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Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

With 70 million free users and 30 million premium subscribers, Spotify is the undisputed king of music streaming services Spotify vs. Apple Music vs. Google Play Music:Which is the best? Spotify vs. Apple Music vs. Google Play Music:Which is the best? While there are a plethora of music streaming services out there, there are three main ones that stand out above the rest:Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music. But which one is better? Read more . In contrast, its closest competitor, Apple Music, has around 13 million subscribers.

However, being the market leader does not mean that Spotify is without problems. Given its huge user base, the number of devices it supports, and the size of its music catalog, it should come as no surprise that problems can and do occur on a regular basis.

Some of those failures occur more frequently than others. In this article, you'll find a list of eight of the most common Spotify problems, as well as information on how to fix them.

Note :Before trying these tips, try to replicate your problem on different devices. If the issue occurs everywhere, it's likely an account-wide issue and you'll need to contact Spotify.

1. Spotify failed to start:Error code 17

This Windows-specific issue has been plaguing users for several years, and yet it keeps popping up a lot.

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

The problem occurs when you try to start Spotify - everything seems to be working fine, but when the client is about to open, a popup will appear on the screen and the program will crash.

The solution is potentially twofold:

  1. Download the Spotify installer and save it to your desktop.
  2. Right click on the installer and select Properties
  3. Open the Compatibility tab, check the box Run this program in compatibility mode for: , and choose Windows XP (Service Pack 3)
  4. Click Apply and run the installer

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

If that doesn't work, boot into Safe Mode and repeat the steps above.

2. Can't add local files to a playlist

One cool feature that Spotify offers is the ability to add your locally saved music to the desktop client; allows you to mix the Spotify tracks with your own tracks in the playlists Top 15 Spotify Playlists for Summer Top 15 Spotify Playlists for Summer Looking for the best Spotify playlists for band sound of your summer? Here are the best Spotify playlists for summer vacations, cookouts, road trips, and more. Read More

Spotify recently changed the way its Windows and Mac desktop clients handle local music. Previously, you could drag and drop the files you wanted into a playlist, but now it's a bit more complicated:the change in process has led some users to mistakenly believe that the service was broken.

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

To add files, go to Edit (Windows) or Spotify (Mac)> Preferences> Local Files . You can ask Spotify to search your iTunes files or Music Library, or point you in the direction of saved music.

3. Can't download songs for offline playback

Spotify allows you to download songs for offline playback. It's a great feature for the gym, your car, or while you're away from Wi-Fi, as it means you won't be able to eat through your data allowance.

However, there is a little-known restriction. Each device can only sync a maximum of 3,333 songs for offline listening. If you reach that limit, you won't be able to download any more songs until you unsync some of your existing music.

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

Activate a playlist Available offline The modifier will slowly delete its content, though for faster resolution you should delete the cache (I'll see how to do this below).

4. No more tracks can be added to your music

Similar to the problem above, many people also don't realize that Your Music has a limit of 10,000 songs. It can pack a nasty punch when you eventually hit the barrier, throwing your carefully curated library into disarray.

Many users have been angry about this restriction for a long time, but Spotify clearly has no plans to change it anytime soon. In a recent statement, the company said:

However, if you're smart about it, there's an easy solution.

Just create a new playlist called "Library" and add music there instead. There's a limit of 10,000 songs per playlist, so once that's full, create “Library 2”, “Library 3” and so on. Add all of these libraries into a single playlist folder (File> New Playlists Folder ), and highlight the folder to see all the music inside.

It's not ideal, but it's a workable solution to what is ultimately a ridiculous restriction.

5. Hacked account

Although this is not really a technical problem, it is a surprisingly common problem. Reddit users often complain that their accounts have been hacked; As recently as April 2016, hundreds of Spotify account details, including emails, usernames, passwords, and account types, were leaked on Pastebin.

Interestingly, Spotify denied that their data had been breached, suggesting that these account credentials were stolen from third-party web applications. 7 web apps to make Spotify better than ever. 7 apps to make Spotify better than ever. Spotify is already pretty good. One of the best music streaming services around. But there are ways to make Spotify even better, as these amazing web apps show. Read more.

