Spotify: common problems that you can fix in moments
Spotify is a popular music streaming service that offers music, audiobook streaming, and a collection of podcasts. Spotify is available on phones, tablets, desktop PCs, laptops, andsmart speakers. Although it’s the go-to music streaming platform for many, you might experience issues with the app. Here are the common Spotify problems and how to resolve them.
Start with the basics
As with any internet-dependent service, your first step in diagnosing and troubleshooting is determining whether the issue is on your side or if Spotify is at fault.
Access your Spotify playlists without an internet connection
Make sure Spotify isn’t down
If possible, open Spotify on another device. The service may be experiencing a global outage, making the Spotify app and web player unavailable.
To check whether Spotify is down, go todowndetector.com, a service that tracks down outages. you’re able to also follow theSpotifyStatussocial media account on X (formerly Twitter), which lets you know when the service experiences server-side issues. If Spotify is experiencing an outage, wait for the Spotify team to resolve the problems.
Restart the app and your device
Often, the simplest solution to fixing software (and some hardware) issues is to turn it off and back on. Start by closing and reopening the app. If that doesn’t solve your problem, power down your phone and turn it back on.
First, force close the Spotify app by opening the app switcher menu and swiping up on the Spotify card to close it. you’re able to also tap theClose Allbutton to close all active apps.
If that doesn’t work, reboot your device, regardless of whether you use Spotify on a PC, phone, or smart speaker. Restarting the app and rebooting your device might seem like simple solutions. A cold boot can clear the memory and start apps with a clean slate, eliminating the digital cruft that leads to sluggish or aberrant behavior.
If your Android phone feels slow, no matter which app you use, follow ourtroubleshooting guideto solve the slowness issue.
Common Spotify problems and how to fix them
You can’t fix several persistent issues with a quick power cycle. Here are the common Spotify problems and the easiest ways to solve them.
Crackling sound
A slow internet connection could cause a crackling sound during playback. Use a fast and reliable internet connection to avoid interruptions and poor audio quality. Check your Wi-Fi router or use an internet speed test service to check if your Wi-Fi or mobile data speed is up to the mark.
Also, check whether Spotify’s Data Saver feature is on, which can result in shoddy playback. On your Android smartphone, tap yourprofile iconto go toSettings. Scroll down toData Saverand selectOff.
On an iPhone, go toSettings>Data Saverand turn off the toggle next toData Saver.
If you experience an audio crackling issue on your desktop, turn on hardware acceleration in the app to solve this problem. On Windows laptops, go toSettingsand turn on the toggle forCompatibility.
The process is simple on a Mac. Click theSpotifymenu bar item and choose theHardwareAccelerationoption to turn it on.
Bad audio quality
You don’t have to encounter audio crackling issues to know when the streaming audio quality is not up to the mark. By default, Spotify sets the audio streaming quality to auto and changes it depending on your internet connection, which might result in bad audio quality. You can stop this from happening by forcing the app to stream audio at very high quality.
You must be a Spotify Premium subscriber to get the Very high audio quality streaming option. To set the audio streaming quality on your phone, go toSettings, tapAudio Quality, and choose theVery highoption forWi-Fi streamingandMobile streaming.
The Spotify app for Android crashes or doesn’t open
If the Spotify app doesn’t open or crashes on your Android device but works on other devices, go through some simple steps to fix the issue.
Force close and relaunch the app and reboot your Android device. Also, check for pending updates and update the app. Clear the app cache and data if this doesn’t solve the problem. Go toSettings>Apps>Spotify.
Next, tap theClear dataandClear Cachebuttons. After you clear the cache and data, uninstall the app from your Android device. Reboot your phone, install the Spotify app from the Play Store, and log in with your account.
Spotify app crashes or doesn’t open on Apple devices (iPhone and iPad)
If you own an iPhone or iPad and experience app crashes and slow performance, you may solve most of these issues by clearing it from the app switcher menu and relaunching it. You should also update the app to the latest version. To do this, long press theApp Storeicon and choose theUpdatesoption. Check if Spotify has an update and install it.
