Quick Answer
There are a few potential reasons why your music might stop playing when you open the Facebook app on your phone:
- The Facebook app is designed to pause any background audio or media when it is launched. This allows the app to take over the audio focus so that in-app sounds like videos can be heard properly.
- Your phone’s audio manager system, like AudioFocus or AudioManager on Android, is automatically pausing the music playback when another app requests audio focus like the Facebook app.
- There are settings in some music apps to automatically pause when another app starts. Check if you have enabled any settings like this in your music app.
- Resource contention – Opening an app like Facebook requires a lot of processing power and RAM which could cause background apps like music players to be paused.
So in summary, the Facebook app is most likely designed to request audio focus when launched which pauses your music app automatically thanks to Android’s audio management system. You can disable this in some music apps by tweaking settings, but generally it is the expected behavior when switching between apps on your phone.
The Technical Reasons Behind Why Facebook Pauses Background Audio
There are some technical reasons why opening the Facebook app on your Android phone causes any background music or audio playback to pause or stop:
Android App Audio Focus
Android manages audio playback from different apps through a system called audio focus. This allows multiple apps to playback audio and media and share access to your phone’s speakers or headphone jack.
When an app like the Facebook app starts up, one of the first things it does is request audio focus using the AudioManager system service in Android. This allows the app to gain exclusive access to the audio playback channels.
Once the Facebook app gains this audio focus, Android will pause any other app that was previously playing audio in the background such as a music app. This ensures the sounds from the newly opened Facebook app like videos and ads can be heard clearly without interference.
So essentially the Facebook app’s request for audio focus causes your background music to be automatically paused by the Android system.
App Design to Pause Media
In addition to the audio focus system, the Facebook app developers also likely intentionally programmed the app to request audio focus and pause background audio.
Apps like Facebook which play videos or ads with sound need the app audio to be heard properly by the user. If background music kept playing it would make hearing the app audio difficult.
So having the app directly request audio focus helps ensure any background media is paused whenever the Facebook app starts up. This improves the user experience of the app.
Other apps like video streaming or gaming apps also typically request audio focus when opened to pause background sounds for a better user audio experience.
Resource Contention
Opening an app like Facebook also requires additional processing power and RAM on your phone while the app loads. This can put a strain on available system resources.
When resources are constrained, background apps and processes like music playback may be temporarily paused or stopped to allow the foreground app additional resources to run properly.
So the large amount of system resources required to start up the Facebook app can sometimes indirectly cause background music apps to be paused due to resource contention until the app finishes loading.
How to Prevent Facebook From Pausing Music
If you want to continue listening to background music or audio playback when launching Facebook, there are a few options to try:
Disable Audio Focus Requests in Facebook
Some apps provide settings to disable audio focus requests and allow background audio to keep playing. Unfortunately the official Facebook app does not appear to have this option.
However, you may be able to find a modified version of the Facebook app from a third-party app store that does not request audio focus and lets background music continue playing. Just be careful when installing apps outside the official app stores.
Use a Split Screen/Multi-Window Mode
Some Android versions allow using split screen or multi-window modes. This allows you to have the Facebook app and your music app open side-by-side.
Since both apps are visible, the music app typically won’t be considered background audio and won’t be paused when Facebook launches.
However, this only works well on tablets or phones with very large screens. It may not be very practical on most phones to have both apps open at the same time.
Disable Audio Focus Pauses in Music App
Some music and audio playback apps provide settings to disable pausing when another app takes audio focus.
For example, apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, Poweramp, and others allow preventing pauses when other apps start.
You can typically find these “Don’t pause on app launches” or similar settings in the apps’ settings or preferences. Enabling them will stop the music from pausing when you open Facebook.
Use a Service Like Media Notification Access
On Android 8.0 and higher, you can enable a setting called Media notification access for an app.
This allows an app to continue playing audio in the background even when another app takes audio focus.
Some apps like EZ Cloud Music support this feature specifically to allow background playback without interruptions when using Facebook.
