Spotify Keeps Freezing On Windows PC? 9 Best Solutions (Solved)

Spotify has certainly made a name for itself as one of the best music streaming platforms out there; with its user-friendly interface and heaps of features, any subscriber disappointments are far and few between.

However, sometimes users can experience problems when using Spotify with their Windows PC.

Luckily, this article covers the best solutions to assist you in resolving any problems that may be occurring with both the Spotify desktop app and web player.

1. Clearing the Cache on your Spotify App can Prevent Freezes

Spotify uses cache files on your Windows PC to aid the smoothness of the playback with your library. Cache files are stored locally and speed up the loading time of your songs and podcasts.

They normally improve each Spotify member’s overall experience, but the cache files can begin to accumulate over time and can gradually cause problems.

Issues associated with an overloaded cache are:

• Spotify songs randomly pausing or stopping.
• The Spotify app freezing or glitching out.
• Problems with the app crashing or closing down by itself.

These problems occur because cache files can use up a lot of storage space on your computer, so it’s best to occasionally clear it out.

Follow the steps below to find out how to clear the Spotify cache on your Windows PC:

1. Begin by opening the control panel, accessible via the start menu on your computer.
2. Search and select ‘File Explorer Options’
3. Click on the ‘View’ tab at the top of the screen.
4. Under the advanced settings section, locate the option to ‘Show hidden files, folders and drives’ and check the box.
5. Click OK.
6. Next, use the quick access menu to open your Windows C drive.
7. Click on ‘Users’ and then your username.
8. From here, you can open AppData > Local > Packages.
9. Find the folder labeled Spotify and locate the data folder within.
10. To clear Spotify’s cache data, simply delete this folder.

2. Launching Spotify in Compatibility Mode May Stop it Freezing on your Windows PC

Compatibility mode is a feature that ensures that older software and hardware can still be used even if they are no longer fully supported by the latest technologies.

Some users have found that running Spotify in compatibility mode on their windows PC dramatically improves the app’s performance and prevents it from freezing or crashing.

To run Spotify in compatibility mode, follow these steps:

1. Begin by locating Spotify in the Start Menu.
2. Click ‘open file location’
3. Right-click on the file location, and select ‘Properties’
   • Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Enter.
4. Next, navigate to the compatibility tab.
5. Scroll and tick the box labeled ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for’ and choose an older version of Windows.
6. To finish, simply click ‘OK’.=

Now try relaunching the Spotify app to see if the problem persists. You should now hopefully find that Spotify runs with no issues.

3. Restart your PC if Spotify Keeps Freezing

Sometimes the easiest solution is actually the best.

Restarting your problem device is often overlooked, but can work wonders.

If you find that Spotify keeps freezing on either the desktop app or the web player, then it’s definitely worth turning your Windows PC off for a few minutes before turning it back on again.

Restarting your PC is simple, all you need to do is navigate to the windows start bar and select either ‘Power Off’ or ‘Restart’.

4. Fix the Spotify Freezing issue by Disabling Hardware Acceleration

It has been reported numerous times online by Spotify users that the Hardware Acceleration feature can cause issues with the app freezing on Windows computers.

Quite a few users have found that disabling this function helps stop the problem from occurring.

If Spotify keeps freezing on you, take a look at the steps below to disable the hardware acceleration feature, and you should be listening to your Spotify library again in no time.

1. Start by opening the Spotify app on your Windows computer.
2. Select your username located in the top right, and choose ‘Settings’
3. Scroll down the compatibility section.
4. Toggle hardware acceleration to the OFF position.

5. Ensure you have Enough Free Storage on your Windows PC

If your Windows PC doesn’t have enough free memory available on its hard drive, it can affect certain programs’ ability to function. When the Spotify desktop app keeps freezing, it may be worth having a look at how much storage you have available.

You can see how much storage you have free on your computer’s hard drive by clicking on ‘Start’ or the windows logo and going to the main menu.

The Spotify app takes up a fair amount of space on your computer, so you need to make sure you have enough memory to even run the app.

If you are using the web player, then not having enough storage will less likely be an issue, but as a clogged-up PC can slow multiple things down. It’s worth clearing space just in case to aid the overall performance of your computer.

You can try:

• deleting some old unused programs
• clearing your internet data
• storing old photographs and videos on an external hard drive.

6. Check how much RAM is being Used

RAM, known as random access memory, temporarily stores data used by your computer’s CPU to speed up its general performance.

When too much RAM is being consumed, it can dramatically hinder the speed of all of your computer’s functions.

When Spotify is constantly freezing on you, one of the best things to check is how much RAM your computer uses. If you are running too many programs at once, along with Spotify, you can experience crashes and glitches with your music playback.

Try closing down a few of your running programs to see if it helps with any problems with Spotify.

7. Force Quit & Restart the Spotify App

Sometimes Spotify can experience some sort of malfunction when it is first opened. If this is the case, you will need to force quit the app and reopen it again. Thankfully, doing so is incredibly straightforward just follow the steps below.

Begin by opening Task Manager. You can do this by holding the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys simultaneously on your keyboard.

1. A few options will appear, simply click on ‘Task Manager’
2. Under the ‘Processes’ tab, click on Spotify.
3. To finish, click ‘End task’

Here is also a good opportunity to check your computer’s CPU usage too and see if there is a program causing problems that you need to force quit.

Once complete, simply re-open the Spotify app, and you should be able to continue enjoying your music and podcasts problem free.

8. Update the Spotify App on your Windows PC & Stop it from Freezing

Updating the Spotify app is vital to ensure it can perform at its best. 

Not only does it fix bugs and glitches, but it also keeps you up to date with the latest features and security improvements.

When Spotify keeps crashing or freezing, it’s worth checking to see if there is an update available to help solve the problem.

Luckily, knowing if there is an update available is fairly evident to subscribers, thanks to Spotify’s incredibly friendly user interface.

Keep an eye out for a blue dot next to your username in the top right corner, as this blue dot is what indicates whether there is an update available for your Spotify app.

When you click on this blue dot choose the option ‘Update available. Restart now’.

Spotify will now begin updating and should reopen once the update is complete.

9. Checking your Windows PC’s Internet Connection may Alert you to Why Spotify is Freezing

Spotify’s web player and app need access to strong and stable Wi-Fi to stream your songs and podcasts interruption free. If your signal is weak or intermittent, Spotify can sometimes freeze or crash when you least expect it.

The best thing to do is check the signal strength of your internet by clicking the Wi-Fi symbol on your taskbar.

If you find it keeps cutting out, disconnect your PC from the internet and reconnect it again.

When this doesn’t solve the problem you should try restarting your router or try moving nearer to it to improve the signal strength.

Unfortunately, if none of these troubleshooting tips help fix your WiFi strength and signal then the problem likely lies with your internet provider; contact them directly for more advice or see if you need to upgrade.

Sources

Spotify Keeps Crashing? Solutions for Android, iOS & Windows

13 Ways to Fix Spotify Keeps Crashing on Windows Issue