How to remote-control Spotify with your iPhone or Android

Control Spotify on Windows from Android

You can use Spotimote for this, because it's the highest-rated Spotify remote in the Google Play store. Plus it's free, and we love free apps as much as the next person.

However, there are two potential problems with Spotimote. 1) It only works with the premium version of Spotify, so most Spotify users can't use it, and 2) Norton security software identified it as a threat to our machine and deleted it immediately after it downloaded, which is the first time that has ever happened. If you're a premium subscriber, go for it -- but just know that Norton fears it like the plague.

With that in mind, we recommend Remoteless instead. Even though it costs $2 for Android, it doesn't appear to be a threat to your computer, and it can control the free version of Spotify too. (Plus, Spotify recommends it.)

1. Install Remoteless' "helper" app on your PC. You can download it here, or if a new version has come out since we wrote this tutorial, check for that here. Once you have that installed, the app automatically run when you start Windows, so you won't need to deal with it in the future.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

2. Next, you'll have to drop two bucks on the Remoteless Android app. There is currently no Spotify remote control that is available for free on Android (please let us know if you find one), so there's no way around this at the moment. However, if you listen to a lot of Spotify on your computer this is easily worth it -- especially considering the cost of traditional hardware remote controls.

3. Run the app and select 'New Connection.'

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

4. Find your Spotify username and the name of your computer from the list.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

5. Now the app is connected to Spotify on your Windows machine. You can choose music in two ways: by searching all of Spotify for it, or by selecting playlists you've already created within Spotify.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

6. In this case, we'll select a playlist.

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

Note: The "Play all of album" and "Play all of Playlist" commands did not appear to be working properly, and the problem appears exclusive to the Windows version of the Remoteless helper app. You can play songs one at a time and skip between already-playing playlists just fine, but if you want to play a whole album or playlist in a row, you might need to walk over to the computer and get it started manually, after which the remote works just fine. Evolver.fm has contacted the developer, and we hope to have more on this soon.

You can also search. Here's what it looks like if you search the app for My Bloody Valentine:

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

7. If you want to share a link to any Spotify song you're listening to within the app with someone; repeat the song; or shuffle within a playlist, simply tap the middle of the now-playing screen:

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)

Option will appear to shuffle, repeat, or share (using whatever standard sharing features are available on your Android):

(Credit: Screenshot by Eliot Van Buskirk/Evolver.fm)