Founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, Spotify has become one of the largest music streaming platforms worldwide, boasting over 527 million monthly active users and 210 million paying subscribers as of March 2023. While Spotify offers a freemium service with basic features accessible for free, Spotify not working issues with the platform may arise, leading to users experiencing difficulties. This article aims to address common not working problems users encounter with Spotify and provide practical solutions.
Why is Spotify Not Working?
Spotify is not working due to the following reasons. Some of the reasons are common for not working issues for Spotify++ third-party app as well.
- Poor internet connection
- Outdated software versions
- Server outages caused by heavy traffic
- Maintenance activities from Spotify’s end
- Blocked ports preventing communication between Spotify clients and servers
- Memory leaks in the application itself
- Other installed software programs conflicting
- Malware infections
How to identify Spotify’s not working state?
To identify the state of a malfunctioning Spotify app, users require to analyze different behaviors and symptoms across various platforms where the Spotify app is installed. Users should look out for the following signs for each of the Spotify apps:
In iPhone App:
Spotify not working on iPhone can be identified through the below errors.
- Notifications not working
- App crashing when opened
- Unable to download music from the library.
In Android App:
Spotify not working on Android can be identified through the below errors.
- Slow loading times
- Unresponsive UI elements
- Error messages when trying to log in.
In Web App:
- Blank pages appearing on the login page
- Unable to access friends’ profiles
- The songs not playing properly.
It is also beneficial for users to check their internet connection or whether Spotify is officially down by reading Spotify’s Official Twitter account before attempting any troubleshooting steps as this may save them time and effort that would have otherwise been wasted in diagnosing the issue themselves.
Solutions to Spotify not working Problem
To solve the Spotify not working problem, you can follow the 10 steps mentioned below.
1. Restart Spotify
Restarting the application is a necessary step to ensure its functionality. On your mobile device, you can just turn it OFF and ON to restart Spotify. That being said, restarting the Spotify app on PC/Mac can be done in three simple steps:
- Open the Activity Monitor app on your Mac or Task Manager on your Windows computer.
- Find and select the Spotify process in either one of those two applications, depending on which system you have.
- Finally, click ‘Quit Process’ or ‘End Task’ from the menu to fully close down the application before reopening it again to check if it’s working properly after that procedure has been completed.
Taking these steps will enable users to fix any issue that may arise with their Spotify application and further see if it is functioning as intended once more.
2. Check the Internet Connection
To check your internet connection on different devices, follow these steps.
For iPhone:
Open the Settings app and tap on “Wi-Fi” or “Cellular.” Ensure that the Wi-Fi toggle is turned on or that you have a cellular data connection with strong signal strength.
For Android devices:
Go to Settings and select “Network & internet” or “Connections.” Tap on “Wi-Fi” or “Mobile network” to verify the connection status. Make sure the Wi-Fi toggle is enabled or that you have a stable mobile data connection.
On a PC or Mac:
Click on the network icon in the taskbar or menu bar and select the appropriate network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). If using Wi-Fi, ensure that it is enabled and connected to a network with a strong signal.
For Ethernet:
Check if the cable is securely plugged in.
Additionally, you can try accessing a website or using an internet-dependent app to confirm if the connection is working properly. If it does not work, then that’s the reason why your Spotify app is not working. Now all you need to do is pay your internet bill, recharge your data package or fix any internet connectivity issue to get back on your Spotify app working state.
3. Update Spotify firmware
Updating Spotify is a crucial step for ensuring that the application runs smoothly. Moreover, updating Spotify regularly can help prevent future problems from arising.
How to check and install Spotify updates?
On a computer:
- Open the Spotify app.
- Click on the three dots in the top right corner of the window.
- Select “Help” > “Check for Updates”.
- If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the update.
On a mobile device:
- Open the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Search for “Spotify”.
- Tap on the “Update” button if an update is available.
On a web browser:
- Go to the Spotify website.
- Click on the profile icon in the top right corner of the page.
- Select “Settings” > “Playback”.
- Under “Advanced”, check the box next to “Automatically update Spotify”.
Once you have installed the latest update, you should be able to use Spotify without any not working problems.
4. Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify
Uninstalling and Reinstalling Spotify can help ensure the application functions properly.
Here are the steps to uninstall and reinstall Spotify on mobile devices:
- Open Finder then click Go > Library in the menu bar. (You may need to hold the Alt key if Library isn’t visible).
