Spotify Web 1.61 - Media notification works again, Eruda Console, and a playback pause for Android 17

Part 1 - Playback pauses instead of playing on when background audio can't be protected (Android 17)

Fixes background playback on Android 17, which can freeze or silence audio that plays without the app's background playback service running. If the app can't start that service while music is playing, the player now pauses instead of playing on unprotected. If you start playing with the app open and then leave it, music keeps playing in the background as before. The pause only happens when the service can't start, for example when a track loads while the app is already in the background. When you open the app again, the service starts as it did before. There is no new setting for this.

Part 2 - Eruda Console, a built-in developer console for the player page

Adds a row to Settings, between Web Debugging and Debug Logging: Eruda Console (off by default). Turn it on and Eruda, a developer console with Console, Elements, Network, Resources, Sources, Info, Snippets and Settings tabs, opens on the player page at once, with no restart. Close the panel and a small gear button stays on the page to bring it back. While the switch is on, the gear button is there every time the player page loads, and the panel stays closed until you tap it. Turn the switch off and the console is removed straight away. Eruda is bundled in the app, so it works offline and nothing is downloaded. It does not replace Debug Logging and Logger, and it does not need Web Debugging.

Part 3 - Media notification works again

Spotify changed its web player, and the app could no longer read the track title, so it never showed the media notification. It does again. Title, artist and the like state are read correctly for songs, Smart Shuffle tracks and podcast episodes, so the lock screen and notification shade controls and the Bluetooth and headset buttons work again. The notification shows title, artist, cover and play/pause, skip and seek. Repeat shows off, all or one. Liking a song or podcast episode from the notification adds it to Liked Songs or Your Episodes directly, and the app shows Added to Liked Songs or Added to Your Episodes with a Change button that opens the Add to playlist panel to pick a different playlist. On a Smart Shuffle track, the like button in the notification adds the song to the playlist it was recommended for. It works with the player expanded or collapsed. There is nothing to set up.

Limits: after the Android 17 pause, playback does not resume by itself when you come back to the app, so tap play. The pause covers only the cases where the service can't start. If you turn on Eruda Console while another page is showing instead of the player, it appears the next time the player page loads. Unliking a song or podcast episode from the notification only opens the Add to playlist panel in the app. Go back to the app, tap the playlist, Your Episodes or Liked Songs you want to remove it from, then press Done. On podcast episodes the notification shows the same buttons as for songs and has no -15 / +15 second or speed buttons like the app's player.