Spotify Car Thing Is Discontinued: What Still Works in 2026
You can no longer connect a Spotify Car Thing to Spotify at all — Spotify discontinued sales in 2022 and permanently disabled every unit on December 9, 2024. The only way to get any use out of an existing device today is unofficial community firmware like DeskThing or GlanceThing, which turns it into a generic smart display outside of Spotify’s own software entirely.
Related: putting an AUX input in a car without AUX.
There was never an official “Spotify Car Thing for PC” app or software suite — Car Thing was designed to be controlled from the Spotify mobile app while mounted in a car, not connected to a computer. Now that Spotify has bricked the hardware entirely, even that original functionality is gone.
This guide covers what actually happened to Car Thing, why the official connection methods described in older guides no longer work, and the community firmware option that’s still available if you already own one.
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Understanding Spotify Car Thing
Spotify Car Thing launched widely in February 2022 as a dedicated, phone-controlled music display for the car. Spotify stopped selling it just months later, citing low demand, and by May 2024 announced it would remotely disable every unit — which it did on December 9, 2024. Powering one on today shows a message reading “Car Thing is discontinued and no longer operational.”
Introduction To Spotify Car Thing
Spotify Car Thing is a revolutionary new device that allows you to bring Spotify’s personalized music and podcast experience to your car. It offers a hands-free way to control and experience your music while on the road. Whether you’re a music enthusiast or a podcast lover, Spotify Car Thing provides a seamless integration between your music streaming needs and your daily commute.
Features Of Spotify Car Thing
- Large, easy-to-read display for clear visibility while driving
- Voice control for hands-free operation
- Multiple preset buttons for quick access to your favorite playlists and podcasts
- Support for both music and podcast playback
The Only Way to Still Use a Car Thing Today
Since Spotify’s own software no longer recognizes the device at all, the community-built DeskThing and GlanceThing projects are the only remaining option. Both flash custom firmware onto the Car Thing’s hardware, turning it into a generic USB-connected smart display that can show system stats, media controls for other apps, or custom widgets — it no longer talks to Spotify specifically, official or otherwise.
Connecting Spotify Car Thing To PC
Car Thing never had a Bluetooth mode or Spotify-branded PC software — it only ever connected via USB-C to a car’s charging port or a wall adapter, paired to the Spotify mobile app. Any guide describing a “Spotify Car Thing software download” or Bluetooth PC pairing is describing a feature that didn’t exist even before the shutdown. Here’s what installing DeskThing actually involves instead:
Requirements For The DeskThing Workaround
Before flashing community firmware, make sure you have:
- A USB-C cable and a free USB port on your PC
- The DeskThing or GlanceThing installer from its official GitHub project page
Installing DeskThing On A Bricked Car Thing
- Download the DeskThing (or GlanceThing) installer from its GitHub releases page
- Connect the Car Thing to your PC via USB-C
- Follow the project’s flashing instructions to put the device into flash mode and install the custom firmware
- Once flashed, the device boots into the community interface instead of Spotify’s dead software
Important Caveats
- This is unofficial, community-maintained software — not something Spotify supports or endorses
- It does not restore Spotify playback control; it repurposes the screen for other uses
- Flashing carries some risk of further bricking the device if interrupted
Configuring Spotify Car Thing For Seamless Integration
Since there’s no Spotify integration left to configure, this section covers realistic expectations for what DeskThing/GlanceThing can and can’t replicate from the original Car Thing experience.
What DeskThing Can Actually Do
Community firmware can turn the display into a generic media-control widget for whatever’s playing on your PC (not exclusively Spotify), show system information, or run custom community-built “apps.” It has no built-in Wi-Fi sync with Spotify’s servers — that backend was shut down along with the official software.
Customizing The DeskThing Interface
DeskThing supports community-built “apps” and layout options you can install separately, letting you tailor which widgets and controls appear on the repurposed screen.
Utilizing Spotify Car Thing On PC
With official Spotify functionality gone, using a Car Thing today means relying entirely on community tools rather than anything Spotify built or supports.
Accessing Spotify Car Thing Interface On PC
The Spotify desktop app has no Car Thing integration at all, official or otherwise — accessing anything on the device now means going through the DeskThing/GlanceThing interface exclusively.
Exploring PC Control Features
Community firmware can offer generic PC media controls, but it cannot control Spotify playback in a car specifically — that always relied on Spotify’s own servers, which no longer talk to Car Thing hardware.
Tips For Enhanced User Experience With PC Integration
- Check the DeskThing GitHub page regularly — community apps and features are still being actively developed.
- Back up your device’s original firmware before flashing, if the project’s documentation supports it, in case you want to revert.
- Don’t expect any Spotify-specific functionality to return — the shutdown was on Spotify’s server side, not something firmware can fix.
Advanced Settings And Troubleshooting
There is no Spotify Connect tab entry for Car Thing anymore — Spotify removed it from their systems along with the December 2024 shutdown. Any troubleshooting now applies to the DeskThing/GlanceThing firmware, not Spotify’s software.
Where to Get Help With DeskThing Setup
The DeskThing and GlanceThing projects maintain their own documentation and community Discord servers where flashing issues, driver problems on Windows, and device-recognition errors are the most commonly discussed topics — these are the right place to troubleshoot, not Spotify’s own support channels, which no longer cover Car Thing at all.
Frequently Asked Questions For How To Connect Spotify Car Thing To PC
How Do I Connect Spotify Car Thing To My PC?
To connect Spotify Car Thing to your PC, you can use the included USB-C to USB-A cable. Plug the USB-A end into your PC and the USB-C end into the Car Thing. Then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Is There Any Way to Still Use a Car Thing Device Today?
Yes, but only through unofficial community firmware. Projects like DeskThing and GlanceThing flash custom software onto the device, turning it into a generic USB-connected smart display — it will no longer play music through Spotify or show your account’s data.
When Did Spotify Car Thing Stop Working?
Spotify stopped selling Car Thing in mid-2022 due to low demand, then announced in May 2024 that it would remotely disable every existing unit. That shutdown happened on December 9, 2024 — devices now display a message stating the product is discontinued and no longer operational.
Conclusion
Spotify Car Thing is permanently discontinued and disabled — there’s no official way to connect it to Spotify on a PC or anywhere else anymore. If you already own one, community firmware like DeskThing is the only path to getting any further use out of the hardware.
If you’re shopping for a new device instead, look at dedicated car mounts and displays built for CarPlay or Android Auto — both remain fully supported and don’t carry the risk of a manufacturer bricking the hardware later.
