Instead of banging your head against the wall
Written by: Elsie Otachi
Posted on: in: Help Desk
For many people, Spotify is an integral part of their study, work, or exercise routines. The music streaming service is one of the most used worldwide. Yet sometimes, the Spotify app won’t respond. You can tap on it several times, but nothing happens.
There are many reasons why the app might not open. Some of the most common include:
Table of Contents
- App bugs
- Missing updates
- Faulty network connections
- Bluetooth connection issues
- Outages on Spotify’s end
With a little troubleshooting, you can quickly find the problem and fix it fast so you can get back to your music.
In this guide, we’ll show you what to do when the Spotify application is not responding.
What to Do When Spotify App Is Not Responding
Before you dig deeper into the advanced solutions, here are some essential steps you can take that may resolve a range of issues with the Spotify app.
- Check whether you’re connected to the internet and then start Spotify again.
- Check whether Spotify is down. If so, you may see an offline error. You can check Spotify’s live status updates on Twitter or visit sites like DownDetector for updates.
- Check your mobile device or computer for any pending updates. If they’re available, download and install the updates and then try to open the Spotify app again.
If Spotify still won’t open, check whether other apps and/or websites are working. If the problem is mainly with the Spotify app, try the further troubleshooting steps below.
1. Restart Your Device
A restart resolves any software glitches that may cause the Spotify app not to respond when you try to open it.
- Windows PC: Select Start > Power > Restart.
- Mac: Select Apple Menu > Restart.
- Android: Press and hold the Power button and then tap the Restart option twice.
- iOS: Depending on the iPhone you have, you can use the volume and side button, top button, or the side button only to restart the device.
2. Restart Spotify
Once you restart your phone or computer, open Spotify again and see if it responds.
If you’re using a smartphone, tap on the Spotify app to re-open it. If you’re using a Windows PC or Mac, double-click the app and see if it responds.
You can also use Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) to close the Spotify process completely and then try to open it again.
- On your Windows PC, right-click the taskbar, select Task Manager, right-click Spotify, and select End Task.
- On a Mac, select Go > Utilities > Activity Monitor > Spotify and then select the X mark to close the app.
3. Update Spotify App
Sometimes you may find the Spotify application not responding because of a pending update. If you’re using an older version of the app, issues may occur due to bugs that newer updates can fix.
If your mobile device or computer doesn’t update apps automatically, check whether Spotify needs an update.
iOS
If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, you can update Spotify manually in a few quick steps.
Open the App Store > Apple ID image > Spotify > Update. Once the update completes, check whether the app responds.
Note: If you don’t see the Spotify app on the list, it means you’re using the latest version.
You can switch on automatic updates to ensure that Spotify and other apps are always up to date.
- Tap Settings > iTunes & App Store.
- Next, toggle the App Updates switch to On/green.
Android
You can update the Spotify app on your Android phone or tablet and check whether it works again.
- Tap Google Play Store and then search for Spotify.
- Next, tap Update.
Note: If you don’t see the Update option, it means you’re using the latest version of the app.
Android devices also come with the Auto-update option that ensures you’re always using the latest version of the app.
- Open Google Play Store and search for Spotify.
- Tap the menu (three dots) at the top right corner.
- Next, tap Enable Auto-update.
Windows/Mac
If you’re using Spotify on your computer, you can update the app to the latest version and access new features or squash any kind of bugs.
- When an update is available for the Spotify app, you’ll see a blue dot next to the menu button in the upper right corner.
- Select Update Available. Restart Now.
4. Reset Network Settings
When you reset your device’s network settings the cellular and WiFi network configurations return to default settings. A reset also clears configurations for any virtual private network (VPN) you may be using.
If you’re using an Android or iOS device, it will reconnect to your carrier after a reset. You’ll also need to manually reconfigure the VPN and WiFi settings so make sure you save your network information for an easy reset.
5. Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify
If the Spotify application is still not responding, uninstall and reinstall the app to solve the problem immediately. This way, you also get the latest version of the app.
Windows
On your Windows PC, you can uninstall and reinstall Spotify in a few quick steps.
- Select the Windows key, right-click Spotify and select Uninstall.
- Select OK if prompted to confirm your action, and then select Windows key + E to open the File Explorer.
- Navigate to C:UsersYourUsernameAppDataRoaming.
- If you can’t view the AppData under your username, right-click Quick Access > Options.
- Delete the Spotify folder.
- Select Show hidden files, folders, and drives under the View tab and then select Apply > OK. Doing this allows you to see the hidden AppData folder.
Restart your PC, go to Microsoft Store and reinstall the Spotify app.
Mac
To uninstall the Spotify app on your Mac, you’ll need to move it to the trash first before reinstalling the app from the App Store.
- Select Go > Applications > Spotify.
- Right-click on the app and select Move to bin.
- Go to the App Store and download the Spotify app again.
6. Disable Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration is a setting on your computer that helps weaker hardware keep up with streaming. Some users have claimed that disabling the feature helped them get the Spotify application responding again.
Windows
You can find the Hardware Acceleration setting from the Spotify app.
- Open Spotify, select your username and then select Settings.
- Select Show Advanced Settings.
- Under Compatibility, toggle the Enable hardware acceleration switch to the left to disable the setting.
Mac
You can quickly disable the Hardware Acceleration setting on your Mac from the Spotify menu.
Select the Spotify menu at the top and then select Disable Hardware Acceleration.
Enjoy Your Favorite Music Again
We hope the steps in this guide helped you fix when the Spotify application is not responding on your device. If you still can’t access the app, you can contact Spotify support or try some of our favorite Spotify alternatives.
Leave a comment and let us know which solution worked for you.
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Elsie is a technology writer and editor with a special focus on Windows, Android and iOS. She writes about software, electronics and other tech subjects, her ultimate goal being to help people out with useful solutions to their daily tech issues in a simple, straightforward and unbiased style. She has a BCom degree in Marketing and currently pursuing her Masters in Communications and New Media. Read Elsie's Full Bio
