diff --git a/server/subsonic/album_lists.go b/server/subsonic/album_lists.go
index 24bbca960..b3902b65c 100644
--- a/server/subsonic/album_lists.go
+++ b/server/subsonic/album_lists.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/scrobbler"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/log"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
@@ -203,14 +204,20 @@ func (api *Router) GetStarred2(r *http.Request) (*responses.Subsonic, error) {
 
 func (api *Router) GetNowPlaying(r *http.Request) (*responses.Subsonic, error) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
+	response := newResponse()
+	response.NowPlaying = &responses.NowPlaying{}
+
+	// When restricted to admins, non-admin users get an empty list
+	if conf.Server.NowPlaying.AdminOnly && !getUser(ctx).IsAdmin {
+		return response, nil
+	}
+
 	npInfo, err := api.scrobbler.GetNowPlaying(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(r, "Error retrieving now playing list", err)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	response := newResponse()
-	response.NowPlaying = &responses.NowPlaying{}
 	var i int32
 	response.NowPlaying.Entry = slice.Map(npInfo, func(np scrobbler.PlaybackSession) responses.NowPlayingEntry {
 		i++
diff --git a/server/subsonic/album_lists_test.go b/server/subsonic/album_lists_test.go
index 220376b15..1c8863dd5 100644
--- a/server/subsonic/album_lists_test.go
+++ b/server/subsonic/album_lists_test.go
@@ -4,8 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"net/http/httptest"
+	"time"
 
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/conf/configtest"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/auth"
+	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/core/scrobbler"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/log"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model"
 	"github.com/navidrome/navidrome/model/request"
@@ -539,4 +543,94 @@ var _ = Describe("Album Lists", func() {
 			})
 		})
 	})
+
+	Describe("GetNowPlaying", func() {
+		var mockPlayTracker *fakePlayTracker
+		var user model.User
+
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			mockPlayTracker = &fakePlayTracker{}
+			user = model.User{
+				ID: "test-user",
+				Libraries: []model.Library{
+					{ID: 1, Name: "Library 1"},
+					{ID: 2, Name: "Library 2"},
+				},
+			}
+		})
+
+		It("should return what all users are playing, regardless of the requesting user's libraries", func() {
+			// The Subsonic getNowPlaying contract returns activity from all users;
+			// it does not filter by the requesting user's library access.
+			mockPlayTracker.NowPlayingData = []scrobbler.PlaybackSession{
+				{
+					MediaFile:  model.MediaFile{ID: "1", Title: "Track 1", LibraryID: 1},
+					Start:      time.Now(),
+					Username:   "user1",
+					PlayerId:   "player1",
+					PlayerName: "Player 1",
+				},
+				{
+					MediaFile:  model.MediaFile{ID: "2", Title: "Track 2", LibraryID: 3}, // Library the requesting user can't access
+					Start:      time.Now(),
+					Username:   "user2",
+					PlayerId:   "player2",
+					PlayerName: "Player 2",
+				},
+			}
+			router := New(ds, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, mockPlayTracker, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil)
+			ctx := request.WithUser(context.Background(), user)
+			r := newGetRequest()
+			r = r.WithContext(ctx)
+
+			resp, err := router.GetNowPlaying(r)
+
+			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+			Expect(resp.NowPlaying.Entry).To(HaveLen(2))
+			Expect(resp.NowPlaying.Entry[0].Title).To(Equal("Track 1"))
+			Expect(resp.NowPlaying.Entry[1].Title).To(Equal("Track 2"))
+		})
+
+		Context("when NowPlaying.AdminOnly is enabled", func() {
+			BeforeEach(func() {
+				DeferCleanup(configtest.SetupConfig())
+				conf.Server.NowPlaying.AdminOnly = true
+				mockPlayTracker.NowPlayingData = []scrobbler.PlaybackSession{
+					{
+						MediaFile:  model.MediaFile{ID: "1", Title: "Track 1", LibraryID: 1},
+						Start:      time.Now(),
+						Username:   "user1",
+						PlayerId:   "player1",
+						PlayerName: "Player 1",
+					},
+				}
+			})
+
+			It("should return an empty list to non-admin users", func() {
+				router := New(ds, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, mockPlayTracker, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil)
+				ctx := request.WithUser(context.Background(), user) // user is not admin
+				r := newGetRequest()
+				r = r.WithContext(ctx)
+
+				resp, err := router.GetNowPlaying(r)
+
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(resp.NowPlaying.Entry).To(BeEmpty())
+			})
+
+			It("should return entries to admin users", func() {
+				router := New(ds, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, mockPlayTracker, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil, nil)
+				admin := user
+				admin.IsAdmin = true
+				ctx := request.WithUser(context.Background(), admin)
+				r := newGetRequest()
+				r = r.WithContext(ctx)
+
+				resp, err := router.GetNowPlaying(r)
+
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(resp.NowPlaying.Entry).To(HaveLen(1))
+			})
+		})
+	})
 })
diff --git a/server/subsonic/media_annotation_test.go b/server/subsonic/media_annotation_test.go
index 487335d1a..12e485989 100644
--- a/server/subsonic/media_annotation_test.go
+++ b/server/subsonic/media_annotation_test.go
@@ -190,11 +190,12 @@ var _ = Describe("MediaAnnotationController", func() {
 type fakePlayTracker struct {
 	Submissions      []scrobbler.Submission
 	ReportedPlayback []scrobbler.ReportPlaybackParams
+	NowPlayingData   []scrobbler.PlaybackSession
 	Error            error
 }
 
 func (f *fakePlayTracker) GetNowPlaying(_ context.Context) ([]scrobbler.PlaybackSession, error) {
-	return nil, f.Error
+	return f.NowPlayingData, f.Error
 }
 
 func (f *fakePlayTracker) Submit(_ context.Context, submissions []scrobbler.Submission) error {