Android 11's new media controls remain buggy in public release - Android Police

The new media controls make the audio-listening experience a lot nicer, but they're still in need of some polish: some apps with currently playing audio can't be controlled unless you expand the quick settings panel.

In Android 11, apps like Google Podcasts or Spotify that play audio appear in the quick settings panel above notifications for easy access.

This is a change for the better, but a problem presents itself when the media controls vanish from the main quick settings panel and require an extra swipe to show up — even though the audio is currently playing.

A podcast is playing, but its playback controls are hidden until the quick settings are expanded.