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Home » How to download a song to Spotify?

How to download a song to Spotify?

May 25, 2025 by TinyGrab Team Leave a Comment

Table of Contents

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  • How to Download a Song to Spotify: Your Ultimate Guide
    • Downloading Spotify Songs for Offline Listening
      • Steps to Download Songs (Albums/Playlists) on Mobile
      • Downloading Songs (Albums/Playlists) on Desktop
      • Important Considerations for Offline Listening
    • Uploading Local Files to Spotify
      • Steps to Upload Local Files
      • Important Considerations for Local Files
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
      • 1. Can I download individual songs from Spotify for offline listening?
      • 2. Is a Spotify Premium subscription required to download songs for offline listening?
      • 3. How many devices can I download music on with Spotify Premium?
      • 4. Do downloaded songs expire on Spotify?
      • 5. How do I remove downloaded songs from Spotify?
      • 6. Can I transfer downloaded Spotify songs to another device?
      • 7. What audio quality are Spotify downloads?
      • 8. Can I upload lossless audio files (e.g., FLAC) to Spotify?
      • 9. Why are my local files not syncing to my mobile device?
      • 10. What file formats does Spotify support for local files?
      • 11. Can I use Spotify to download music for free?
      • 12. I deleted a song from my computer. Will it also be deleted from my Spotify playlists?

How to Download a Song to Spotify: Your Ultimate Guide

The simplest answer: You can’t directly download a single song from outside sources into Spotify. Spotify operates on a streaming model, meaning you access music from their vast library. However, you can download Spotify songs for offline listening within the app, and you can upload local files (songs you already own) to Spotify and sync them across your devices. Let’s delve into the specifics.

Downloading Spotify Songs for Offline Listening

This is the primary way to “download” music on Spotify. You’re not truly owning the file, but you are storing it locally on your device for offline access, a fantastic feature for commutes, travel, or conserving data.

Steps to Download Songs (Albums/Playlists) on Mobile

  1. Open the Spotify App: Fire up that Spotify app on your iOS or Android device.
  2. Navigate to Your Desired Content: Find the album, playlist, or podcast you want to download. You can’t download individual songs outside of these larger containers.
  3. Locate the Download Toggle: Look for the download arrow icon (a downward-pointing arrow). It’s usually positioned prominently at the top of the album or playlist page, or within the podcast episode list.
  4. Toggle to Download: Tap the download arrow. It should light up (typically turning green) to indicate the download is in progress.
  5. Wait for Completion: The download progress will be indicated by a circular animation. The time it takes depends on your internet speed and the size of the album or playlist.
  6. Offline Access: Once complete, the downloaded content will be accessible even without an internet connection. You’ll see a green arrow next to each downloaded track.

Downloading Songs (Albums/Playlists) on Desktop

The process is similar, but with a slightly different interface:

  1. Open the Spotify Desktop App: Make sure you’re using the desktop application, not the web player.
  2. Find Your Music: Navigate to the album, playlist, or podcast you want to download.
  3. Click the Download Switch: Locate the download switch (a toggle button) next to the album or playlist name.
  4. Download Begins: Click the switch to the “on” position. A progress bar will appear, indicating the download status.
  5. Offline Listening: Once downloaded, these songs will be available for offline listening within the Spotify desktop app.

Important Considerations for Offline Listening

  • Spotify Premium Required: Offline downloads are a Spotify Premium feature. Free users cannot download music for offline listening.
  • Device Limits: Spotify allows you to download music on a limited number of devices. Exceeding this limit will require you to remove downloads from other devices.
  • Storage Space: Downloads consume storage space on your device. Keep an eye on your storage and remove downloads you no longer need.
  • Regular Online Connection: Spotify requires you to connect to the internet periodically (usually every 30 days) to verify your Premium subscription and update licenses.

Uploading Local Files to Spotify

This allows you to listen to music files you already own (e.g., MP3s) through Spotify, essentially integrating your personal music library with Spotify’s streaming service.

