Bangla press/Shutterstock
Originally, Spotify had a blue dot on the bell icon that indicated whether new songs or episodes had been released since your last visit. Dubbed What's New, it was the easiest place to find relevant releases without relying on Spotify's algorithm or suggestions. While Spotify is one of the best music streaming services, over-reliance on suggestions is one of the top reasons users have left Spotify. When the What's New notification first launched, it was based on the creators or artists you follow. Today, it means something a bit different.
Spotify has changed its app UI on most platforms (especially tablets), moving the What's New feature to the Music and Podcasts tab, while also removing the section from your profile menu entirely. Now, to find the newest releases from the artists and creators that you follow, you need to navigate to the dedicated Music and Podcasts tab to find the Following sub-section, which then lets you scroll down to Latest releases. That's where you may encounter the blue dot now, next to one of your favorite songs or podcasts you are yet to listen to.
What happens if the blue dot icon doesn't disappear?
FotoField/Shutterstock
While the blue dot icon alerts you to unread Spotify content you follow, it sometimes persists after you've checked it. Generally, the blue dot should disappear when you open the song or podcast it suggests as new and start listening. Otherwise, it could be a bug. Some users have reported that even after listening, the blue dot didn't disappear from newly released podcasts. This means it has become a backend issue with the platform. The best way to fix it is to contact Spotify support, or visit community support threads that have previously reported the issue.
When posting to the community support thread, make sure to include information such as the specific device you use, the version of the Spotify app you are running (ensure you update it before sending your query), and a few examples of podcast episodes that have the blue dots. Also, provide screenshots that show it will also be beneficial. Though, when doing so, remember to avoid including your personal information, as this is a public thread that is available for anyone to use.