You're jamming out to some of your favorite tunes on Spotify when the music stops and an error like "Spotify can't play current song, or "Spotify can't play this right now" pops up. It's frustrating, but there are a variety of ways to fix that problem. This troubleshooting guide covers Spotify on the desktop, the Spotify mobile app, and the Spotify web app.
Why Spotify Has Song-Playing Errors
There are several causes for these errors, ranging from a problem with the app itself to issues your computer or mobile device might be experiencing. As a result, there are different actions to take to fix song-playing errors, depending on whether you're receiving the error with Spotify on the desktop, in the mobile app, or with the Spotify web app.
The first thing to try is a simple restart of Spotify, then move on to other actions if that doesn't solve the problem.
Restart Spotify
The Spotify app may have frozen or had a random glitch. The quickest solution to try is to close and then reopen Spotify.
If you're using Spotify on the desktop, select File > Quit Spotify.
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In the Spotify mobile app, close and reopen the app. If you're using the Spotify web app, close and reopen your browser.
Log out of the App and Then Log Back In
If closing out of Spotify doesn't work, try logging out of the app and then logging back in.
If you're using Spotify on the desktop, select the dropdown arrow next to your name on the top right, and then select Log Out. After you've logged out, log back in again and see if this solves the problem.
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In the Spotify mobile app, select Settings (gear icon), tap your profile, and then scroll down and tap Log Out. Log back in to see if this solves the problem.
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In the Spotify web app, select your profile and then select Log Out. Log back in to see if this solves the problem.
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Restart Your Computer
If you're receiving a song-playing error using Spotify on the desktop or the Spotify web app, try restarting your computer. Performing a restart may clear up underlying issues with your operating system that are affecting Spotify and give the music app a fresh environment.
Is the App Up to Date?
If your Spotify app needs an update, you may experience strange glitches and errors. To manually update Spotify:
Update the Spotify Desktop App
Open the desktop Spotify app.
Select Spotify > About Spotify from the top menu bar.
Spotify will tell you what your current version is and if an update is available. Select Update Now if there's an update available.
You'll see a message that Spotify has been successfully updated and that you need to restart to reinstall the new version. Select Close and then restart your computer.
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Update the Spotify Mobile App
To set up automatic updates on an iOS device, tapiTunes & App Store, and switchUpdatesto on. On an Android device, open the Google Play Store. Use the search bar to find Spotify. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right and checkAuto-update.
If you don't have automatic updates turned on, manually update your Spotify mobile app.
On an iOS device, open the App Store app.
On an Android device, open the Google Play Store, use the search bar to find Spotify, and tap UPDATE.
TapUpdatesin the bottom right.
Find Spotify, and tapUpdate.
If no update option is visible, your app is using the latest version.
Turn off High-Quality Streaming
You may encounter errors and issues if you changed your subscription level from a Premium account to a free, ad-supported account but didn't change the option to stream high-quality music. The highest-quality playback is available only to Premiumusers.
There's no option to adjust music quality if you're using the Spotify free web app.
Adjust Music Quality With Spotify on the Desktop
Open Spotify on the desktop and select the dropdown arrow on the top right next to your name.
Select Settings.
Under Music Quality, select Automatic or lower the quality to something less than Very High.
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Adjust Music Quality in the Spotify Mobile App
Open Spotify and tap Settings (gear icon).
Tap Music Quality.
Select Automatic or lower the quality to something less than Very High.
Make sure you're not trying to listen to Spotify in offline mode, which is available only for Premium customers. This might also cause song-playing errors.
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Are You Out of Space on Your Device?
If you're a Premium customer and have opted to use the offline mode, you may have run out of storage space on your device. Spotify recommends having at least 1 GB free for downloads.
Remove downloaded files from Spotify on the desktop by going to Settings > Local Files and toggling off Show Local Files.
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On a mobile device, try clearing space in your internal storage, or go to Settings > Storage and select Delete Cache.
Turn off Hardware Acceleration
Using the hardware acceleration feature with Spotify on the desktop helps weaker hardware in your computer. However, toggling on this setting might actually create a poor listening experience by causing songs to skip, lag, or not play at all.
Turning off this feature may solve song-playing errors.
Open Spotify on the desktop and select the dropdown arrow on the top right next to your name.
Select Settings.
Scroll down and select Show Advanced Settings.
Under Compatibility, turn off hardware acceleration.
Restart the Spotify app see if this solved the problem.
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Enable or Disable Crossfading
Crossfading can provide a more pleasant transition between songs, but if you're experiencing song-playing errors with Spotify on the desktop, try turning this feature on or off.
Open Spotify on the desktop and select the dropdown arrow on the top right next to your name.
Select Settings.
Scroll down and select Show Advanced Settings.
In the Playback section, toggle Crossfade songs on or off. If you're toggling it on, set the time to zero (0) seconds.
Restart Spotify and see if this solved the problem.
Was the Song Pulled From a Playlist?
The song may have been pulled from the playlist. This issue occurs if you have a local download of a playlist and it doesn't sync properly when a song has been removed from the Spotify database.
To see if the errant playing song has been pulled, have Spotify display unavailable songs.
Open Spotify on the desktop and select the dropdown arrow on the top right next to your name.
Select Settings.
Go to Display Options, and then toggle on Show unavailable songs in playlists. If the song has been removed, resync your local files so it deletes the newly removed song.
Reinstall Spotify
Uninstalling and then reinstalling Spotify will remove any corrupted files that may trigger errors. You'll need to redownload any downloaded music and podcasts after reinstalling the app.
Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify on a Mac
Quit Spotify.
OpenFinder.
Select Goin the menu at the top, then hold theOption key and selectLibrary.
OpenCachesand delete thecom.spotify.Clientfolder.
Select the back arrow.
OpenApplication Supportand delete theSpotifyfolder.
OpenFinder again.
Go toApplicationsin the sidebar menu.
Find theSpotifyapp and drag it to the Trash. Empty Trash to delete the app.
Downloadand reinstall Spotify.
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Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify on a Windows PC
Close Spotify.
Go to theControl Panel.
Select Programs and Features.
SelectSpotifyin the list and chooseUninstall.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstall.
Downloadand install Spotify.
If you're using Windows 10, exit Spotify and select theStartbutton, thenSettings. Select Apps > Spotify and then select Uninstall. Download and install Spotify from theMicrosoft Store.
Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify on an iOS Device
Tap and hold the Spotify app icon.
TapDelete App, thenDelete.
Go to theApp Storeand install the Spotifyapp.
Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify on an Android Device (6.0 and Later)
Go to your phone'sSettings.
SelectApps.
FindSpotifyin your list of apps and tap it.
For a clean reinstall, tapStorage, thenClear Data.
TapUninstall.
Go toGoogle Playand install the Spotifyapp.
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FAQ
How do I fix Spotify crashing?
If Spotify keeps crashing or closing, try rebooting the device you're listening on. If you're on a Mac or PC, force-quit and relaunch the app. Other fixes include logging out of and back into Spotify, clearing Spotify's cache, deleting and reinstalling the app, and clearing your device to create more space.
How do I fix Spotify not responding?
To fix Spotify if it's not responding, restart the device and restart your Spotify connection. Check your internet connection, device's memory, and Spotify status. You can also try updating the Spotify app or uninstalling and reinstalling it.
How do I fix Spotify shuffle?
If Spotify's shuffle feature isn't working, check that you've turned on Shuffle. Launch Spotify, choose a playlist, and select the Enable Shuffle icon. In the mobile app, tap Shuffle icon to the left of Spotify's Play icon. If Shuffle still isn't working, disable and re-enable the feature and reset the app.
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