Steps to Upload Local Files

  1. Desktop App Only: This feature is primarily available on the Spotify desktop app. You cannot directly upload local files through the mobile app.
  2. Access Settings: In the desktop app, click your profile icon in the top-right corner and select “Settings.”
  3. Find Local Files: Scroll down to the “Local Files” section.
  4. Enable Show Local Files: Toggle the “Show Local Files” option to “on.”
  5. Add a Source: Click “Add a Source” and select the folder on your computer where your music files are located.
  6. Files Appear in Library: Spotify will scan the selected folder and add the compatible music files (MP3, M4P, and MP4 files that don’t contain video) to your library.
  7. Create a Playlist: Create a new playlist and add your local files to it. This makes it easier to manage and sync them.
  8. Sync to Mobile (Premium Required):
    • Ensure your computer and mobile device are on the same Wi-Fi network.
    • In the Spotify mobile app, go to “Settings” -> “Local Files” and enable “Local audio files.”
    • The playlist containing your local files should now appear on your mobile device.
    • Download the playlist on your mobile device. This will copy the local files from your computer to your phone.

Important Considerations for Local Files

  • File Compatibility: Spotify supports MP3, M4P, and MP4 files that don’t contain video.
  • Metadata Matters: Ensure your local files have proper metadata (artist, album, song title) for optimal organization in Spotify.
  • Sync Issues: Syncing local files between desktop and mobile can sometimes be finicky. Ensure both devices are on the same network and that the settings are correctly configured.
  • Spotify Premium for Mobile Sync: While you can add local files to the desktop app with a free account, syncing them to your mobile device requires a Spotify Premium subscription.
  • Quality Discrepancies: The audio quality of local files may differ from Spotify’s streaming quality, depending on the original file’s bitrate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I download individual songs from Spotify for offline listening?

No, you can’t download individual songs directly. You can only download albums, playlists, or podcasts. You can, however, create a playlist with just one song and download that playlist.

2. Is a Spotify Premium subscription required to download songs for offline listening?

Yes, a Spotify Premium subscription is mandatory to download songs, albums, and playlists for offline playback. Free users do not have this feature.

3. How many devices can I download music on with Spotify Premium?

Spotify allows downloads on up to five devices per account. If you try to download on a sixth device, you will be prompted to remove downloads from one of your existing devices.

4. Do downloaded songs expire on Spotify?

Downloaded songs do not expire in the sense that they are permanently deleted. However, Spotify requires you to connect to the internet at least once every 30 days to verify your subscription status and update the licenses for your downloaded content. If you don’t connect within this timeframe, your downloaded music may become temporarily unavailable.

5. How do I remove downloaded songs from Spotify?

To remove downloads, simply toggle the download switch (the same one you used to download) to the “off” position. This will delete the downloaded files from your device.

6. Can I transfer downloaded Spotify songs to another device?

No, you cannot transfer downloaded Spotify songs to another device using file sharing or any other method. The downloaded files are encrypted and only accessible within the Spotify app on the device they were downloaded to.

7. What audio quality are Spotify downloads?

The download quality depends on your streaming quality settings. With a Premium subscription, you can choose between Normal, High, and Very High quality for downloads. Higher quality downloads consume more storage space.

8. Can I upload lossless audio files (e.g., FLAC) to Spotify?

While you can upload the files to the desktop application, Spotify converts local files upon upload for internal usage and sharing on the streaming platform.

9. Why are my local files not syncing to my mobile device?

There are several reasons why local files might not sync:

  • Not on the same Wi-Fi network: Ensure both your computer and mobile device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
  • Local Files setting disabled: Verify that the “Local audio files” setting is enabled in the Spotify mobile app (Settings -> Local Files).
  • Firewall or antivirus interference: Your firewall or antivirus software may be blocking Spotify’s ability to sync files. Try temporarily disabling these programs to see if it resolves the issue.
  • Syncing issues: Restarting both the desktop and mobile apps, and even your devices, can sometimes resolve syncing problems.

10. What file formats does Spotify support for local files?

Spotify supports MP3, M4P, and MP4 files that don’t contain video for local files. Other formats, like FLAC or WAV, are not directly supported.

11. Can I use Spotify to download music for free?

No, you cannot download music for offline listening with the free version of Spotify. The download feature is exclusive to Spotify Premium subscribers.

12. I deleted a song from my computer. Will it also be deleted from my Spotify playlists?

Yes, if you delete a local file from your computer, it will no longer be available in your Spotify playlists after the next sync. The song will appear grayed out in your playlist, indicating that it’s no longer accessible.

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