How to Enable or Disable Microphone Access for the Spotify iPhone App

To turn Spotify’s microphone access on or off on an iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and tap the switch next to Spotify. Green means Spotify can use the microphone, and gray means it can’t. You can also reach the same switch from Settings > Apps > Spotify.

These steps are for iOS 18 and later, including iOS 26 and the current iOS 27, on any iPhone that runs them. Apple describes the permission list in Control access to hardware features on iPhone.

Why Spotify Asks for the Microphone

Spotify doesn’t need the microphone to play music, podcasts, or audiobooks. It asks for access only when you speak to it. The main voice feature right now is DJ, Spotify’s AI DJ for Premium subscribers. In DJ you can tap the mic icon and say what you want to hear, such as “make it more upbeat,” as described on Spotify’s DJ support page. Spotify added voice requests in May 2025, as its DJ voice requests announcement explains, and DJ is available in a limited number of languages and markets.

You don’t have to talk to DJ. The same screen has a text box where you can type a request, plus suggestions you can tap. Typed requests don’t need the microphone.

The first time you tap the mic, iOS shows a pop-up asking whether Spotify can access the microphone. Whatever you tap there sets the switch described below. If you tap Don’t Allow, iOS won’t ask again, so you have to turn the switch on in Settings later.

Turn Spotify’s Microphone Access On or Off in Privacy & Security

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
3. Tap Microphone. You’ll see a list of the apps that have asked to use the microphone.
4. Find Spotify and tap its switch. Turn it on (green) to allow access or off (gray) to block it.

5. Open Spotify again. If you turned access on, open DJ and tap the mic to confirm it works.

A switch that’s on gives Spotify permission. It doesn’t mean Spotify is listening. The app uses the microphone only while you’re talking to a voice feature, and iOS shows an indicator when that happens (see below).

Use Spotify’s Own Settings Page Instead

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap Apps, then tap Spotify. You can type “Spotify” in the search field at the top of the Apps list to find it quickly.
3. Turn the Microphone switch on or off.

This page also shows Spotify’s other permissions, such as Bluetooth, Local Network, and Notifications, so it’s a convenient place to review everything for one app. If there’s no Microphone switch here, Spotify hasn’t asked for access yet. On iOS 17 and earlier, there’s no Apps menu; scroll down the main Settings screen and tap Spotify instead.

If Spotify Isn’t in the Microphone List

iOS only lists apps that have requested the microphone. If Spotify is missing:

1. Update Spotify from the App Store so you have the current version of DJ.
2. Open Spotify and tap the DJ icon on Home, or search for DJ.
3. Tap the mic icon. When iOS asks for microphone access, tap Allow.

If you don’t see DJ, your account, language, or region may not have it. DJ is a Premium feature. Without a voice feature to use, Spotify won’t ask for the microphone, and that’s normal. Spotify’s older voice search and “Hey Spotify” voice command were removed years ago, so older guides that mention a microphone in the search bar no longer apply.

Control Spotify by Voice Without Giving It the Microphone

Siri can play Spotify for you using Siri’s own microphone access, so Spotify’s switch can stay off. Say something like “Hey Siri, play my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify.” Spotify’s Siri help page says adding “on Spotify” helps when Siri picks a different app. With Apple Intelligence on a supported iPhone running iOS 27, you can leave “on Spotify” off. Siri can also play DJ, skip tracks, and change the volume.

How to Tell When Spotify Is Using the Microphone

• An orange dot appears at the top of the screen, in the status bar or the Dynamic Island, while any app uses the microphone. With Differentiate Without Color turned on, it’s an orange square.
• A green dot means an app is using the camera, or the camera and microphone together.
• Open Control Center right after you see the dot. The top of the screen names the app that used the microphone recently.

For more on both dots, read About the orange and green indicators in your iPhone status bar. If you see the orange dot while you’re only playing music, check Control Center to find out which app is responsible. It’s often a different app, such as a call or a voice assistant.

What Changes When You Turn It Off

• Talking to DJ stops working, and Spotify may ask you to allow microphone access. Typed DJ requests and suggestions still work.
• Playback, search by typing, downloads, playlists, and Spotify Connect all keep working.
• Other apps aren’t affected. Each app has its own switch, and Phone calls, FaceTime, and Siri use their own permissions.

To change your mind later, go back to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and turn Spotify’s switch on again.

Troubleshooting

• The switch is grayed out. Screen Time restrictions may be blocking changes to privacy settings. On your own iPhone, open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions, find Microphone in the privacy section, and allow changes. On a child’s iPhone, the parent opens Settings > Family, taps the child’s name, then Content & Privacy Restrictions > Privacy Restrictions, as Apple’s parental controls page shows. If an employer or school manages the iPhone, ask them to change it.
• The switch is on but DJ can’t hear you. Close and reopen Spotify, then try again. Remove any case or film that covers the microphone openings, and test with a short recording in Voice Memos. Apple’s microphone troubleshooting page has more checks and says to contact the app’s developer if the app has access and still can’t hear you.
• DJ hears you through the wrong microphone. If AirPods or a car system is connected, iOS uses that device’s microphone. Disconnect it or speak into it.

Frequently Asked Questions