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Anjishnu Nandi edited this page Jun 21, 2026 · 4 revisions

Common questions about Rhythm Music Player.

📥 Installation & Updates

Where can I download Rhythm?

Download from:

Is Rhythm available on Google Play Store?

Rhythm is currently distributed through GitHub, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, and Obtainium. A Google Play Store release is under review.

How do I update Rhythm?

  • F-Droid: Automatic updates through the F-Droid app
  • Obtainium: Automatic notifications and one-tap updates
  • F-Droid (IzzyOnDroid): Automatic updates through the F-Droid app
  • Manual: Download new APK from GitHub Releases and install over existing app

Why can't I install the update?

If you get "App not installed" error:

  • Different sources have different signatures. Stick to one installation method.
  • If switching sources, uninstall first, then install fresh.

🎵 Audio & Playback

What audio formats does Rhythm support?

Built-in (platform decoders):

  • Lossless: FLAC, ALAC, WAV, PCM, AIFF
  • Lossy: MP3, AAC, Opus, Vorbis
  • MIDI

FFmpeg-decoded (bundled extension):

  • Lossless: APE, WavPack, TAK, TTA, WMA Lossless
  • Lossy: WMA
  • Dolby: AC-3, EAC3-JOC (Atmos), AC-4

Device-dependent (hardware required):

  • DTS, DTS-HD MA, DTS:X
  • DSD/DSF/DFF (requires compatible DAC)

📖 Full details: Audio Formats Guide

Why won't my music files play?

Common reasons:

  1. Unsupported format - Convert to FLAC or MP3
  2. Corrupted file - Try playing in VLC to verify
  3. Missing permissions - Grant storage access
  4. Wrong file location - Ensure files are in accessible folders

Does Rhythm support gapless playback?

Yes! Gapless playback works for FLAC, MP3, AAC, and Opus formats.

What is Replay Gain?

Replay Gain normalizes the perceived loudness of your music. Choose Album Gain to maintain dynamic range within albums, or Track Gain for consistent loudness across all songs. Configure in Settings → Audio → Replay Gain.

Does Rhythm support crossfade?

Yes! Crossfade smoothly blends the end of one track into the start of the next with an adjustable duration of 1–12 seconds. Configure in Settings → Audio → Crossfade.

Can I use the equalizer?

Yes! Rhythm includes:

  • 10-band professional equalizer
  • 6032+ AutoEQ device-optimized presets
  • Import/export custom profiles
  • Bass boost and virtualizer effects

Does Rhythm support USB DACs / bit-perfect playback?

Yes! Rhythm supports USB DACs natively:

  • Android 14+ (Bit-Perfect Mode): If you enable App routing under Settings → Audio, Rhythm requests exclusive bit-perfect USB routing via the native Android setPreferredMixerAttributes API on supported devices.
  • Why is there no USB popup? Rhythm plays audio through the Android system's native high-resolution audio pathways rather than bypassing the OS with a custom user-space driver. Since it goes through official APIs, the DAC is connected automatically and silently without displaying a USB permission dialog.

🎤 Lyrics

How do I get synchronized lyrics?

Rhythm fetches lyrics from:

  1. LRCLib (online, community-driven)
  2. Embedded lyrics (from audio file metadata)

Enable in: Settings → Lyrics → Enable synced lyrics

Lyrics are out of sync. How do I fix them?

  • Tap lyrics settings icon in player
  • Use +/- buttons to adjust timing
  • Save offset for that specific track

Can I add my own lyrics?

Yes! Use a metadata editor like Mp3tag to embed .lrc format lyrics into your audio files.

🖼️ Album Art & Metadata

Album art not showing?

Solutions:

  1. Embed artwork in audio files using Mp3tag
  2. Enable online fetch: Settings → Online Features → Fetch artwork
  3. Clear cache: Settings → Apps → Rhythm → Storage → Clear cache
  4. Rescan library: Settings → Library → Rescan Media

Can I edit song metadata?

Yes! Rhythm supports full metadata editing:

  • Song title, artist, album, genre
  • Track number, year
  • Album artwork
  • Batch operations

Long-press song → Edit Info

Requires storage write permission.

Why can't I edit some files?

  • Files on SD card may require special permissions
  • Some files may be read-only
  • Try moving files to internal storage

📱 Permissions & Privacy

Why does Rhythm need storage permission?

To access and play your music files. Rhythm uses scoped storage on Android 11+ for enhanced privacy.

Does Rhythm collect my data?

No. Rhythm is 100% FOSS and privacy-focused:

  • ✅ No analytics or tracking
  • ✅ No personal data collection
  • ✅ All data stored locally
  • ✅ Internet only for optional features (lyrics, artwork)

Can I use Rhythm completely offline?

