Cant Download Local Files Spotify

I don't know what's going on. On my phone under the title of the song there is a! Surrounded in a circle with the song greyed out. I've been able to download local files to my phone before but it doesn't work this time for some reason. Also the spotify on my PC won't download my songs either. It's stuck on 'Waiting.'

Use the app to play music files stored on your device, which we call local files.

Note: Files or downloads from illegal sources are not permitted.

For: Premium

  1. On desktop, import your local files (with the 'Desktop' steps).
  2. Add the files to a new playlist.
  3. Log in on your mobile or tablet using the same WiFi as your desktop.
  4. Go to Settings > Local Files and switch on Local audio files.
    Note: You need to allow Spotify to find devices in the prompt that shows.
  5. Download the playlist with your local files.

Didn’t work?

Make sure:

  • You're logged in to the same account on both your desktop and mobile
  • Your devices are connected to the same WiFi network
  • The app is up-to-date on both devices
  • Your device is up-to-date
  • The Spotify app has access to your local network. Check in your iPhone/iPad settings under Spotify

For: Premium

  1. On desktop, import your local files (with the 'Desktop' steps).
  2. Add the files to a new playlist.
  3. Log in on your mobile or tablet using the same WiFi as your desktop.
  4. Download the playlist with your local files.

Didn’t work?

Make sure:

  • You're logged in to the same account on both your desktop and mobile
  • Your devices are connected to the same WiFi network
  • The app is up-to-date on both devices
  • Your device is up-to-date
  1. Click , then Settings.
  2. Scroll to Local Files and switch Show Local Files on.
  3. Switch off any sources you don't want.
  4. Click ADD A SOURCE to select another folder.

Music from that folder is now in Local Files in the menu on the left.

Supported file types

Note: Some of your files may be protected in restricted formats. Install QuickTime on your computer to allow most of these tracks to be played on Spotify.

  • .mp3
  • .m4p (unless it contains video)
  • .mp4 (if QuickTime is installed on your computer)

Free hulu account with spotify. The iTunes lossless format (M4A) isn't supported.

If your file isn’t supported, we do our best to match it with songs from the Spotify catalog. The version we match with might differ from the original.

Last updated: 24 September, 2020

Community Answers

Play 'local files' on my mobile device

What's the easiest way to be able to play 'local files' that reside on my desktop device on my mobile? After bringing them in to the desktop Spotify client as a playlist I'm able to play them there, a..

How do you add Local Files to the Desktop app?

Answer: We have an extensive record collection, but if the track you’re after hasn’t found its way on to Spotify yet, don’t worry! You can add any personal music you have with a feature..

Can you upload your own music?

Yeah, I've tried to figure it out but I can't seem to find how I have to do it anywhere. Spotify app can you read messages.

More at the Community

Spotify is one of the best streaming services around because it offers great music discovery and options to share music with friends. However, it is unavoidable that you may encounter more or less Spotify problems. In this article, we have listed some common issues and solutions for these problems.


Cant Download Local Files Spotify

If you happen to encounter any of these problems when using Spotify, then you can try the highlighted solutions below. Read on to for more information.

Part 1: How to Fix Can’t Play Spotify

Part 2: Cannot Add Local Files to A Playlist

Part 3: Accidentally Deleted Playlist

Part 4: How to Fix Spotify No Sound Problems

Part 5: Account being used somewhere else

Part 6: Cannot Download Spotify Music for Offline Playback

Part 7: Cannot Add More Tracks to Your Music

Part 1: How to Fix Can’t Play Spotify

If Spotify streaming problems stop you from enjoying your music you can take some steps on your own to fix the issues.

In many cases these Spotify streaming errors come form an issue with your home network or with your device. Sometimes you will see the Spotify error “Can’t play the current track” and other times you are stuck in “You’re offline” when you are clearly connected to the Internet.

1. Turn on Airplane mode on your device and wait 30 seconds and then turn it off.

2. Restart your iPhone, Android, Smart TV, Game Console or whatever device you are using to stream Spotify.

3. Restart your Router. Unplug your wireless router from power for 60 seconds then plug it back in.

4. Restart Your Modem. Unplug the modem from your Internet company for 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Check the WiFi Router Location. If your router is hidden behind something, move it to a higher place and out from behind items.

If none of these fix your problem, you should make sure that you can use other web services on that device. You may need to try connecting an Ethernet cable from your modem to a computer to see if that works. You can also contact your local cable company for support.

Part 2: Cannot Add Local Files to A Playlist

One cool feature Spotify offers is the ability to add your locally saved music into the desktop client; it allows you to mingle Spotify’s tracks with your own tracks in playlists which can then be listened to from anywhere.

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

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

Part 3: Accidentally Deleted Playlist

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, the famous Hipster International playlist by Sean Parker (founder of Napster) was constantly updated over a period of three and a half years, though it now seems to be dead.

If you delete your favorite list, don’t despair; you can easily recover it. Log into your account on the Spotify website, then go to Recover Playlists > Restore.

Part 4: How to Fix Spotify No Sound Problems

Sometimes you will open the app and start playing music, but there is no sound coming from the Spotify app. If this happens you should check the volume in Spotify on Mac or Windows and then click on the speaker in Windows and then on Mixer to make sure Spotify is not muted there either.

On Mac, hold option on your keyboard and click on the speaker to make sure the output device is the one you want to use.

On iPhone or Android make sure your system volume is up and that you don’t have Bluetooth headphones connected. You should also try plugging some headphones in and taking them back out or cleaning the headphone jack with compressed air.

Part 5: Account being used somewhere else

If you see a message that your account is being used somewhere else, it’s likely you’ve tried to play on more than one device. You just need to select the device you’re currently using.


I don't recognize a device using my account

You may have left your account logged in on someone else’s device. If you don’t have access to it, you need to ask the owner of the device to log out of your account. You can also sign out remotely from your account page, and for extra safety, you can change your password.

Note: For licensing reasons, it’s not possible to listen via the same account on more than one device at a time. We recommend you never share your account details with anyone else.

Part 6: Cannot Download Spotify Music for Offline Playback

Spotify lets you download songs for offline playback. It’s a fantastic feature for the gym, your car, or while you’re away from Wi-Fi, because it means you won’t be eating through your data allowance.

Spotify local files not working

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

Toggling a playlist’s Available Offline switch will slowly delete its content, though for a speedier resolution, you should delete the cache (I’ll cover how to do that further down.

Add Local Files Spotify

How Download Spotify Music for Offline Playback

Spotify Sync Local Files

Whether you were searching for get spotify premium free, spotify premium free ios, and how to get Spotify Premium for free, then your search ends here. After reading this guide, you are able to enjoy Spotify music freely.

Spotify Local Songs Not Downloading

Read More >

Part 7: Cannot Add More Tracks to Your Music

Cant Download Local Files Spotify Download

There is a limitation on storing songs on Your Music so that you cannot add as many songs as you want. Some of you may be angry about that, but you can easily fix it with the following solutions.

Just create a new playlist called “Library” and add music there instead. There is a 10,000 song limit per playlist, so once it’s full create “Library 2”, “Library 3” and so on. Add all of these libraries into a single playlist folder (File > New Playlist Folder), and highlight the folder to see all the music within in.

Spotify Won't Sync Local Files

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