Your music stops because Facebook is taking over your phone's audio
When you open Facebook, your phone's operating system hands audio control to the app. Most phones only let one app play sound at a time, so whatever was playing — Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, a podcast — gets paused automatically. This is not a glitch. It is how Android and iPhone are designed to work.
The same thing happens when you open any app that might need sound: a messaging app with notifications, a video player, a game. Your phone assumes that if you just opened something new, you want to hear from that app instead. Facebook does not have to do anything special to make this happen — it is the default behavior.
The frustration is real, though. You are scrolling through your feed silently, but your phone has already stopped your music in the background. When you close Facebook and go back to Spotify, you have to manually press play again.
Key Takeaways
- Your phone pauses music automatically when you open any app, because phones only play one audio stream at a time by default.
- This happens on both iPhone and Android, and it is not specific to Facebook — it occurs with any app you open.
- You can prevent this by changing your phone's audio settings or by using a different method to access Facebook.
- Some music apps have a setting to keep playing even when other apps open, though this does not always work with every app.
- The simplest fix is to use Facebook in your web browser instead of the app, which does not interrupt audio the same way.
Why this happens on Android phones
Android phones use an audio focus system. When an app opens and requests audio focus, Android pauses whatever was playing before. Facebook requests audio focus when it starts, even though it is not actually playing sound. Your phone does not know that Facebook will stay silent — it just knows the app asked for audio control, so it stops everything else.
You can change this behavior in your phone's settings, but the option is buried and works differently depending on your phone's manufacturer. Samsung phones, Google Pixel phones, and others all have slightly different menus. The most reliable fix is to go into Settings, find Apps or Application Manager, locate Facebook, and look for a Permissions section. Some phones let you deny Facebook the permission to control audio, which prevents it from pausing your music.
Not all Android phones have this option visible, and even when they do, Facebook may still pause audio anyway. The second-best solution is to use Facebook through your web browser instead of the app. Open Chrome or Firefox, go to facebook.com, and log in there. The browser does not interrupt audio the same way the app does.
Why this happens on iPhones
iPhones handle audio focus the same way Android does, but Apple gives you fewer options to change it. When Facebook opens, it tells iOS that it needs audio control. iOS pauses your music automatically. You cannot deny Facebook this permission the way you can on Android, because Apple does not expose that setting to users.
Your music app may have a setting to keep playing even when other apps open. Open Spotify, Apple Music, or whatever you use, go to Settings within that app, and look for an option like "Continue Playing" or "Background Audio." Turning this on sometimes prevents the pause, but it does not always work — it depends on how the music app and Facebook interact.
The most reliable fix on iPhone is also to use Facebook in Safari instead of the app. Open Safari, go to facebook.com, and log in. The browser version does not interrupt audio the same way the native app does. You will not get notifications as quickly, but your music will keep playing while you scroll.
Using Facebook in your web browser instead
Both iPhone and Android let you access Facebook through a web browser — Safari on iPhone, Chrome or Firefox on Android. When you use the browser version, Facebook does not have the same level of control over your phone's audio system. Your music will usually keep playing while you scroll through your feed.
The trade-off is that you will not get push notifications from Facebook. You will only see messages and alerts when you actually open the browser and check. Some people find this is worth it to keep their music playing. Others prefer the app for the notifications and just accept that they have to restart their music every time.
To use the browser version, open your phone's default browser, type facebook.com into the address bar, and log in with your email and password. You can bookmark it for faster access next time. The mobile website works on both iPhone and Android and looks similar to the app, though some features may be slightly different.
Stopping Facebook from requesting audio focus on Android
If you want to keep using the Facebook app but stop it from pausing your music, you can try denying it audio permissions. The exact steps depend on your phone, but the general process is the same. Go to Settings, then Apps or Application Manager, find Facebook in the list, tap it, and look for Permissions or App Permissions.
Look for a permission related to audio, sound, or media. It might be called "Audio" or "Media," or it might be grouped under "Device" permissions. If you see an option to deny or turn off audio permissions, do that. Then close Facebook completely and open it again. Your music should stay playing, though Facebook may still try to pause it anyway — this fix does not always work perfectly.
If you cannot find an audio permission, your phone may not expose this setting. In that case, your only option is to use the browser version of Facebook instead. Different manufacturers hide these settings in different places, so if you get stuck, searching for "[Your Phone Model] deny app audio permissions" will show you the exact steps for your device.
What to do if nothing stops the pausing
If you have tried changing permissions and your music still stops, the simplest solution is to accept that the app will pause your music and restart it manually when you close Facebook. This is annoying but takes only a few seconds. Open your music app, press play, and you are back to listening.
The other option is to switch to the browser version of Facebook full-time. You lose notifications, but you keep your music playing. Many people find this trade-off worth it, especially if they check Facebook multiple times a day anyway. You can add a bookmark to your home screen so the browser version opens as quickly as the app.
If you use Facebook Messenger separately from the main app, note that Messenger has the same audio focus behavior. You may need to use the browser version of Messenger as well, or accept that opening either app will pause your music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this happen with other apps too?
Yes. Any app that requests audio focus will pause your music — messaging apps, video players, games, even some web browsers. Facebook is just the most noticeable because many people use it while listening to music. The behavior is the same across all apps.
Will turning off notifications help?
No. Notifications and audio focus are separate systems. Turning off Facebook notifications will not stop it from pausing your music. The pause happens because of audio focus, not because of notifications.
Can I use two apps at once to play different audio?
Not on most phones. Your phone is designed to play only one audio stream at a time. Even if you have two music apps open, only one can actually produce sound. This is a hardware and software limitation, not something you can change in settings.
Why does the browser version not pause my music?
The mobile web version of Facebook does not request audio focus the same way the app does. Browsers handle audio differently than native apps, so Facebook in Safari or Chrome does not interrupt your music. This is why using the browser is the most reliable fix.
Will this get fixed in a future Facebook update?
Facebook could add a setting to not request audio focus, but they have not done so. The company likely assumes most people want to hear Facebook notifications and sounds, so pausing other audio is the default behavior. You can report this as feedback to Facebook, but there is no may provide they will change it.