"Sense Controls" needs to Switch "Play From" between Sense and Mobile

[GDMW]

My Sense connected to my Pixel 4a fine, but as I used the music controls, the Rewind, Play, and Fast Forward buttons stopped working after a while. To get them to work, I had to switch my "Play from" selection from Moble to Sense. Then the music control buttons stopped working again, and I had to switch back from Sense to Mobile to restore them. Sometimes the volume control would stop working also.

Now I've switched phones to a Pixel 8 Pro, and am experiencing the same issue.  Rebooting the Sense makes it work for a while, but soon and repeatedly my music controls stop and I have to switch the "Play from" between Sense and Mobile.  The "music" I play is actually from Google Podcasts, but what is being played shouldn't be a factor.  My Bluetooth headphones have always played well with both old and new Pixels, and whether I use them or not does not impact my need to repeatedly switch "Play from" to use the Sense Controls.

[Scott337]

My external music controls on my Pixel 7P work fine from any external device except my Fitbit watch. If this is something super important to you an Android Wear watch is great at external music controls. I wore Android Wear or Wear OS (whatever it's called now) for 5+ years before switching to a Fitbit. Battery life on Wear OS watches is terrible, not even a full day. But I do miss using my watch as a music controller.

[Scott337]

I found something that might help, maybe. I have a Pixel 7 Pro, so similar to your phone. I noticed that in my phone Connected Device settings Sense Controls was not staying paired with my phone, even though I set it up when first pairing my Sense. 

I went into my Sense Settings and found the Sense Control slider and turned it off > then went into my phones Bluetooth settings and clicked Forget for Sense Controls > then back to the watch and turned Sense Controls back on to start a new pairing > back to the phone & pair new device and paired Sense Controls, and bam...there was the popup with a permissions box > check that > then in my phones Bluetooth Settings I noticed the Sense Controls icon was a newer different looking icon (I assume for the new Fitbit app) > I started playing music with YT Music on my phone > double tap the main button on my watch and music controls worked the whole 35 minute drive home. Music controls are also working now while I am using the TuneIn app on my phone.

Hopefully this helps.

[GDMW]

So far, so good. The Sense Controls are staying Connected, with or without the Sense also showing up as a Connected Device. I did have to reboot the Sense when it stopped syncing overnight. Now the music controls are working whether I've chosen to Play From Sense or Mobile, not just one or the other. Let's hope it stays that way, and Thanks!