Audi cars now stream Spotify without a phone connected

• Audi says it is the first automaker with Spotify’s full native in-car app.

• The app is free in the Audi Application Store; Spotify account and data required.

• Music videos and lyrics hide from the centre display while the vehicle moves.

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Audi says it is the first automaker to offer Spotify’s full native app directly in the vehicle. The app went live today through the Audi Application Store and runs on the car’s infotainment system with no smartphone connection required.

The rollout covers Audi models built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) and Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architectures, from model year 2026 onwards. Audi lists 47 launch markets worldwide, spanning Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia.

5 Audi Models Eligible at Launch, Q7 and Q9 to Follow

Model	Platform	Model years
Audi A6 e-tron	PPE	2026 onwards
Audi Q6 e-tron	PPE	2026 onwards
Audi A5	PPC	2026 onwards
Audi Q5	PPC	2026 onwards
Audi A6	PPC	2026 onwards

Audi says the app will also come to the Q7 and Q9 SUVs at their respective market launches.

Android Automotive OS Integration Developed With Cariad and Spotify

Audi, Volkswagen Group software unit Cariad and Spotify worked together on the app’s integration with Android Automotive OS.

Earlier in-car Spotify versions used standardized templates, which apply the same layouts and controls across apps. The native version uses an interface designed for in-vehicle use. It carries over the menus and navigation patterns Spotify users know from their phones and adapts them to Audi’s multi-screen dashboards.

Spotify has been available in Android Automotive OS vehicles, including earlier Audi models through the Audi Application Store since 2023, as a template-based app. The new version is the first Spotify built with its own in-car interface.

The app can tap into the vehicle’s available controls and displays, depending on model, equipment and software configuration.

5 Headline Features, With Limits on the Centre Display While Driving

The native app brings five features to Audi cabins:

• Music videos (new)
• Real-time lyrics (new)
• Video podcasts, according to Spotify
• Spotify Jam: passengers scan a QR code to join a shared listening session and add songs to the queue
• Spotify DJ

Features adjust automatically depending on whether the vehicle is moving or parked. While driving, the centre MMI display:

• hides music videos and real-time lyrics
• disables sign-in and settings functions
• removes related controls from the Now Playing View screen

Voice controls, including “Hey Audi” and Spotify DJ, remain available on the move. In vehicles equipped with a front passenger display, music videos and lyrics stay accessible on that screen while driving, and passengers can keep adding songs to the shared queue.

Once the vehicle is parked, the full feature set and expanded browsing return to the centre MMI display. Spotify says videos and lyrics also return to the centre screen while an electric model is charging.

Free Download, Spotify Account and Data Connection Required

The Spotify app is a free download from the Audi Application Store. Using it requires an active Spotify account and a data connection, with costs depending on the market and the Spotify plan selected. Spotify says both Free and Premium users can access the app.

Sign-in is a one-time step using a QR code or pairing code, according to Spotify, and playback resumes automatically when the car starts.

Spotify reports more than 777 million users worldwide and describes itself as the most popular audio streaming subscription service.