Yes! Core functionality works without internet:

  • Music playback
  • Playlists
  • Equalizer
  • Widgets
  • Rhythm Go downloaded streaming tracks

Internet only needed for:

  • Online lyrics (LRCLib)
  • Album artwork fetch (Deezer)
  • App updates
  • Streaming Mode server connection

📊 Features

Does Rhythm have a sleep timer?

Yes! Access from player screen → Menu → Sleep Timer

Can I create and manage playlists?

Yes! Full playlist support:

  • Create/edit/delete playlists
  • Reorder songs (drag & drop)
  • Multi-select removal
  • Import/export (M3U, PLS formats)
  • Grid view
  • Smart sorting options

Does Rhythm support Android Auto?

Yes! Android Auto is supported in Rhythm.

Is there a widget?

Yes! Multiple widgets available:

  • Glance widgets: 6 responsive Material 3 layouts (2x1 to 4x4)
  • Legacy widgets: 7 RemoteViews layouts (2x1 to 5x5)
  • Lyrics widget: Display current song lyrics on home screen
  • Real-time updates
  • Playback controls
  • Customizable appearance

Can I customize the theme?

Yes! Comprehensive theming:

  • Light/Dark/System modes
  • Material You dynamic colors (Android 12+)
  • Custom color schemes
  • Font selection
  • Material Symbols icons
  • Festive seasonal themes

Is there an A–Z scroll bar?

Yes! When your library exceeds a threshold, an alphabetical scroll bar appears on the right side of Songs, Albums, and Artists tabs. Drag your finger along the letters to jump to items starting with that letter.

What is Rhythm Go?

Rhythm Go lets you download tracks from your streaming server (Subsonic, Navidrome, Jellyfin) for offline playback. Downloaded tracks appear in a dedicated section and work without internet access. Configure in Settings → Streaming → Rhythm Go.

🔧 Troubleshooting

App keeps crashing. What should I do?

  1. Update to latest version
  2. Clear app cache (not data)
  3. Check storage space (need 500MB+ free)
  4. Restart device
  5. If persists, report on GitHub Issues

Music library is empty after scanning?

  1. Grant storage permission: Settings → Apps → Rhythm → Permissions
  2. Check blacklist/whitelist: Rhythm Settings → Library → Filters
  3. Verify music location (standard folders like /Music)
  4. Rescan media: Settings → Library → Rescan Media

Widget not updating?

  1. Remove and re-add widget
  2. Disable battery optimization: Settings → Apps → Rhythm → Battery → Unrestricted
  3. Grant notification permission
  4. Update to latest version

Bluetooth auto-play not working?

  1. Enable: Rhythm Settings → Playback → Resume on Bluetooth
  2. Grant Bluetooth permission
  3. Ensure device is properly paired
  4. Check device-specific settings

🌐 Online Features

What is LRCLib?

LRCLib is a community-driven synced lyrics database. Rhythm fetches synchronized lyrics from it when available.

Does Rhythm upload my listening data?

No. All statistics and data remain on your device. Nothing is uploaded to servers.

Why does Rhythm need internet access?

Only for optional features:

  • LRCLib - Synced lyrics
  • Deezer API - Album artwork
  • YouTube Music API - Album artwork lookup
  • GitHub - Update checking

You can block internet (via firewall) for completely offline use.

💾 Backup & Data

How do I backup my playlists?

Settings → Backup & Restore → Create Backup

Or export individual playlists as M3U/PLS files.

Will I lose data when updating?

No! Updates preserve:

  • Playlists
  • Settings
  • Statistics
  • Metadata edits

Always install updates over existing app (don't uninstall first).

Can I transfer data to a new device?

  1. Backup on old device
  2. Copy backup file to new device
  3. Install Rhythm on new device
  4. Settings → Backup & Restore → Restore from Backup

🤝 Contributing

How can I contribute?

See Contributing Guide for details.

Is the source code available?

Yes! Rhythm is fully open source under GPL-3.0 license: GitHub Repository

Can I fork and modify Rhythm?

Yes, under GPL-3.0 terms:

  • Keep it open source
  • Credit original project
  • Share modifications under same license

📱 Compatibility

What Android version is required?

Android 8.0+ (API 26)

Does Rhythm work on tablets?

Yes! Rhythm has optimized multi-pane layouts for tablets:

  • Library on the left, content on the right
  • Optimized player, settings, and library views
  • Portrait and landscape support
  • Also works on foldables

Does it support split-screen?

Yes, Rhythm works in split-screen/multi-window mode.

🆘 Getting Help

Where can I get support?

How do I report a bug?

  1. Check if it's already reported: GitHub Issues
  2. If not, create new issue with:
    • Android version
    • Device model
    • Rhythm version
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Screenshots if applicable

🔮 Future Plans

Will there be a desktop version?

Currently focused on Android. Desktop version not planned at this time.

When is the next release?

Check GitHub Releases for updates. Follow development on Telegram.

Question not answered? Ask in our Telegram Community!

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