How to use Spotify on Apple Watch in 2025

Thanks to Apple’s hyper-connected ecosystem, you can navigate and sync your Apple devices with little effort. Unlocking Mac with Apple Watch? Easy! (You should really set up this unlock method if you haven’t yet, it’s such a time saver). Paying with your watch without an iPhone? Hold Apple’s beer! Downloading Spotify playlists to your watch and playing them without an iPhone? That’s what we’ll focus on today. Spoiler: It’s possible. 

How to use Spotify on Apple Watch: Quick overview

Let’s dive into the key issues and their solutions right away. If this table helps, great! If you need more detailed instructions and tips, just scroll down.

How to get and play Spotify on Apple Watch 

Can you play Spotify on Apple Watch? Yes! First, let’s figure out how to get Spotify on Apple Watch. Initially, you’ll need your iPhone to set it up: 

1. Download the Spotify app on your iPhone.
2. Open the Watch app and scroll down.
3. Found Spotify? Click Install.
4. If prompted, type your Apple Account password to confirm the installation on the Apple Watch. 

Note that your devices should meet the following requirements to enable Spotify installation on Apple Watch: 

• iPhone running iOS 15 or later
• Apple Watch Series 3 or later, plus running watchOS 7.0 or later. 

If you can’t install Spotify on Apple Watch, try the following: 

• Ensure your iPhone is connected to your Apple Watch via Bluetooth 
• Log in to your Spotify app on your iPhone
• Check your internet connection 
• Update the Spotify app on iPhone via the App Store
• Learn how to re-download Spotify right on your Apple Watch

Once you manage to get Spotify on Apple Watch, you’ll see it on the Home Screen. Next, I’ll explain how to play Spotify on Apple Watch. 

Read also: Apple Watch generations in order

How to use Spotify on Apple Watch 

I’ve already praised Apple’s connected ecosystem, but I’ll do it again. I love it that you don’t have to open Spotify separately on your iPhone and Apple Watch when you want to play some music. Once the app is installed on both devices, you can just play any song or podcast on iPhone, and the “now playing” screen will pop up on your watch. 

Here’s how you can control playback and manage your Spotify library from Apple Watch: 

• Tap the play/stop/resume button in the middle 
• Tap the heart to add the now-playing song to Liked Songs
• Tap the connect icon in the bottom right to choose where you want to play your audio (if you’re wondering “how do I play Spotify through my Apple Watch with my AirPods?” — Spotify Connect is the answer) 
• Swipe left to see your Spotify library and downloads
• Swipe right to see the current album/playlist
• Turn the digital crown to change the volume. 

Is it possible to play Spotify on Apple Watch without iPhone offline? 

The ultimate question is this: can you use Spotify on Apple Watch if you’ve left your iPhone at home? Luckily, yes! But there are a few important prerequisites. 

You can enjoy listening to Spotify without carrying your iPhone with you if you have your playlist/podcast downloaded to the watch.

Can you play Spotify on Apple Watch without a phone if there’s no internet connection? The answer is yes, provided you’ve previously downloaded your music. 

Here’s how to create your Spotify Apple Watch offline setup: 

1. Ensure you have a valid Spotify Premium account (the download feature is unavailable for free account users).
2. Check your internet connection — you’ll need it to run the download process.
3. Update the Spotify app if necessary. 

All good? Now let’s download some Spotify music to Apple Watch: 

1. Open your Spotify app on your iPhone.
2. Find the playlist you want to download and tap the three dots next to it.
3. Choose Download to Apple Watch. 

How to sync your media across Apple devices with ease 

Now when you know how to listen to Spotify on Apple Watch, let me give you a tip on how to manage your media content across other devices. This is super useful if you don’t want to rely on iCloud due to storage limitations or if you need to quickly transfer your music, images, and other data from an old device to a new one. 

AnyTrans for iOS is a stellar app you won’t regret installing on your Mac. Connect your iPhone to Mac with AnyTrans installed, and you’ll have an overview of all your iPhone content. You can sync or delete folders, move data from iPhone to iPhone, iPhone to Mac, or Mac to iPhone within minutes. AnyTrans also lets you navigate certain categories of data that other tools rarely deal with, such as contacts, for example. 

If you’re wondering “how do I sync my Spotify to my Apple Watch,” the answer is you don’t have to! Your library will be synced automatically. However, if you want to access your downloaded music on Apple Watch, you’ll have to download it separately. And don’t forget about the 50 songs per playlist limit. 

Bonus: Something cool to listen

If you are looking for a playlist with no pauses, unexpected song switches, or distracting vocals, I have something to offer.

GetSound: Sounds that match your location

GetSound is the app that generates AI soundscapes in real time based on your location, time of day, and local weather. The sound is customizable, and you can pick an environmental layer to match your location, e.g., Coffee Shop, Forest, Lake, Office, and much more.

Lofi Gaden: Soothing music

If you need a soundscape to help you focus, work, or study, try Lofi Garden. The app has a play and pause button in your menu bar. Click it whenever you need to immerse yourself in tasks without distractions.

Nozio: Nature sounds

Whenever I need sound to fall asleep faster, I launch Nozio. It offers a variety of sounds, including so-called white and brown noise, plus beta, delta, gamma, and theta wave sounds. But what I like most are the nature (and "natural") sounds: heartbeat, birds in the par, blue whales, a campfire, rain, and more.

You can listen to a single sound, create your own mixture, or choose from the pre-installed soundscapes.

Setapp productivity playlists

Tired of putting the same Spotify playlists on repeat during your workday? Here’s something fresh: Setapp productivity playlists. There, you'll find music for brainstorming, power napping, creating inspiration, and more.

Improve your listening experience with these apps

GetSound, Lofi Garden, and Nozio are available on Setapp. Wait, what’s Setapp? Essentially, it’s an app subscription service that opens up access to 250+ Mac and iOS apps in one place.

You can sign up for a free 7-day trial and try all apps without ads and limitations. By the way, AnyTrans for iOS, which I’ve mentioned before, is also included in the subscription. Try them all now!