Issues with Spotify SDK authentication on Android

Other Questions Spotify
1

Issue Overview

I am attempting to implement the Spotify SDK in my Android application, but I keep encountering authentication errors. I have been following the official guidance for the integration of this SDK, yet things are not functioning as expected.

Steps Taken

  • Completed the registration of my app’s fingerprint on the Spotify developer portal
  • Configured the redirect URI accurately
  • Reviewed all my settings for correctness
  • Verified that I am using the appropriate client ID

Error Logs

Upon running the application, the following messages appear:

D/MusicAuthHandler: authentication initiated
D/com.spotify.sdk.android.authentication.LoginActivity: Authentication unsuccessful
D/MusicAuthHandler: authentication concluded

Code Example

AppActivity.java

package com.example.user.musicplayer;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.View;

import com.spotify.sdk.android.authentication.AuthenticationClient;
import com.spotify.sdk.android.authentication.AuthenticationRequest;
import com.spotify.sdk.android.authentication.AuthenticationResponse;
import com.spotify.sdk.android.player.*;

public class AppActivity extends Activity implements 
    SpotifyPlayer.NotificationCallback, ConnectionStateCallback {

    private static final String APP_CLIENT_ID = "your_client_id_here";
    private static final String CALLBACK_URI = "musicapp://auth";
    private static final int AUTH_REQUEST_CODE = 1234;
    
    private Player musicPlayer;
    
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_app);
        
        startAuthentication();
    }
    
    private void startAuthentication() {
        AuthenticationRequest.Builder requestBuilder = 
            new AuthenticationRequest.Builder(APP_CLIENT_ID, 
                AuthenticationResponse.Type.TOKEN, CALLBACK_URI);
        
        requestBuilder.setScopes(new String[]{"user-read-private", "streaming"});
        AuthenticationRequest authRequest = requestBuilder.build();
        
        AuthenticationClient.openLoginActivity(this, AUTH_REQUEST_CODE, authRequest);
    }
    
    public void retryAuth(View view) {
        startAuthentication();
    }
    
    @Override
    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
        
        if (requestCode == AUTH_REQUEST_CODE) {
            AuthenticationResponse authResponse = AuthenticationClient.getResponse(resultCode, data);
            
            if (authResponse.getType() == AuthenticationResponse.Type.TOKEN) {
                Config config = new Config(this, authResponse.getAccessToken(), APP_CLIENT_ID);
                Spotify.getPlayer(config, this, new SpotifyPlayer.InitializationObserver() {
                    
                    @Override
                    public void onInitialized(SpotifyPlayer player) {
                        musicPlayer = player;
                        musicPlayer.addConnectionStateCallback(AppActivity.this);
                        musicPlayer.addNotificationCallback(AppActivity.this);
                    }
                    
                    @Override
                    public void onError(Throwable error) {
                        Log.e("AppActivity", "Player init failed: " + error.getMessage());
                    }
                });
            }
        }
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onLoggedIn() {
        Log.d("AppActivity", "Successfully logged in");
        musicPlayer.playUri(null, "spotify:track:4iV5W9uYEdYUVa79Axb7Rh", 0, 0);
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onLoggedOut() {
        Log.d("AppActivity", "User logged out");
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onLoginFailed(int error) {
        Log.d("AppActivity", "Login failed with error: " + error);
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onPlaybackEvent(PlayerEvent event) {
        Log.d("AppActivity", "Playback event: " + event.name());
    }
    
    @Override
    public void onPlaybackError(Error error) {
        Log.d("AppActivity", "Playback error: " + error.name());
    }
    
    // Additional required callback methods...
}

build.gradle

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 24
    buildToolsVersion "24.0.2"
    
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.example.user.musicplayer"
        minSdkVersion 16
        targetSdkVersion 24
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
    }
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
    flatDir {
        dirs 'libs'
    }
}

dependencies {
    compile 'com.spotify.sdk:spotify-auth:beta22-noconnect-2.20b@aar'
    compile 'com.spotify.sdk:spotify-player:beta22-noconnect-2.20b@aar'
    compile 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:24.2.1'
}

Questions

Could this possibly relate to a signature error? Did I perhaps make a mistake with the SHA1 fingerprint when registering my application? Any suggestions regarding the origin of this authentication issue?

2

Check your package name in the Spotify developer dashboard. I had the exact same auth failures when my registered package name didn’t match my build.gradle applicationId. Those error logs are classic package signature validation failures on Spotify’s side. Also common - using debug keystore SHA1 fingerprint in production or the other way around. Make sure you’re pulling the fingerprint from the right keystore file for your build variant. And verify your redirect URI scheme matches your package structure - “musicapp://auth” needs to line up with your deep linking config in the manifest.

3

Your SDK version is the problem. That beta22-noconnect-2.20b is ancient and breaks with newer Android versions. I hit this same issue last year building a music streaming feature - auth would start but fail silently because the old SDK couldn’t handle the flow on modern devices. Update to a newer Spotify SDK if you can. Also check that Spotify’s installed and logged in on your device. These older SDK versions need that for the auth handoff to work. Your compileSdkVersion 24 is pretty outdated too, which probably isn’t helping with auth compatibility.

4

This auth nightmare is exactly why I ditched native SDK integrations for music apps. Spotify’s SDK breaks constantly - old versions, fingerprint mismatches, redirect URI hell, device compatibility issues.

Built something similar last year and took a totally different approach. Instead of wrestling with SDK auth in-app, I moved all Spotify auth to a backend workflow using Latenode.

Here’s how it works: Android app hits your backend, Latenode handles OAuth with Spotify, stores tokens securely, returns what you need. No more SDK conflicts or fingerprint headaches.

You can build the entire Spotify auth flow visually in Latenode - OAuth request, token exchange, error handling, refresh logic - zero Java code. When auth works, your workflow can trigger other stuff like database logging or welcome notifications.

Testing becomes way easier since you debug auth separately from Android code. Plus you get retry logic and error handling that actually works.

5

had a similar issue. plz ensure ur SHA1 fingerprint is correct in the spotify dev portal, even a small mistake can cause auth failure. also double-check that the redirect URI in your code is exactly what you’ve registered, with no extra spaces or slashes.