Spotify is introducing a broader set of controls that will let users decide how much video they want to see inside the app, marking a notable shift in how the platform balances its audio roots with its growing push into visual content. The company says the new settings are designed to give listeners a clearer choice between an audio-first experience and one that includes more video elements across music, podcasts and audiobooks.
The update matters because Spotify has steadily expanded video features over the past several years, moving well beyond its original music-streaming identity. As the service added looping visuals, video podcasts and music videos, it also moved closer to the kind of content environment that has drawn increasing attention from users, parents, regulators and lawmakers. By offering broader controls, Spotify appears to be responding both to user preference and to wider pressure around how media platforms shape screen time and digital behavior.
For many listeners, the change will be welcome for a simpler reason. A large share of Spotify users still think of the app primarily as a place to listen, not watch. Giving them stronger control over visuals brings the product closer to that expectation.
Users will be able to choose a more audio-focused app
Under the new setup, Spotify users will be able to manage how video content appears throughout the app. The controls are being framed as a way to let people choose the experience they want, whether that means keeping the platform visually enhanced or stripping it back to something closer to a traditional audio service.
The company is also widening access to these controls. Family Plan managers around the world will now be able to switch video content on or off for any member of their plan directly through subscription settings. Previously, that level of control had only been available for managed accounts belonging to users under the age of 13.
That expansion is significant because it takes a feature once aimed mainly at child accounts and turns it into a broader household-level option. In effect, Spotify is acknowledging that video preference is not just a child-safety issue, but a user experience issue for all kinds of listeners.
The new settings will apply across the platform
Spotify says Premium and Basic users on Individual, Duo, Family and Student plans will all have access to the new controls. Users on the free tier will also be able to manage how video appears in the app. That broad rollout suggests the company wants the feature to be seen as a universal product improvement, not a niche parental control.
To access the settings, users will need to go into the app’s settings menu and open the “Content and display” section. From there, they will be able to turn off or on features such as Canvas looping visuals and other video elements attached to music or podcasts.
Once selected, those preferences will carry across mobile, desktop, web and TV. That consistency is important because it means users will not have to repeat the same choice on every device. Spotify is clearly trying to make the setting feel like a true account preference rather than a temporary adjustment on one screen.
Video remains important, but now with more limits
The announcement does not mean Spotify is backing away from video altogether. On the contrary, the company has spent years building that side of the platform. It launched Canvas in 2018, expanded into video podcasts in 2020 and added support for music videos in 2024 as part of a broader push to compete more directly with platforms such as YouTube.
That makes the update especially interesting. Spotify is not abandoning video. It is trying to make video more optional. This is a different strategy from simply adding ever more features and expecting users to follow. It reflects a more mature product choice: give people the option to participate in richer visual experiences without forcing that experience on everyone.
There are still limits to the control. Spotify says users will continue to see video ads, as well as video-like visuals on certain audio ads. So while the app may become less visually busy for many listeners, it will not become entirely video-free in every context.
The change may also reflect wider pressure
The timing of the move suggests that Spotify may be trying to address more than simple user convenience. Video-heavy digital platforms are facing closer scrutiny over their effects on younger users, attention habits and time spent in-app. In that climate, giving users and families clearer control over visual content is also a way to show that the company is taking those concerns seriously.
At the same time, the product logic is straightforward. Some users want a richer multimedia environment, while others just want to listen to music or podcasts without visual distraction. Spotify now seems more willing to serve both groups rather than push everyone toward the same model.
In the end, this update is less about removing video than about restoring choice. Spotify has spent years building a more visual platform. Now it is trying to show that users, not the app, should decide how much of that experience they actually want.