You can’t download music on Spotify without Premium. Spotify Free does not allow offline downloads for songs or playlists. Without Premium, you can only stream music online. The only content you can download for offline use on a free account is podcasts, which remain playable inside the Spotify app.
Spotify Free has strict offline limits. You can download podcast episodes for offline listening, but songs and playlists require Premium for downloads. If you decide to upgrade, you can easily change your Spotify plan from your account settings. Below, you’ll see what’s possible on Spotify Free, plus how offline downloads work on Premium so you know exactly what to expect on Android, iPhone, Windows, and Mac.
Why You Can’t Download Spotify Music Without Premium
The steps below show how Spotify music downloads work with Premium.
Spotify’s offline rules are consistent across devices. For an independent breakdown of how Spotify handles offline listening, see this overview.
On Desktop (Windows / Mac)
- Activate Spotify Premium or a free trial.
- Open the Spotify desktop app and sign in.
- Open a playlist or album.
- Toggle Download ON.
- Go to Settings → Playback → Offline Mode.
- Go online at least once every 30 days.
Spotify does not allow downloading single tracks directly. Songs must be added to a playlist first. If this part is confusing, see how to download individual songs on Spotify correctly.
How Spotify Music Downloads Work on Mobile (Premium Only)
- Start a Premium free trial in the Spotify app.
- Open a playlist or album.
- Toggle Download ON.
- Enable Offline Mode.
- Check storage under Settings → Storage.
Spotify Free Limitation: Podcasts Only (No Music Downloads)
Podcasts are the only content you can download on Spotify Free.
How to Download Podcasts on Spotify Free
- Open the Spotify app and search for a podcast episode.
- Tap Download (down arrow).
- Go to Your Library → Downloaded.
- Enable Offline Mode.
Podcast episodes play offline. Songs and playlists still require Premium.
If ads are your main issue on the free plan, you can still reduce ads on Spotify Free without upgrading.
Local Files: Play Your Own Music (Not Spotify Downloads)
Spotify Local Files does not download songs from Spotify. It only plays audio files you already own inside the Spotify app. This does not give offline access to Spotify’s catalog without Premium.
Add Local Files in Spotify (Desktop → Mobile)
- Put your MP3/WAV/FLAC files in one folder on your computer.
- Open Spotify Desktop → Settings → Local Files and turn it on.
- Select the folder so your tracks appear under Local Files.
- Create a playlist with those local tracks.
- To play them on your phone, connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi and download that playlist on mobile.
Your personal files can play offline in Spotify. Spotify songs and playlists still require Premium downloads.
Spotify Download Troubleshooting (Premium Required)
These fixes apply after upgrading to Premium.
Download option missing
This happens when you’re still on the free plan. The Download toggle only appears after Premium is active. Start a free trial or upgrade to unlock it.
Songs won’t play offline
Offline Mode is turned off. Go to Spotify settings and enable Offline Mode, then reopen the app.
Downloads disappeared
Spotify requires you to go online at least once every 30 days. Reconnect to the internet, open Spotify, and your downloads will restore.
Single song won’t download
Spotify doesn’t allow downloading individual tracks. Add the song to a playlist, then download the playlist. If you have multiple playlists, you can combine Spotify playlists to avoid downloading several lists.
Storage error during download
Your device is out of space. Free up at least 1 GB of storage, then try again.
Device limit reached
Spotify allows downloads on up to 5 devices. Remove downloads from unused devices to free up a slot.
FAQs
No. Spotify Free does not support offline downloads for songs or playlists. You can only stream music online unless you upgrade to Premium.
Partly. Spotify Free can play downloaded podcast episodes offline, but music still requires an internet connection.
A free trial temporarily unlocks Premium features like offline downloads and ad-free listening. When the trial ends, downloads stop working unless you subscribe.
You lose offline access to downloaded music, and downloads stop playing. Your account switches back to Spotify Free after your current billing period ends.
Recording or converting Spotify streams violates Spotify’s terms. It can also create copyright issues depending on your location and how it’s used.
Spotify allows up to 10,000 songs per device on up to five devices. You also need to go online at least once every 30 days to keep downloads active.
