Spotify Pausing On Desktop? 6 Common Issues (Solved)

Spotify desktop has all the fantastic features you’ve come to expect from the mobile app, but occasionally, users run into a few issues that hamper their Spotify experience.

In this article, you can look at the most common problems and, better yet, how to solve them so you can get back to the uninterrupted enjoyment of listening to your favorite artists:

1. Clearing the Cache will Unclog Spotify

Spotify mobile app users know all too well about Spotify’s cache problems. The Spotify app tends to build up quickly in the cache department, which can lead to playback issues – in particular, pausing during the playback of a song.

Cache files should generally allow users to access content more quickly and efficiently while using an app.

Therefore, Spotify desktop users must be familiar with how to clear the cache on their computers to prevent a build-up of this cached data.

Luckily, the solution is straightforward and identical on both Mac and PC:

How to Clear Spotify’s Cache on both Windows & Mac

Take these simple steps to ensure that Spotify is not pausing because of the cache:

1. Open Spotify on your desktop computer.
2. Find and open ‘Settings’.
3. Select ‘Offline Storage Location’.

Below this sub-heading, you can identify the folder where Spotify stores cached data:

1. Find this folder location on your computer and delete the contents within it.
2. You have now cleared the Spotify cache, which should end any playback problems that you’ve been experiencing.

2. It may be Time to Update the App

Updates are an essential factor that will dictate whether your app is running as it should. Spotify creates updates for its desktop app to ensure users get the best experience possible.

Updates include bug fixes and new features, allowing developers to implement improvements that ensure the desktop app runs more efficiently.

Failing to update your Spotify desktop app can result in all kinds of issues, but there’s one that will stand out from the crowd: tracks pausing when they shouldn’t.

Here’s How to Update Spotify Desktop for Mac & PC:

If you’ve been experiencing problematic pausing and can’t remember whether you’ve updated the Spotify app, now is the time to check.

• Open the Spotify desktop app on your computer.
• Click either ‘Profile’ (PC) or ‘Spotify’ (Mac)

‘Profile’ can be found in the upper right corner on PC, whereas ‘Spotify’ on Mac will be found in the upper left corner. Choose ‘Check for Updates’ (PC) or select ‘About Spotify’ (Mac)

PC users will not have a ‘Check for updates’ if no updates are available. This will also confirm that you are running the latest version of the Spotify desktop app.

Once ‘About Spotify’ has been selected on the Mac version of Spotify, a pop-up will display information about which version of Spotify is running.

Check whether ‘A new version of Spotify is available’ is displayed.

• If you have discovered an update for your Spotify app, click ‘Install.’
• Once installation is completed, you’ll need to restart your Spotify desktop app.

3. Toggle the Hardware Acceleration Setting

If your desktop computer is a little on the old side, then there may be a default setting within Spotify that may create some playback issues for you.

Spotify’s ‘Hardware Acceleration’ setting should improve a user’s experience. The setting draws power from your computer’s GPU (graphics processing unit) to ensure the app runs as efficiently as possible.

This default feature may not be ideal for computers that have less than stellar GPUs, such as those found in machines with older hardware.

Spotify desktop users must toggle this setting off if they have outdated hardware, as ‘Hardware Acceleration’ may create playback problems such as pausing unnecessarily.

How to Disable Spotify’s ‘Hardware Acceleration’ Feature on Windows:

1. Open up Spotify on your desktop computer.
2. Select ‘Settings’ from the menu in the top left corner, identified by three dots.
3. Choose ‘View’ followed by ‘Hardware Acceleration’.
4. Ignore the message that warns about slower loading times.
5. Click ‘OK’ to disable the feature.

How to Disable Spotify’s ‘Hardware Acceleration’ Feature on Mac:

1. Open Spotify on your Mac computer.
2. Click ‘Spotify’ at the top left corner of your screen.
3. Find ‘Hardware Acceleration’ from the drop-down menu.
4. Toggle the setting to unticked with a click.

4. Your Offline Music Files Might be Corrupted

One of Spotify’s greatest features is that subscribers can download music for offline listening when they no longer have access to a stable internet connection.

If you find that your offline music keeps pausing on your Windows or Mac desktop, then there may be an issue with the file itself.

Downloaded files on Spotify can become corrupted if there is an interruption during the downloading process, for example, if your internet keeps cutting in and out.

It’s easy to know if this is the case if your music plays perfectly fine when you are online but keeps pausing or not playing at all when you are offline.

The best way to deal with corrupted downloads is to delete them from your desktop app and re-download the chosen files once more.