- Open Caches and delete the com.spotify.Client folder.
- Click the back arrow.
- Open Application Support and delete the Spotify folder.
- Go to http://www.spotify.com/download and reinstall Spotify.
5. Check if Spotify servers or services are Down
You can check if Spotify servers or services are down by visiting the website downdetector.com. This website provides a view of problem reports submitted in the past 24 hours compared to the typical volume of reports by time of day. Further, you can visit Spotify’s official twitter account to check if they have an official statement about possible service down. If these two causes are true, then that’s why your Spotify not working. Now all you need to do is wait a few hours to get everything to work naturally.
6. Clear App Cache and/or Data
If Spotify is not working, clearing the app cache or data on both iPhone and Android devices can help resolve many of the issues that may be causing it to malfunction.
How to clear the cache of Spotify on iPhone?
- Open the Spotify app on your iPhone.
- Tap the Settings icon (shaped like a gear) at the top right of the screen.
- On the Settings page, tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
How to clear the cache of Spotify on Android?
- Go to your phone settings and tap on Apps (or Applications depending on your phone model).
- Navigate through the downloaded applications, find Spotify, and tap on it.
- Tap on “Storage” as this is where you will find the “Clear Cache” option. Tap on it and confirm to delete cache.
How to clear the cache of Spotify on Mac?
- Launch Spotify.
- Open Preferences (⌘ + ,).
- At the bottom, click Show Advanced Settings.
- Scroll down until you see “Offline storage” and click on it.
- Click on the button “Clear Cache” to clear the cache.
How to clear the cache of Spotify on PC/Windows 10?
- Open Spotify.
- Click your account name at the top right and then, in the dropdown menu, click Settings.
- Scroll down to the Storage section.
- To the right of Cache, click Clear cache.
7. Check mobile or PC space
Checking mobile storage space can be done by opening the Settings menu of either device and locating the Storage section.
From there, users can identify how much memory they have available and compare it with their current usage. If a significant portion of the memory is already in use, then this may be causing issues with Spotify.
Clearing out any unnecessary apps or files from the device can help clear up some space and allow for better performance from Spotify. Once enough space has been cleared, users should reconnect to Spotify to check if it’s not working issue has fixed.
8. Check OS setting
This section will offer advice on how to check the settings of various operating systems, such as iOS, Android, MacOS and Windows, in order to identify potential issues that may be affecting spotify app not working state.
The main settings that should be checked are:
- Firewall Settings: Ensure firewalls on devices aren’t blocking access to Spotify by adding it as an exception.
- Network Connection Settings: Check if the user is connected to a private network or public Wi-Fi spot which could be blocked from streaming services.
- Location Services Settings: Make sure location services are enabled for Spotify so that it can accurately detect where the user is located and provide the appropriate content.
By following these steps, users should be able to quickly identify any setting issues which may be causing difficulty accessing Spotify.
9. Revert to an old version
If the latest version of the Spotify program is not functioning properly, reverting to an earlier version can be an effective solution.
How to revert to an old version of spotify on ios?
- Uninstall the Spotify app.
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Find Spotify and tap on it.
- Tap on “Offload App” or “Delete App”.
- Download the old version of Spotify from a trusted source.
How to revert to an old version of spotify on Android?
- Uninstall the Spotify app.
- Download the old version of Spotify from a trusted source such as APKMirror or APKPure.
Once these steps are completed and an old version has been successfully installed, users can then test if it solves their not working problem and decides whether they should stay on this version or try upgrading again at a later date.
10. Contact support
Reaching out to customer support may be a necessary step if other solutions are unsuccessful. Spotify offers multiple ways for users to contact customer service through their website.
customers can use the Contact Us form on the website and submit an inquiry or email directly at help@spotify.com.
For urgent inquiries, customers can also call +1 (800) 656-1918 and speak with customer service representatives directly over the phone.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Spotify not working can be a frustrating experience for users. To avoid this issue, it is important to keep the app updated and also check if the servers or services are down.
Additionally, it may be necessary to revert back to an old version of the app or contact support directly for help. With these steps in place, users can ensure that they enjoy uninterrupted music streaming services from Spotify.
Furthermore, as new updates and features are released periodically, users should make sure that their devices support them in order to prevent any potential issues with the app.
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