Spotify adds shared volume control to its group listening feature

Spotify attempts to improve its shared-queue feature, Group Session, by launching shared volume control, a new capability that lets listeners adjust the volume of a song if they’re sharing a compatible speaker with the host, the company announced today.

Group Session is a Premium-only feature that was first introduced in 2020. It allows multiple users to control what music is playing in real-time and add songs to a collaborative playlist for the entire group to enjoy.

Spotify notes that if four or more users are in one group session, volume control will be automatically disabled. This ensures that the host stays in control for larger listening sessions—which could be helpful when party guests get a little too rowdy. But it’s also possible for the host to enable volume control after it’s disabled by manually switching on the toggle that says, “Let guests change volume.”

The new shared volume control feature is gradually rolling out to Android and iOS devices globally. It’s available on Chromecast, Amazon Cast and most WiFi-enabled speakers, including Sonos and Bose. However, shared volume control is currently not supported on Apple AirPlay or Bluetooth devices.

Also, the update can only be used for in-person listening. Typically, users have the ability to use Group Session remotely and in person.