To do this, follow the instructions below:

Re-downloading Spotify Offline Playlists on Desktop

1. Open up Spotify on your Windows PC or Mac.
2. Ensure you are signed in.
3. Navigate to ‘Your Library’.
4. Under each song or podcast, you will see 3 icons – a heart, a downwards arrow, and 3 dots.
5. When the downwards arrow is green, you have downloaded the file. Click this icon to remove the file from your offline downloads.
6. Next, click the arrow again to re-download the song or playlist.

Before beginning this process, you should ensure that your desktop is connected to a stable internet to avoid further download issues.

5. WiFi Issues Could Cause Pausing

When streaming music online with Spotify, it is vital to have a stable internet connection so that you do not experience any playback issues.

One of the most common reasons your songs keep pausing is that your device is experiencing problems with its internet connection.

The easiest method to solve this involves forgetting your Mac or PC’s current network and reconnecting.

To do so, follow the instructions below.

Forget Network On Windows PC & Reconnect

1. Begin by clicking the windows icon at the bottom left-hand side of your PC’s screen.
2. Open up the ‘Settings’ menu by clicking or typing the word ‘settings’.
3. Next, click on ‘Network and Internet’ to open the internet connection options.
4. Now click on ‘WiFi’ and then ‘Manage known networks’.
5. You will now see a list of all the available networks and the one your PC is currently connected to.
6. You must right-click on the currently connected network and choose ‘Forget Network’.
7. Once disconnected, choose the network again and click ‘Connect’.

Forget Network On Mac Desktop & Reconnect

1. Click on the Apple icon located in the top left of your Mac’s Home Screen.
2. On the menu, click on ‘System Preferences’.
3. Navigate to ‘Network,’ and you will see the available WiFi connections.
4. Select the current WiFi and click ‘Advanced’.
5. Next, you will be shown a list of ‘Preferred Networks’. You can now remove the network by clicking the minus (-) icon.
6. Click ‘OK’ on the prompt that appears.
7. Next, click on ‘Apply’.

Now that you are disconnected, all you have to do is navigate back to the list of available WiFi networks and reconnect to your chosen network.

Another handy trick to help with any pausing that is occurring due to a slow or unstable internet connection involves adjusting the quality of the music you are playing.

Lowering the music quality on Spotify aids in smooth, uninterrupted playback.

To change your quality settings in Spotify, follow these easy steps:

1. Open the Spotify desktop app on your Windows PC or Mac.
2. In the top right click on your Profile icon.
3. From this menu click on ‘Settings’.
4. Navigate to ‘Audio Quality’, where you will be given a choice of streaming qualities.
5. Here you can adjust the quality to suit your needs and internet connection speed.

You cannot change the audio quality through Spotify’s web player, only the desktop application.

6. Reinstall Spotify App Entirely

If you are experiencing playback issues, a technical problem may occur within the Spotify desktop application.

Uninstalling the app and then reinstalling it could solve any pausing problems that have been occurring. You can begin by attempting a quick reinstallation, but you should opt for a clean re-installation for the best results.

Doing so is quick and easy, all you have to do is follow the simple instructions below. You will have to re-download any of your downloaded playlists and podcasts once you have reinstalled the Spotify app.

Clean Re-install Spotify on Mac

1. Begin by making sure you have closed the Spotify desktop application.
2. Open ‘Finder’.
3. Locate the menu at the top of your screen, click on ‘Go’, hold down the Alt/ Option key, and choose ‘Library’.
4. Next, navigate to the ‘Caches’ folder and delete both the ‘com.spotify.client’ and ‘com.spotify.client.helper’ folders.
5. Go back and open ‘Application Support’.
6. Locate and delete the ‘Spotify’ folder.
7. Spotify has now been successfully removed so that you can restart your Mac.
8. Finally, download and reinstall the Spotify desktop application once more.

Clean Re-install Spotify on Windows

1. Begin by ensuring the Spotify application is closed.
2. Navigate to the ‘Start’ menu.
3. Open up the ‘Settings’ menu.
4. Click on ‘Control Panel’
5. Choose ‘Uninstall a Program’
6. Look through the list of currently installed applications and find ‘Spotify’.
7. Right-click on ‘Uninstall’, and you will be given on-screen instructions to follow.
8. Next, type ‘%AppData%’ into the Windows search bar and press enter.
9. ‘AppData\Roaming’ will now open, where you can delete any of Spotify’s folders.
10. Once you have done this, open either ‘C:\Users\*USERNAME*\AppData\Local’ or ‘AppData\Local’ and delete any of Spotify’s folders.
11. Now you can restart your Windows PC.
12. Finally, all you have to do is download and reinstall the Spotify application.

If you’re concerned about possible viruses, check out our simple answer guide to Spotify and Viruses.

Sources

Spotify Keeps Pausing: 12 Proven & Tested Solutions You Should Try

This is How You Clear Spotify Cache on Mac

How To Update Spotify On PC, Mac, And Phone

How to Change the Audio Quality in Spotify