If that doesn’t solve the issue, delete the app cache. To clear the Spotify cache on your iOS device, open Spotify and tap thegearicon. Open theStoragesettings and use theClear cachebutton to remove it. Finally, uninstall the app and reboot your iPhone before installing the app.
Spotify only plays downloaded songs and podcasts
Many users have reported that sometimes Spotify only allows them to play downloaded songs and podcasts. This problem might occur when your device doesn’t have a working internet connection. You might have turned on offline mode if your device is online but not streaming music or podcasts.
In offline mode, Spotify only allows you to stream music and podcasts saved offline on your device. You’ll see a banner on your app when Spotify is offline. To turn off offline mode in Spotify, openSettings, scroll down, and turn off theOffline modeoption.
On an iPhone, go toSettings>Playbackand turn off the toggle forOffline.
You get the dreaded Spotify Error Code 17
Error Code 17 is generally the result of a problem with the installation. It often occurs when the system doesn’t thoroughly remove a previous installation before an update. A fresh install is layered on top of it, resulting in software conflicts. Uninstalling Spotify and manually deleting the installation folder usually fixes this.
If you’re uncomfortable rummaging around in Windows File Explorer, grab a third-party cleanup app or launch the built-indisk cleanup serviceon Windows to purge residual files. Restart your PC and install the Spotify app again, which should solve the issue.
If the error persists, run Spotify in compatibility mode. Right-click the Spotify icon and selectTroubleshoot compatibility. A wizard walks you through potential compatibility modes that may resolve the error.
Spotify premium features don’t work, and you can’t download songs
A typical issue users reported is being unable to access premium features, such as downloading songs offline. The easiest way to solve this problem is to log out of your Spotify account and log in again. Ensure you use the correct account when logging in to Spotify. Since Spotify lets users sign in via a Facebook account, it doesn’t work if your premium subscription is associated with your email.
If you see the other premium features but can’t download songs for offline listening, check if you exceeded the 10,000 songs download limit. Also, check whether you reached the device limit. Spotify allows you to download songs on up to five devices. If you exceed the limit, you must remove a device. Go to yourSpotify account pageand use theSign out everywherebutton to sign out from all the devices connected to your Spotify account. Sign in on the devices you are using.
Local songs and playlists don’t play in the Spotify app
Previously, Spotify allowed users to play local songs and playlists by dragging and dropping songs into the app. You can still play local songs via its app, but the drag-and-drop method no longer works. Now, you can add your local playlists using its Settings menu.
To play your local playlists on Spotify, click theSettingsicon and turn on the toggle next toShow LocalFiles. Select theAdd a sourcebutton to add your local songs and playlists.
Missing Spotify Playlists
If you can’t find your Spotify playlists, the probable cause is accidental deletion. Spotify lets you recover your playlists. To check if you accidentally deleted your missing playlists, open the Spotify website and log in with your account. Click yourprofile iconand selectAccount. Go toRecover Playlistsand select theRestorebutton to restore missing playlists.
Don’t hear music playing
If you don’t hear sound when playing songs on Spotify, check if you muted the app or device volume. Also, verify whether you set your audio output to something else. For example, you might have Bluetooth headphones connected, or the app might pass audio to an external display that doesn’t have a built-in speaker.
If everything is fine with the settings, perform general troubleshooting steps, including clearing the app cache and reinstalling the app.
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Spotify randomly signs you off
Spotify kicking you out of your account isn’t as random as you think. It could happen if someone uses your login credentials when you’re using the service. To prevent others from accessing your account, reset your password. If you want to share your account, get theSpotify Family Plan.
A seamless world of audio
The tips in this guide help you fix most issues with Spotify. If that doesn’t work, contactSpotify Careson Twitter, the streaming platform’s official support page. You can DM them for technical and payment queries. If the problems persist,cancel your accountand try alternative services likeYouTube Music.
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