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Zeroconf device is not visible in Spotify app, while device_auth works immediately #432
Description
I am using go-librespot as a Spotify Connect endpoint and I am seeing a consistent difference between zeroconf authentication and device_auth.
With credentials.type=zeroconf, go-librespot starts normally and waits for a login, but the device does not appear in the Spotify Android app under available devices.
Using device_auth on the same machine, network and Spotify account, the device appears immediately and can be paired successfully.
This was originally tested through the Music Assistant Spotify Connect plugin, but I was able to reproduce the same behaviour with standalone go-librespot.
Related Music Assistant issue:
Test results
Test 1 – go-librespot with Zeroconf
- go-librespot starts normally
- device waits for Zeroconf credentials/login
- device does not appear in the Spotify Android app
- no pairing is possible because the device is never shown
I tested this with both:
- go-librespot internal mDNS
- Avahi
The result is the same in both cases.
Test 2 – go-librespot with device_auth
Using device_auth / Spotify pairing:
- go-librespot starts normally
- pairing code is generated
- authentication succeeds
- the device appears in the Spotify app immediately
- Spotify Connect works normally afterwards
Important observation
The environment is otherwise identical:
- same machine
- same LAN
- same Spotify account
- same Android Spotify app
- same go-librespot installation
The only relevant difference is the authentication/pairing method.
So currently the behaviour is:
zeroconf → device not discoverable in Spotify app
device_auth → device immediately discoverable and usable
Music Assistant / Soloist comparison
Music Assistant asked me to test its alternative Soloist playback engine as well.
Soloist shows the same practical symptom: the player starts and waits for authentication, but it does not appear in the Spotify Android device list.
This makes me wonder whether something changed on the Spotify side regarding the initial Zeroconf/Connect pairing flow.
Question
Is this a known issue with the current Spotify Zeroconf discovery/authentication flow?
Would device_auth now be the preferred or more reliable authentication method for new Spotify Connect devices?
If useful, I can provide debug logs or test additional configurations.
Activity
devgianlu commentedon Oct 29, 2026
Looking at the Music Assistant thread this seems more an issue with your network setup, nevertheless I cannot reproduce it.
meggsico commentedon Oct 29, 2026
Thanks. I understand that you cannot reproduce it.
Regarding the network setup: we already tested the multicast/discovery path quite extensively because that was our first suspicion.
In particular:
_spotify-connect._tcpwith the correct LAN IPgetInfoHTTP endpoint is reachable directly from the Android phonedevice_authworks immediately on the exact same machine, LAN, Android Spotify app and Spotify accountSo I agree that there still may be some network-related detail we have missed, but I currently do not see evidence of basic mDNS isolation or reachability failure.
Since you can reproduce a working Zeroconf setup, could you suggest what specific packet/response or network behaviour we should compare next?
I can capture the relevant mDNS/Zeroconf traffic during discovery if that would help.