Spotify for Android tablets just got uglier, but it's probably a bug

If you’ve opened Spotify on your Android tablet recently, you might have noticed something odd: the play button looks, well, off. Instead of the familiar circular design, users are seeing a shape that’s more like a squished square with awkwardly rounded edges. It’s not subtle — it’s the kind of thing that makes you pause mid-scroll and wonder what happened.

Reports about this strange play button started popping up on Reddit, particularly in the r/TrueSpotify subreddit. A user shared an image of the offending button with the caption, “What was wrong with just a circle?” The thread quickly filled with reactions, ranging from jokes about Spotify’s design choices to complaints about how the app keeps getting uglier with every update. But amid the frustration, the general consensus seems to be that this isn’t a design choice, instead it’s a glitch.

One commenter speculated that the button might be too big for the space allocated, causing parts of the circle to get “shaved off” into a weird square-like shape. They also pointed out that it could be a resolution issue specific to certain devices. For context, the original poster was using a Galaxy Tab S8 Plus, but similar complaints have surfaced from users with other tablets. Some even mentioned seeing similar glitches when resizing the app in split-screen mode.

It’s not the first time Spotify’s design choices — or bugs — have sparked outrage. The app has a history of polarizing updates, like the controversial removal of the heart button in favor of a “plus” icon earlier this year. But while those changes were deliberate, this glitch feels more accidental. One Redditor joked, “It looks like a website without CSS,” while another said, “UI designers need to justify their existence, but not like this!”

Interestingly, not everyone hates the new look. A few users chimed in to say they liked the squarish play button, calling it a throwback to old MP3 players. One even said, “It’s hip to be square-ish.” That said, these opinions were definitely in the minority.

So, what’s causing the issue? Spotify hasn’t commented yet, but given the widespread reports, it’s safe to assume this is a bug rather than a permanent change. Bugs like these are often tied to specific app versions or device types, so an upcoming update could likely fix it. In the meantime, users are left with a play button that’s functional but undeniably distracting.

If this glitch has popped up on your tablet, your best bet is to keep an eye out for updates. Some users have tried clearing the app cache or reinstalling Spotify, but those workarounds don’t seem to resolve the issue. For now, it looks like we’ll have to live with the oddly-shaped button.

Whether this is a bug or an experimental feature that escaped too early, one thing’s clear: Spotify’s Android app isn’t winning any beauty contests this week. We’ll update the article if and when there’s any further information about this potential bug or experiment.