To set a sleep timer in Spotify on an iPhone, tap the song playing at the bottom of the screen to open the Now Playing view, tap the three dots in the top-right corner, and tap Sleep timer. Pick how long you want it to play, from 5 minutes to 1 hour, or End of track. For podcasts and audiobooks, tap the moon icon next to the play button instead.
These steps follow Spotify’s own guide to the Sleep Timer and its audiobook features overview. They’re written for the Spotify app on iPhone, and Spotify says the Sleep Timer is available across its mobile apps.
Sleep Timer Options at a Glance
| What you’re playing | Where to find the timer | Time choices |
|---|---|---|
| Songs, albums, playlists | Now Playing > three dots > Sleep timer | 5, 10, 15, 30, 45 minutes, 1 hour, End of track |
| Podcasts and audiobooks | Now Playing > moon icon | Same choices as music |
| Anything on iPhone | Clock app > Timers > When Timer Ends > Stop Playing | Any length you set |
How to Set a Spotify Sleep Timer on iPhone for Music
- Open Spotify and start playing a song, album, or playlist.
- Tap the Now Playing bar at the bottom of the screen to open the full Now Playing view.
- Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
- Scroll to the bottom of the menu and tap Sleep timer.
- Choose 5, 10, 15, 30, or 45 minutes, 1 hour, or End of track.
Result: Spotify shows a message saying “OK, your sleep timer is set.” Playback stops when the time runs out.
End of track is handy if you don’t want a song cut off halfway through. If you’re listening to a playlist, you may also want to turn off shuffle in Spotify so you know which song will be the last one.
How to Set a Sleep Timer for a Podcast or Audiobook
Spotify puts the timer right on the Now Playing screen for spoken audio, so you don’t need the three-dot menu.
- Start the podcast episode or audiobook and open the Now Playing view.
- Tap the moon icon to the right of the play button.
- Choose how long you want it to keep playing.
Result: The episode or chapter pauses at the time you picked.
Spotify notes this is especially useful for Premium members who get a monthly allowance of audiobook listening hours, since it stops the book from playing (and using up hours) after you fall asleep. If you would rather pay for one title at a time, you can buy an audiobook on your iPhone in Apple Books instead.
How to Check or Turn Off the Sleep Timer
- Open the Now Playing view.
- Tap the three dots and scroll down.
- Look next to the sleep timer icon to see how much time is left.
- Tap it to choose a different time or turn the timer off.
Result: The timer is updated or canceled, and playback continues normally if you turned it off.
Use the Sleep Timer With Speakers, TVs, and Other Devices
Spotify updated the feature in August 2025 so a timer set on your phone, desktop, or Wear OS watch can stop playback on nearly any device, including speakers, TVs, and game consoles. That means you can play Spotify on another device with Spotify Connect, set the timer from your iPhone, and leave the phone in another room.
Alternative: Use the iPhone Clock App Timer
If you can’t find the option in Spotify, or you want one timer that works with any app, Apple’s Clock app timer can stop playback for you:
- Open the Clock app and tap Timers.
- Set how long you want audio to keep playing.
- Tap When Timer Ends, then scroll to the bottom of the list of sounds and tap Stop Playing.
- Tap Set, then tap Start.
Result: When the countdown ends, your iPhone stops whatever is playing, including Spotify. The timer keeps running even if you switch apps or the screen locks. The Apple Podcasts app has its own option too: see how to use the Apple Podcasts sleep timer.
If You Don’t See the Sleep Timer
- Make sure you’re in the full Now Playing view, not the small bar at the bottom of the screen.
- For music, scroll all the way down in the three-dot menu. The option is near the bottom.
- For podcasts and audiobooks, look for the moon icon instead of the three-dot menu.
- Update Spotify from the App Store, since menu layouts change between versions.
- Use the Clock app timer above as a backup that works with any version of Spotify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the sleep timer work on speakers and TVs?
Yes. Spotify says that since its 2025 update, a timer set on your phone, desktop, or Wear OS watch can stop playback on nearly any device, including speakers, TVs, and game consoles.
Can I set a custom sleep timer length in Spotify?
Spotify’s timer offers set choices from 5 minutes to 1 hour, plus End of track. For a different length, use the Clock app’s Stop Playing timer.
Does the sleep timer save battery?
It can. Stopping playback overnight means your iPhone isn’t streaming audio for hours after you fall asleep.
If you share an iPhone, you might also want to manage microphone access for the Spotify app. On a computer, you can also turn hardware acceleration on or off in Spotify. For music on the road, you can connect Spotify to Google Maps on your iPhone and control playback from the navigation screen.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.