Spotify Not Working? Here's Why (7 Common Reasons)

Spotify is one of the best music streaming services, with hundreds of millions of happy customers listening from around the globe. However, being the best doesn’t mean Spotify isn’t prone to certain glitches and malfunctions.

In this article, we will cover the most common problems experienced by Spotify users and what you can do to resolve them easily.

Table of Contents

1. Log-in Issues with Spotify will Prevent Access to the Platform

A common issue that users encounter when using the Spotify platform is problems with their log-in.

There is a multitude of reasons why you may be experiencing problems with logging into your Spotify account, but thankfully, almost all of them can be very easily fixed.

Firstly, always double-check that you are logging in using the same method you initially signed up for Spotify with.

For example, if you created your account with Facebook, you should use this method to log in to Spotify by clicking the button.

Secondly, ensure you are entering the correct password. If you created your Spotify account manually, and you have to input your credentials when you go to log in, you should keep in mind that it’s easier to make mistakes than simply clicking the Facebook button.

If you’re struggling to remember your password, you can reset it by using a desktop computer.

Just take a look at the following steps:

Begin by launching your default browser and visiting the Spotify webpage.
On the login page click ‘Forgot your password?’.
Follow the onscreen instructions and enter your email or username.
Finish by confirming the captcha and clicking ‘Send’. You will then receive an email to safely reset your password.

Finally, check that your device is properly connected to the internet, as if your WiFi is down, you will experience issues when trying to log in to services such as Spotify.

Please also check out our article looking at why your Spotify user names is random numbers and letters.

2. Users will have Problems if the Spotify Server is Down

It’s always good to check the source of the problem you are experiencing; whether it’s to do with your particular device or whether it’s actually something going wrong on Spotify’s end.

Although rare, Spotify’s servers can sometimes experience malfunctions and the entire platform can go down for all, or some, of its listeners. This will mean users can experience an inability to fully use Spotify’s services or they are unable to log in to their account.

So before you start unnecessarily wasting time troubleshooting why your device is glitching out, head over to Spotify’s Twitter @SpotifyStatus and check for the latest updates.

Unfortunately, there is little you can do if the servers are down, but on the bright side you know it should be up and running soon, thanks to the responsiveness and hard work of Spotify’s team.

3. Spotify is Not Working because your Device Needs a Restart

Sometimes you may experience general problems and malfunctions when using the Spotify app on your desktop or mobile device. These problems can be caused by minor issues that your device is experiencing.

Thankfully, simply restarting your device can be enough to fix these simple problems – so take a look at the steps below to restart your PC, Mac or Smartphone.

How to Restart your iOS Device:

Press and hold down one of the volume buttons and the side button simultaneously until a power-off screen appears.
Simply drag the slider right and your iOS device will turn off.
Wait a few moments, then hold down the side button to turn your device back on.

How to Restart your Android Device:

Press and hold the power button until the power off screen appears.
Select restart and your device will automatically restart.
Alternatively, select power off then use the power button to turn your device on again.

Keep in mind, you can use Spotify on a device that does not have a SIM card provided that you are connected to Wi-Fi.

How to Restart your Windows PC

Locate and click the start button in the Windows Taskbar.
Click on ‘Shut Down’
Leave your PC off for a few moments before starting it back up again.

How to Restart your Mac

Click the Apple logo to open the Apple Menu.
Select ‘Restart’
Alternatively, if your Mac is unresponsive you may need to hold down the power button to force shut down.
Once complete, press the power button to start it up again.

When you have successfully restarted your device, try logging in and using Spotify again. Hopefully, a restart was all you needed to get listening to your favorite music once more.

Please also read our article about Spotify not working with Keyboard controls.

4. Spotify is Not Working because the Cache is Full

Spotify uses cache files to ultimately improve the user’s experience by improving the efficiency and response time of the app.

However, when the cache is full you may experience problems when using the platform.

The good news is that clearing the cache on your Spotify account is incredibly straightforward; just take a look at the steps below.

