What to do when your Spotify app won’t open

Spotify is undoubtedly one of the largest music streaming platforms out there, and it’s consider to be one of the best offline music apps you can use. It is accessible on all devices like mobiles, tablets, and desktops.  Offering its users, a library containing millions of songs and podcasts from artists all over the world. 

There are many good things about Spotify, but even it will have a moment where the app won’t open or work as it is supposed to. If your Spotify is down or not opening, there are a few different things you can try for any issues with the Spotify app. 

Spotify app not opening – Fixes

Like many other applications, Spotify can go through issues as well. Spotify has over 365 million users, and if your app is not opening or not working properly, checking if the Spotify app is down or not is a safe bet. You can search Google or head to Spotify’s Twitter account, ‘@SpotifyStatus’, where the team gives an update about the status of the service.

Spotify gives its users many options and benefits through different membership options. You can use Spotify for free, just sign up with your email or Facebook account. The only catch (for free users) is having limited features and ads. It also offers Premium subscriptions with full access to playlists and app features, and if you’re paying for premium, you expect the app to work more often than not.

Although, Spotify works as it should most of the time. If you have checked that there are no functional issues with the Spotify app, then that means there are issues elsewhere. We will now run you through the most common issues occurring with the Spotify App. 

Connection issue – Spotify app 

The Spotify music app is one that requires an internet connection to set-up and to get the most out of. It is compulsory to have an internet connection if you’re a free subscriber. Without an internet connection, you won’t be able to login, play music or even download your songs if you have a premium package. 

Having no internet connection is one of the most common problems users are faced with. It stops you from getting a proper experience with the Spotify app. The first thing you should do is check if your phone is on ‘flight mode’ or not.

Then make sure you have a working internet connection. Try switching between mobile data or an alternative Wi-fi connection. More often than not, a poor internet connection is the cause – in some cases, Spotify may even log you out when you’ve got a weak connection, so it’s important to check your network settings

Restarting the application 

Other than the connectivity issue, common fixes for the application involve making sure that you’re running the latest version of Spotify on your devices.

If you’re still faced with an issue involving the Spotify app, you can always restart the application. This can help if the application is irresponsive or not functioning properly. If you have an iPhone, that simply means opening the app switcher, closing the Spotify application, and opening it again. 

On an Android device, depending on the manufacturer, head to the settings and under “Apps”, scroll down and select Spotify. Then click on ‘Force Stop’ and reopen the app from the phone. You can do this by going to Settings > Apps > Spotify > Force Stop, as this will allow you to stop the app completely.

Spotify doesn’t have any sound 

If you’re not hearing any sounds, you must make sure that your volume isn’t turned down or if the audio isn’t going through your Bluetooth devices. Making sure your music is playing through the correct device is the first and most common reason most people find that their Spotify isn’t playing sound as it should.

If nothing is wrong, then make sure your app hasn’t frozen up. Try logging out and logging back in to see if the issue is fixed. If the problem persists, you can delete the app and re-install it on your device.  

Re-Install Spotify on your device

If you’ve downloaded Spotify on your Android device through the Google Play Store, there’s a good chance that uninstalling the app and then re-installing it could fix the issue.

Once you’ve done this and tried logging out and logging back in again, force closing the application and even restarting your device, uninstalling the application, and re-installing it may be a feasible solution for you. 

Could there be a problem with your device? 

In the case where restarting the app doesn’t work and Spotify isn’t down you could open Spotify on a different device or their Web Player. Provided that Spotify works fine on other devices, it could mean that your device has an issue. 

Check that if your device is supported and running the most up-to-date version of the Spotify App. Having less than 250mbs of available memory could also mean the app won’t open or run properly. In this scenario, contacting your device manufacturer may be helpful.

Spotify on Windows giving error codes

Two common error codes that show up on Windows devices related to Spotify are Error code 17 and Error code 18; both in which Spotify is unable to run. Here’s what you can do if you come across this issue.  

Windows Error Code 17

This was a very infamous error code that bothered many Spotify users on Windows machines. Error code 17 stated that Spotify could not be started. Nowadays, this error isn’t one that occurs commonly, but it can still occur. Especially for users on older devices. 

Most users have had good luck by deleting their current login accounts and making a new Windows Account and re-installing Spotify there. It has also been helpful to use disk clean-up apps, updating any drivers that require updates or use the Web App version of Spotify. 

Windows Error Code 18

This is another common error code. Unlike the last one, this error code means that you cannot use Spotify app because Windows thinks its running in the background. If you can open the Spotify app, go to Settings > Advanced Settings, and look for the option that says Start-up and Window Behaviour. Make sure that it is set to off.

You can also manage startup/background apps in the Apps section of Settings on Windows 10. Once done, delete the Spotify app, reboot your computer, and install it again.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, many users don’t have issues when using Spotify. This doesn’t mean you won’t face an issue. Most of the time these issues can be resolved by either restarting the application, making sure your internet is working. Once the issues are resolved, you can head on back to enjoy a seamless experience steaming your favourite music and podcasts on the Spotify app. 

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Author

Edward

Edward brings years of experience in a variety of different fields including online marketing & No-code app development, and he's been investing in stocks and cryptocurrency since 2016. Outside of work you'll usually find him watching movies at the local cinema or playing games in the Apple Arcade.

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