For many people, Spotify is the modern equivalent of an FM radio, delivering a steady stream of tunes anywhere and everywhere they go. Which is why it's so frustrating when Spotify is not working. There's no single problem that causes most Spotify playback issues, so here are the most common solutions to try.
You never know exactly which troubleshooting trick is going to get your Spotify app back up and running, so try each of these in order, from simplest to most complex.
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Close other apps you're not using
If Spotify isn't working for you, it might be because of a conflict with another app or because your device is running dangerously low on memory and there isn't enough space on the device to stream audio. In either case, the remedy is to try closing any other apps you're not currently using — or close all the other apps and see if Spotify starts to work. If that is successful, then you can restart any apps you absolutely need to use at the same time as Spotify. As a reminder, here is how to close apps on Android and how to close apps on iPhone.
Update the Spotify app
If you're having trouble with Spotify, make sure the app is up to date — if it hasn't updated in a while, you might be running an older version that has a bug or is now incompatible with other software on your device.
On Android and OS devices, an easy way to see if there's an update available is to open the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android) and search for "Spotify." If there's an update available, the download button will be marked Update. Tap it to update the app.
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Try using Spotify on another device or in the web player
A common troubleshooting technique is to see if you can reproduce the same error somewhere else. If Spotify isn't working on your iPhone, for example, try playing Spotify using the desktop app on your Windows computer or Mac. If the problem is actually with the desktop app, then open Spotify on your phone if you can, or in a web browser using the Spotify web player.
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Check online for current service issues
Is Spotify down? You can always look at Spotify's status page at DownDetector to see if the entire service is offline, but it doesn't hurt to check Spotify's Twitter account, @SpotifyStatus. This account is regularly updated with news about service issues, bugs, and issues you might need to know about.
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Make sure you have enough space available
Spotify streams audio from its servers to your device, whether it's a phone, tablet, or computer. It takes storage space and memory to process and cache those streams, so Spotify requires at least 250MB free. If your device is dangerously low on free space, Spotify can fail to work properly.
If you need to do some house cleaning, there are several easy techniques to free up storage space on your Android device or free space on your iPhone.
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Make sure your firewall isn't blocking Spotify
This isn't a problem on mobile devices, but if you are trying to play Spotify on a computer and it's not working, it's possible that Spotify's ability to stream audio is blocked by your computer's firewall.
On the Mac, start the System Preferences app and select Security & Privacy. Click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner. You might need to enter your password. On the Firewall tab, click Firewall Options and, in the pop-up, clear the checkbox next to Block all incoming connections, then click OK.
On a Windows computer, click the Start button and search for "firewall." When it appears in the search results, click Windows Defender Firewall. On the left side of the Windows Defender Firewall window, click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall. At the top of the app list, click Change settings and then make sure that Spotify Music has all three checkmarks. Click OK.
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Explore additional fixes for a crashing Spotify app
If the issue you're encountering with Spotify is that your desktop or mobile app crashes repeatedly, see our guide to keeping Spotify from crashing for additional troubleshooting tips.
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