Clear Spotify Cache on iOS Device:

Open up the Spotify app and select the ‘Home’ button.
Tap on the small gear icon to open Settings.
Select ‘Storage’
Scroll down and tap on ‘Clear Cache’

Clear Spotify Cache on Android Device:

Launch the Spotify app.
Tap on ‘Home’ then ‘Settings’
Under the Storage section select ‘Delete Cache’

Clear Spotify Cache on Desktop

Open the Spotify app.
In the top right-hand side of your screen click ‘Settings’
Select ‘Show advanced settings’
Scroll down and take a look at ‘Offline songs storage’ and make a note of the file name where your cache is stored.
- You can choose to change the location of the Spotify cache storage here too.
Navigate to the file on your desktop.
Delete the files in the folder once you have located them.

A full cache or corrupt cache files can cause a host of playback issues. Please read our article on problems with Spotify skipping and fast-forwarding songs.

5. The Spotify App Keeps Crashing because it Needs Updating

Spotify, like every application or platform, is not immune from general freezing or crashes. Thankfully, there are many troubleshooting tips to try out if Spotify keeps crashing when you listen to your library.

The most common cause of Spotify crashing is due to the fact you are running an outdated version of the app.

It’s important to keep apps updated so that you can experience all of the latest features, fix common bugs, and also improve any security issues.

Updating Spotify to the latest version is very straightforward – just take a look at the steps below.

How to Update Spotify on your iOS Device:

Start by opening the App Store application on your iPhone, iPad, or other iOS device.
Tap on your profile icon in the top right of your screen.
Swipe downwards to refresh the list of all available updates.
Scroll down and locate the Spotify app.
Tap ‘Update’

Do note that this update option will only be visible if an update for Spotify is currently available for your device.

How to Update Spotify on your Android Device:

Begin by opening the Google Play Store on your Android smartphone or another Android device.
Locate the search bar at the top of your screen and type ‘Spotify’
Once you have found the Spotify application, look for an ‘Update’ button that should be available adjacent to Spotify’s logo.
Tap ‘Update’ and your device will update the app to the latest version.

If there is no ‘Update’ option available next to Spotify’s icon, you can be certain that you are running the newest version of Spotify.

Another reason why Spotify may keep freezing or crashing is that your device’s software needs an update.

Like with updating apps, keeping your device’s operating system updated is vital to ensure its overall function is problem-free.

Here’s how to Update your iOS Device:

Always begin by backing up your iOS device using either a desktop computer or iCloud.
Ensure your device is connected to the internet and is also plugged into power.
Open ‘Settings’
Navigate to ‘General’.
Select ‘Software Update’
Choose the update you want to install, sometimes there may be more than one, and select ‘Install Now’

It’s also a good idea to enable automatic updates so that you no longer have to update your iOS device manually.

You can do this by navigating to Settings> General> Software Updates> Automatic Updates and toggling the slider to the ON position.

Here’s How to Update your Android Device:

You should get a notification when updates are available for your Android device. If you have closed the notification or you want to check if updates are available follow the steps below:

Begin by launching your device’s ‘Settings’ application.
At the bottom of your screen, you will see ‘System’
Select this, then tap ‘System Updates’
The next screen will show you whether an update is available or not. All you have to do is follow the instructions on your screen.

6. Problems with Downloaded Content are Causing Spotify Not to Work

Another common error that can occur for listeners using Spotify is problems with playback or issues with their downloaded content.

It can be incredibly frustrating if you’ve downloaded content for offline listening, such as for a road trip or a long flight, but for some reason, it just won’t seem to play or has disappeared.

The good news is that these problems can be very easily fixed.

Songs can be removed from your downloads for the following reasons:

You haven’t signed into your Spotify account for more than 30 days.
Your Spotify app isn’t updated – how to update Spotify is covered above.
You’ve recently reinstalled Spotify.
You’ve exceeded the 5-device limit. Downloading music on more than 5 devices will remove content from the least used device.

With Spotify Premium, users can only download 10,000 songs in total for offline listening. If this is exceeded, you will have problems downloading new content, or old content may be removed.

Try manually removing some of your downloaded music or clearing the cache on your device to make more room available for new offline content.

Please also read our article about our solutions to common issues with Spotify on Xbox.

7. Firewalls are Blocking your Device & Stopping Spotify from Working

A certain number of Spotify listeners have encountered issues with their Firewall blocking their ability to use Spotify on their computers. This problem is for desktops only and is not an issue that mobile users will have to consider.

If you are attempting to stream music from Spotify on your computer and it’s not working, then it’s worth checking the Firewall options. Doing so is incredibly straightforward; just follow the steps below.