Fix Tidal Stops Playing When Screen Is Off Phone/Computer

Part 1. Why Does Tidal Stops Playing When Screen Is Off

First, let's figure out the underlying factors that trigger the 'Tidal stops playing when screen is off' issue. We have summarized several common reasons based on the feedback of Tidal users. Check your device or Tidal app to find out the cause.

Reason 1. Tidal Background Activity Is Restricted

Why does Tidal keep stopping when you lock your device screen? Most smartphones or desktops embrace a feature to restrict the background activity of Tidal if you are keeping your device locked or using another app. This feature aims to save the battery of your mobiles or desktops. However, it will hold Tidal's functioning back with the limitation. It is the main reason behind Tidal music playback stopping/pausing when devices lock.

Reason 2. Power Saving Mode Is Enabled

Power saving mode should also be responsible for the 'Tidal only plays when app is open' problem. It serves to keep the battery healthy after phones or computers are locked. But simultaneously, it reduces the battery power supply to Tidal in the background. When the screen of your iPhone or Android, or even your computer, turns off, there is a situation in which Tidal keeps pausing.

Reason 3. Music Widget Is Interrupted

Sometimes, Tidal playback has been paused because you are playing on iOS and Android but not on computers. You should check unique functions that are only available on iOS and Android. A majority of phones like Samsung offer multiple widgets on the lock screen including weather, music, and alarm. Sometimes, other third-party apps will interfere with the running of the music widget. And then Tidal music stops playing when the device screen locks.

Reason 4. Sleep Mode Is Activated

If you set Tidal sleep mode on your device, particularly on your desktop, you will encounter the 'Tidal stops playing when screen is off' issue. This is because sleep mode terminates the background functions of apps, including Tidal. It is also a source of the problem that causes Tidal to keep cutting out or the Tidal app to stop playing.

Reason 5. Battery Optimization Mode Is On

Many smartphones come with a built-in battery-optimizing feature. It involves personalized battery profiles on your device, which work to optimize battery usage by stopping apps' background running. So battery-optimized mode is a culprit for pausing Tidal playback when devices lock as well.

Reason 6. Activated Data Saver Mode

When the device screen is off, the data saver mode will automatically limit or even end the data usage of Tidal and hamper its playback.

Reason 7. Generic Reasons

Similar to other Tidal playback errors, some generic reasons play significant roles in the 'Tidal keeps pausing when screen is off' matter. For example, network status, crashed Tidal app, outdated Tidal version or device firmware, and corrupted or excessive cache files. These bugs or problems really influence the smooth operation of Tidal.

🔵 FYR: Reddit: Music playback stops when iPhone 14 is locked

Part 2. Common Methods to Fix Tidal Stops Playing When Screen Is Off iPhone/Android/PC/Mac

After understanding why Tidal stops playing when screen is off, we will proceed to talk about how to fix this issue. There are several common solutions below for mobile and desktop devices. Please choose the most suitable troubleshooting based on the possible triggering factor existing on your device.

2.1 How to Fix Tidal Stops Playing When Screen Is Off iPhone / Android

✔ Method 1. Allow Background Activity

Allowing the background activity of Tidal should be the first solution to resolve the 'Tidal music stops playing when phone locks' issue. To remove the restriction is quite easy, and you can follow the guide:

Enter the 'Settings' app, click on 'Apps' > 'Tidal' > 'Battery' > 'Allow background activity' one by one. Then you can activate Tidal background playback when the screen is off.

✔ Method 2. Turn Off Power Saving Mode

Disabling power saving mode contributes to keeping Tidal music playing when the screen turns off. So please try the following steps:

Get into the 'Settings' app on your phone, and select 'Battery & performance' > 'Battery saver' (also called 'Power saving mode'). Then switch off the right button.

✔ Method 3. Deactivate Widgets

To fix the 'Tidal keeps pausing when the screen is locked' issue, you need to deactivate the music widget from the lock screen settings. Please refer to the following tutorial:

Step 1. On the 'Settings' of your phone, tap on 'Lock Screen' > 'FaceWidgets'.

Step 2. Proceed to toggle off the button next to 'Music'.

✔ Method 4. Remove Tidal from Sleeping Apps

To remove Tidal from sleeping apps for smooth playing in the background here is how to operate it:

Step 1. Navigate to the 'Settings' app on your smartphone, then tap 'Device care' > 'Battery'.

Step 2. In the battery section, click 'Background usage limits' > 'Sleeping apps', choose 'Tidal', and hit the 'Remove' button in the bottom right corner.

✔ Method 5. Disable Battery Optimization

To remove the battery restriction for Tidal for fluent playing when the screen is off, you also need to disable battery optimization.

Step 1. Go to 'Settings' and choose 'Apps'.

Step 2. Click the top three-dot icon. Then choose 'Special Access'.

Step 3. Tap on 'Optimize battery usage' and scroll to 'Tidal'. Toggle off the right button to gray.

✔ Method 6. Adjust the Data Saver Settings

Same as allowing background activity, you also need to adjust the data saver setting to ensure the background data usage for proper Tidal running.

Step 1. Get into 'Settings' and select Apps.

Step 2. Select the 'Tidal' app. Tap 'Mobile data'.

Step 3. Switch on the button near 'Allow background data usage'.

✔ Method 7. Check Network Status

To fix the issue of 'Tidal stops playing when screen is off Android or iPhone', you can check the network status including wireless data and VPN. Then please adjust the 'Settings' app on your device. Here are a few steps you can take:

Step 1. Go to your 'Settings' app and locate and tap 'Tidal'.

