It’s easy to take Spotify for granted – until slow streaming speeds or a lack of internet connection prevent you from listening to music or catching up on your favorite podcast. Fortunately, Spotify now lets you download music and podcasts to your smartphone or computer so you can keep listening even when you’re offline. This option comes in handy when you’re on a long drive through areas with spotty cellular network. Listening to downloaded content instead of streaming it from Spotify’s servers can also reduce your monthly data usage.
You can download content from Spotify’s Android, iOS, Mac and Windows apps or via the Spotify web player. However, the download permissions differ between the account types:
- Premium Spotify users can download full playlists and podcast episodes.
- Free users can download podcasts.
Unfortunately, Spotify doesn’t let you download entire albums or even specific tracks. You need to save the songs you want to download in a playlist first. However, you can download as many playlists and podcasts as your device’s memory allows.
Downloaded content stays in your offline Spotify library for as long as you want. However, you need to connect to the Spotify server at least every 30 days to check your account status. If you don’t, your access to the downloaded songs will expire.
How to download audio content from Spotify
On the desktop (Mac, Windows, Web)
- Open the Spotify desktop app or go to open.spotify.com.
- Sign in and make sure your device is connected to the internet.
- To download music: Open a playlist and toggle it “Download” Button on.s.
- How to download a podcast:: Click the down arrow next to the episode name.
- Wait for the download to complete. Downloaded content is saved in your library and shows a green arrow.
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If you don’t already see the download option on your desktop app, make sure you are running the latest version of the app that you can get. And then wait; At the moment, Spotify is still introducing the function.
Mobile (Android, iOS)
- Open the Spotify app and make sure you are connected to WiFi or cellular data (Note: Downloading from cell phone affects the data limits of your cellular plan.)
- Open a playlist or podcast that you want to download.
- On Android: Tap the “Download” Counter.
- On iOS: Tap the down arrow icon.
- Downloaded songs and podcasts are indicated with a green check mark. You can access all offline content from the “Your library” Tab.