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

How can you tell if you've been hacked?

There are some telltale signs. Are you seeing songs listed in your playback history that you don't recognize? Suddenly getting a lot of Swedish hip-hop or pop music on your Discover Weekly playlist, even though you haven't listened to that genre? Did you get kicked out of the app in the middle of playing a track?

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, there is a high probability that your account has been compromised.

What should you do?

If you are lucky, your email and password will not have been changed. Sign in to your account on the Spotify website, then go to Account Overview> Sign Out Everywhere . If you are successful, please change your password immediately. If your account is linked to Facebook, change your Facebook password as well.

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

If you have lost access to your account, you will need to contact Spotify directly. You can use the online form, the @SpotifyCares Twitter account, or the company's Facebook page.

6. Android problems

If you have a problem on your Android device How to Fix Spotify Storage Errors on Android How to Fix Spotify Storage Errors on Android When Spotify won't let you access your music on Android, the crash stops. Here's how to fix storage access issues and get back to music. Read More

Before working through this troubleshooting guide, first try signing out of the app and then starting it again. Often you will solve smaller problems. If you're experiencing a blank screen when launching the app, playback issues, skipping tracks, offline sync issues, or songs not available, please read on.

Clear cache and perform a clean install

The cache is where Spotify saves data so it can operate faster and more efficiently in the future. Sometimes the data in the cache will get corrupted and you will experience usage issues.

Fortunately, Android makes it easy to clear cache. How to fix Spotify storage errors on Android. How to fix Spotify storage errors on Android. When Spotify won't let you access your music on Android, the rock stops. Here's how to fix storage access issues and get back to music. Read More

Just go to Settings> Applications> Spotify> Storage and tap on Clear cache . You should also tap Clear data .

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

Now, use an Android file manager Top 7 Free File Explorers for Android Top 7 Free File Explorers for Android There are plenty of file explorer and file explorer apps for Android, but these are the best. Read More

  • /emulated/0/Android/data/com.spotify.music
  • /ext_sd/Android/data/com.spotify.music
  • /sdcard1/Android/data/com.spotify.music
  • /data/media/0/Android/data/com.spotify.music

If they are still visible, remove them manually.

Finally, uninstall the app and reinstall it through the Google Play Store.

Remove cleaner apps, process managers and battery managers

Several cleanup apps contain a process kill feature that can affect Spotify. Similarly, process managers and battery managers can interfere with the various running processes that Spotify uses. They can be particularly aggressive when the screen is off or an app is running in the background for a long time.

If you really need/want to keep these apps installed, try adding Spotify (/ext_sd/Android/data/com.spotify.music ) to whitelist apps.

7. Problems on iPhones and iPads.

Apple iDevices don't offer users a clear cache button iPhone storage full? How to create free space on iPhone iOS Full Storage? How to Create Free Space on iOS The best way to maximize the available storage space on your iPhone is to buy the largest device you can afford. Too late for that? Here's how to create free space on your iOS device. Read more . Instead, it's up to individual apps to offer a way to clear their caches.

Unfortunately, Spotify has yet to include this feature, despite thousands of user requests on their forums. If you are having problems with the Spotify app, you will need to remove it and reinstall it. This will clear the cache and hopefully resolve your issue.

8. Playlist accidentally deleted

I'll end this list with an extremely common and completely user-specific problem:accidentally deleted playlists.

Playlists are works of art:you can spend days, weeks, months, or even years creating the perfect playlist for an activity or event. For example, Sean Parker's (founder of Napster) famous Hipster International playlist was constantly updated over a three-and-a-half year period, though now it appears to be dead.

Spotify not working? How to fix 8 common Spotify problems

If you delete your favorites list, don't despair; You can easily retrieve it. Sign in to your account on the Spotify website, then go to Recover Playlists> Restore .

What problems have you encountered?

I've covered many of the most common issues above, but there will always be user-specific examples that are beyond the scope of this article.

As I mentioned in the article, your first port of call should always be the official support channels, although the Spotify forums and the troubleshooting subreddit are also great places to find help.

What problems have you discovered? Feel free to explain your Spotify issues in the comments below, and I or a fellow reader will try to offer some help.