Updated on November 9, 2026.
If Spotify’s Friend Activity panel is blank, start with a friend who already shares their listening activity with you. Your own sharing can stay off. If the desktop panel keeps asking you to enable Listening Activity while it’s already enabled, that matches an issue Spotify is investigating.
Windows and Mac users described the same prompt in early November. Some still saw it after changing settings or reinstalling. Spotify said some people reported that the feed had returned, and the tracker still showed Under investigation on November 9. See the desktop issue thread and the Spotify moderator update.
Open the panel and check one friend
- Open Listening Activity. In the Spotify desktop app, click Listening Activity at the top, next to your profile picture. This opens the panel also called Friend Activity in the issue thread.
- Check one friend who shares. Ask a friend who already shares their listening to check that their audience includes you and play a track. If their audience is limited, they can check it under Who can see your activity.
- Give the feed a moment. Spotify says the panel may update with a delay. Look for the friend’s name and track, then note whether the whole panel is blank or only that friend is missing.
To review your own sharing choice, click your profile picture and open Settings. Look under Listening Activity and insights. The Listening Activity toggle controls whether you share. Who can see your activity sets the audience. The toolbar button opens your friends’ activity. See Spotify’s Listening Activity instructions.
| What you see | What to check |
|---|---|
| The sidebar is closed. | Click Listening Activity next to your profile picture in the desktop app. |
| One friend is missing. | Check whether they share their activity with you. A Private Session temporarily hides their activity. |
| A friend is listed, but the track is old. | Give the panel time to refresh. If it stays stale, update and reopen Spotify. |
| The panel asks you to turn on Listening Activity even though it’s already on. | Compare the message with Spotify’s desktop issue report. If it persists after an update and restart, note your app version and report it. |
If the whole panel keeps asking you to enable sharing
Check for a blue dot next to your profile picture. If Spotify offers an update, click your profile picture and choose Update Spotify now. Close and reopen the app, then repeat the check with the same friend. See Spotify’s desktop update instructions.
If music plays normally and only the panel is affected, use the issue thread to check for updates. If tracks themselves are failing to play, start with our guide to troubleshooting Spotify playback problems.
What to include in a Spotify Community report
Spotify’s moderators asked for the affected device, operating system, app version, when the issue started, and the steps you have tried. On Windows, open the three-dot menu and choose Help → About Spotify. On a Mac, choose Spotify → About Spotify from the menu bar. See Spotify’s guide to finding your app version.
- Say whether the entire panel is empty or only one friend is missing.
- Include the exact message and whether it appears after updating and reopening Spotify.
- Mention whether a friend who normally shares is still absent after allowing time for the panel to refresh.
FAQs
Do I have to share my listening to see my friends?
You can keep your own listening activity off and still see friends who share theirs with you. Choose your own sharing setting based on who you want to see your activity.
Why is only one friend missing?
Check whether that person shares with you and whether they’re using a Private Session. If they just started playing, give the panel time to refresh.
Will reinstalling Spotify bring Friend Activity back?
Some users in Spotify’s issue thread still saw the prompt after reinstalling. Check for an app update, reopen Spotify, and compare the result with the tracker.
Where can I see songs I played myself?
Use your playback history to look up your own recent tracks. See our guide to finding your Spotify playback history.