Enabling media notification access and trying one of these apps may help prevent Facebook from interrupting your music.
Adjusting Facebook Notification Settings
In addition to stopping background music from pausing, you may also want to adjust Facebook’s notifications settings so you aren’t interrupted by unnecessary notifications while listening to music.
Here are some recommended settings to change in the Facebook app:
Disable Sound and Vibration for Notifications
Under Facebook Settings > Notifications, you can disable sounds and vibration for different notification types.
This will prevent incoming Facebook notifications from interrupting your music playback. The notifications will still appear visually but won’t make sounds.
Turn Off Specific Notification Types
Also under the Notifications settings, you can turn off notifications entirely for certain categories, for example:
- Disable Game Requests to stop game invite notifications
- Turn off Live Videos notifications
- Disable “So and So is live streaming” notifications
Adjust these as desired so only important notifications still come through. This will reduce notification distractions when listening to your music.
Set Facebook Priority to Low
In your Android settings under App Notifications, locate the Facebook app notification settings.
Change the Importance from High to Low priority. This will make Facebook notifications less intrusive compared to your music app’s notifications.
Summary
Using a combination of audio focus, notification adjustments, and app settings can help minimize disruptions from Facebook while listening to music playback on your phone. Test different options to find the best solution for your specific phone, Android version, and apps.
Troubleshooting Facebook Audio Focus Issues
If you are still having problems with Facebook interrupting your music playback even after adjusting settings, here is some troubleshooting advice:
Check for Facebook App Updates
Make sure the Facebook app is fully updated in the Play Store. Newer versions may include fixes for audio focus issues.
Test Different Music Apps
Try alternate music streaming apps like Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music etc. Different apps behave differently when it comes to audio focus.
Clear App Data and Cache
In Facebook app settings, choose Storage > Clear Storage to clear app data and cache. Then test if music still pauses. This may fix glitched settings.
Restart Your Phone
Full restart your phone by powering it off completely and turning it back on. This will fully reload the audio management system and restart any glitched processes.
Check if Other Apps Also Pause Music
Test if the music pause only happens with Facebook or also occurs when opening other apps like Instagram, Twitter, games, etc. This can confirm if it’s a global issue.
Update Your Android Version
If possible, update your phone’s Android version to the latest available for your device. Newer Android versions include bug fixes and improvements to audio handling.
Contact App Developers
You can try contacting the developers of the Facebook app or your music app and reporting the audio focus issues. They may provide additional support or be able to fix bugs in future updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about Facebook pausing background music and how to address the issue:
Why does only the Facebook app pause my music?
Facebook is designed to specifically request audio focus when it launches to prioritize its own sounds. Most other apps allow background audio to continue playing, so you only notice music pausing with Facebook.
What Android setting causes the music pause?
It’s primarily caused by the Android AudioFocus system that allows apps to share control of audio playback. Facebook requests this focus, forcing your music to pause.
How do I stop Facebook video ads from interrupting music?
Adjust notification settings to disable sounds for Facebook notifications. Also turn off notifications for Live Videos and other video sources specifically under Facebook’s notification settings.
Can I get Facebook to lower music volume instead of pausing?
Unfortunately there is no setting to simply lower background music volume when launching Facebook instead of fully pausing it. The app takes full audio focus control.
What happens if I get a Facebook Messenger call while music is playing?
Incoming Facebook calls will pause your background music playback because the call requires taking audio focus for the call audio. There is no way to prevent this pause when receiving a call.
Conclusion
While having your music abruptly interrupted when trying to multitask can be annoying, the Facebook app’s behavior of pausing background audio has some reasonable justifications to provide the best user experience. But with the right combination of audio focus, notification, and app settings changes, you can likely find a solution to minimize disruptions while still being able to listen to music uninterrupted. Test different music apps and Android versions as needed, and reach out for help from app developers if all else fails. With some patience, you should be able to find a setup that allows you to seamlessly open Facebook without your tunes missing a beat!