Step 2. In a new window, please tap 'Wireless Data' to choose 'WLAN & Cellular Data'.

✔ Method 8. Clear Tidal Cache Files

Sometimes, excessive cache files from Tidal also make Tidal stop playing. If you're not sure whether your Tidal cache is the core reason for this issue, please follow our steps to check it.

To deal with Tidal stopping playback when the screen is off iPhone, tap 'Settings' > 'General' > 'iPhone Storage' > 'Tidal' to switch on the 'Offload App' button.

On Android devices, you should press the Tidal icon on the Android device screen and keep waiting for a few seconds. When you see a widget, tap the 'i' icon to select 'Storage & cache' > 'Clear cache'.

✔ Method 9. Update Tidal or Device Software

You also can try to update your device or app version to resolve 'Tidal only plays when app is open' because an outdated app or device may cause unpredictable questions.

Simply go to 'App Store' and find Tidal to 'Update' on your iPhone. Similarly, go to 'Google Play Store' to search for Tidal and tap 'Update'.

Also, navigate to 'Settings' on your mobile phone and hit 'Software update' > 'Download and install' to update your device system.

✔ Method 10. Restart the Tidal App

Why does my Tidal app keep stopping instead of the Tidal web player? If you cannot settle the 'Tidal app stops playing' issue, why not close and start the app again?

Just swipe up your home screen from the bottom to the top to close Tidal and reopen it on your phone. Besides, Android devices have a Tidal 'force stop' function. Long-press the Tidal app on your Android screen and then tap 'i' > 'Force stop'.

2.2 How to Fix Tidal Keeps Pausing When Screen Is Off PC / Mac

✔ Method 1. Turn Off Battery Saver Mode

Navigate to 'Settings' on your computer. Select 'System' > 'Battery' > 'Battery saver'. Then select 'Turn battery saver on automatically'.

✔ Method 2. Prevent Your Computer from Sleeping

Step 1. Get into 'Settings' and choose 'System', then tap on 'Power & Sleep'.

Step 2. Shift your gaze to the 'Sleep' section and change the time.

✔ Method 3. Free Up Tidal Cache

If you use a Windows computer, please click the 'three lines' icon from the top-left corner. Then, hit 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting' > 'Clear Cache'.

On Mac, you can't find the 'Clear Cache' option. If you wanna free up the cache, you can find and delete the storage in the computer's local folder.

✔ Method 4. Keep Tidal Running in the Background

On Windows, you should go to Tidal's 'Advanced Options'. Then, please set 'Background App Permissions' to 'Always'.

On Mac, open 'System Settings > Battery'. Disable 'Put hard disks to sleep when possible' in 'Power Adapter settings'.

✔ Method 5. Use a Tidal Web Player Alternative

If the Tidal desktop app stops playing when the screen is off, try using the Tidal web player on Chrome, Edge, or Safari and allow background playback.

See also: How to Use Tidal Web Player

Note:

Aside from those methods mentioned above, contacting the Tidal support team is also a solution to solve playback issues like 'Tidal stops playing when the screen is off'. Of course, the Tidal team can also fix other problems you encounter.

See also: Easy Ways to Fix Tidal Not Playing Music Issues

Part 3. How to Avoid Tidal Music Stops Playing When Phone Locks

If the common methods are to no avail, you needn't worry a lot because we have prepared an advanced way to keep Tidal music playing when the screen turns off. All you need is a third-party Tidal music converting tool. Here, we are going to introduce AudFree Tidal Music Converter to you.

As a one-stop music converter with powerful features, it works to download and convert Tidal music to local files. Therefore, you can enjoy Tidal downloaded audio without launching Tidal. Besides, this smart tool converts Tidal music to Lossless, MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B. These formats are supported by many devices and platforms. You won't face the 'Tidal stops playing when screen is off' problem forever.

How to Use AudFree Tidal Music Converter

Step 1Add Tidal Audio to AudFree Tidal Music Converter

Once the AudFree Tidal Music Converter is installed successfully, double-click it to launch and log in to your Tidal plan. Copy and paste the URL link of Tidal music into the converter's address tab. Then tap the 'Enter' key and '+🎵'. Alternatively, search and locate songs/playlists and directly click the blue '+🎵' bubble.

Step 2Personalize Output Audio Format and Parameters for Tidal Music

Drop down the upper-right menu toolbar. Click 'Preferences' and 'Conversion'. You can choose to convert Tidal audio into FLAC, MP3, and other popular output audio formats. And you can set the bit rate, sample rate, audio channels, and more at will. If you want to get extremely high-quality sound, please customize the Tidal audio output format to Lossless.

Step 3Begin to Convert Tidal Music as Local Files

Just go to 'Converting', which is in the middle of the top bar. Hit the 'Convert' button and wait a while. The Tidal audio will be converted and saved into the target folder. Hit the 'Converted' section with a red badge and click the 'Folder' logo to find the downloaded Tidal music. Finally, you are able to transfer the local Tidal audio to any other device or player. In this way, you can prevent the 'Tidal only plays when app is open' trouble.

Part 4. In Conclusion

In this post, we list the underlying factors behind the 'Tidal stops playing when screen is off' issue. We also provide relevant solutions to solve it. Whether it's adjusting battery settings, disabling app restrictions, or clearing the Tidal cache, these solutions should help keep your music playing smoothly. Most importantly, we present the advanced fix: use AudFree Tidal Music Converter to avoid annoying Tidal playback pauses after the device's screen locks. You can preserve the Tidal downloads and play Tidal on multiple devices outside of Tidal.