs to a playlist or liking and disliking songs from the lock screen.
Third-party Widgets on Lock Screen.
There are speculations that Apple may open the lock screen for third-party widgets in future iOS updates. If this happens, we might see a Spotify widget directly on the lock screen, offering quick access to playback controls and recent playlists without unlocking the device.
Integration with Siri.
With iOS 14.5, Apple allowed users to set Spotify as their default music service. We may see further Siri integration, such as voice commands to add songs to specific Spotify playlists or to share songs with friends directly from the lock screen.
Enhanced Visual Features.
We might see more visual enhancements like dynamic background colors on the lock screen, matching the album art of the playing Spotify track.
Increased Customization.
iOS updates usually bring more user customization, so we might see more options for how Spotify notifications and controls appear on the lock screen.
It’s always exciting to anticipate what new features an iOS update will bring. While we hope to see these improvements, we’ll have to wait until the official iOS 16 release to know. This guide will be updated accordingly when that happens.
Conclusion.
The Spotify widget is a great way to quickly access music playback controls on the home screen of your iPhone.
Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t allow third-party apps like Spotify to have widgets on the lock screen.
The current iOS version does allow you to control Spotify playback from the lock screen, but only with basic play/pause, previous track, and next track controls.
FAQ’s.
As of the current iOS version (iOS 15), Apple doesn’t allow third-party apps like Spotify to have widgets on the lock screen. However, you can control Spotify playback from your lock screen.
When you’re playing music on Spotify, the playback controls will appear on the lock screen, which includes play/pause, previous track, and next track options.
Remember, Apple doesn’t allow third-party widgets on the lock screen in iOS 15. If you’re missing lock screen controls, it might not be a bug but a limitation of the current iOS version. However, ensure that ‘Allow Notifications’ for the Spotify app is enabled in your iPhone’s ‘Settings’ under ‘Notifications.’
As of the time of writing, iOS 16 has not been released, and therefore, However; therefore, we hope to see more enhanced controls, third-party widgets on the lock screen, further Siri integration, visual enhancements, and increased Customization.