[Android] Why can't the Android app download local files properly?

[clicheusername]

Plan

Premium

Country

USA

Device

Google Pixel 4, Galaxy S10e, LG G8

Operating System

Pixel 4 - Android 10, Dec security patch

S10e - Android 9, OneUI 1.1, Dec security patch

LG G8 - Android 9, Nov security patch

My Question or Issue

This question mainly pertains to Android, but happens on iOS as well.

I have a modest library of around 12GB/1,740 music files on my computer. I sync a majority of them (according to the Android app, around 900 or 1,000 files) to my Spotify library, so the local files supplement the files Spotify has available to stream.

Here's the problem though - no matter what Spotify version I use (Pixel uses 8.5.36.747, LG G8 and S10e uses 8.4.84.874), whenever I sync my local files (I do this by adding the local file to my Saved Songs, and then downloading that playlist) to my phones, it always misses a minimum of 10 local files, but usually it misses much, much more.

They are either:

1) greyed out completely with no download icon next to it, meaning the app didn't even attempt to download it

2) it will be greyed out but have a green download icon. The file will be downloaded to my device and can be played if specifically selected, but when queued up via "add to queue" or when it comes on via shuffle, the song will just be skipped over, like the file isn't downloaded.

Here's the weird thing: I can turn off downloads, wipe the app storage, and redownload, and the songs that were previously greyed out will be downloaded. But then some other random songs will not be downloaded. Rinse and repeat.

And note, this is all while the app is in the foreground. Screen timeout is set to the longest amount of time, the Spotify app is on. If the Spotify app was in the background while the files were syncing, then even more songs would be missing.

A theory I have is that the app simply can't load the library before it finishes downloading. I notice that when I download a playlist, it downloads two songs at a time while increasing how many files it has left to download. For example, 700 songs downloaded out of 900. It will go from 700/900 to 702/901, then 704/902, and so on and so forth until it eventually catches up to the songs left, which the downloads will then stop.

All files synced to Spotify are MP3 files. They play in Spotify Desktop fine.  The iOS app (8.4.79.933, any newer versions present the same issue as the Android app) on my iPhone X on 12.4 is much better, as in it takes a couple tries of wiping downloads and redownloading, but all songs are eventually downloaded.

Attached below are some examples of non-downloaded songs present in the playlist.

TL;DR: app won't download all MP3 formatted local files, will skip over them/download them but act like they're not downloaded.

Any ideas how to fix it/force the app to download every file?

First attachment is my Pixel 4, second attachment is my S10e. What's greyed out on the Pixel is downloaded on the S10e and vice versa, so it's not a file issue.

[clicheusername]

Ok, so after some further investigation, it turns out that some of the greyed out songs with no download icon are also greyed out on Desktop.

What's stranger is that if I cut the file from the folder and paste it into a folder that Spotify doesn't see, then cut and paste it back into a folder Spotify sees, the greyed out song will appear normally in Desktop and download properly on the mobile app.

So now I'm wondering if the Desktop app is to blame... Any input would be great.

[Katerina]

Hey there @clicheusername,

Thanks for posting about this here in the Community!

From what you're describing in your first message, it sounds like there's an issue with the app's cache on your devices. You can double check this by heading here to see if your device(s) are listed more than once. 

If they are, we'd suggest performing a thorough reinstallation of the app on each device with the steps in this Spotify Answer.

After that, you can follow the steps here to add your local files to Spotify on your desktop and then your mobile devices.

While doing so, it'd be a good idea to keep in mind that:

• Both your desktop and mobile devices should be connected on the same network connection
• There’s enough free space on your devices' memory (we recommend at least 1GB)
• You have the latest version of the Spotify app installed (on all devices)
• Your devices' firmware is up-to-date
• You can only download music and podcasts to a maximum of 5 separate devices for a maximum of 10,000 songs per device
• Spotify is set as an exception in any firewall or internet security program
• Spotify is set as an exception for any cache clearing or app optimization apps on your devices

Let us know how it goes after that! We'll be right here if you need more help.

Happy Holidays 🙂

[clicheusername]

Did that multiple times in the past and just did it now. Same issue persists. Some songs are greyed out completely while others are downloaded but also greyed out.

[shinnokina]

Have the exact same issue, tried all the previous suggestions in other threads, the issue persists. I also reinstalled the desktop app and re-added the local folder to it. Nothing changes, my phone keeps skipping files.

[shinnokina]

hello, as you can see your suggested solutions don't work 😞

[clicheusername]

Hello @Katerina?

[shinnokina]

hello, can we get REAL help???? I pay premium for the exact purpose of being able to integrate my mp3 files with my playlists, this whole misfunction renders spitfy useless for me, if I have to go back to downloading mp3s on my phone like it's 2007.

[arekbr]

Yes. It is! Remove desktop spotify, remove android spotify. Install again desktop app, install again android app. Allow spotify to configure windows firewall. Tadaaamm... all of my local mp3 files I can listen on android spotify! YES! tnx!

[shinnokina]

Great it works for you but as you could read above that doesn't work for me. Done that MULTIPLE TIMES. Even deleted all data, and all folders in the folder tree. It's not about syncing, it's about local files not playing properly after syncing. 

[shinnokina]

Hello, how many times do we have to ask for help? 😞 I'm not paying premium to not be able to use the functions the subscription promises! There is no other way to reach out for help, and the thread is being constantly ignored. 

[clicheusername]

For real. Very annoying. So annoying, I'm keeping a list of songs that get randomly greyed out - I've found around 20 songs just from one artist! It's ridiculous, I'm actually considering switching to YouTube Music because their algorithm is just as good, they have a bigger selection of music, and I can upload my own songs Google Play Music style - where the songs are uploaded properly and not this weird sync download thing Spotify has. I only have 2000 local songs, Spotify can't even handle that?

Have you tried contacting them through Twitter @SpotifyCares? That's going to be my next course of action, seeing as how the "Moderator" dropped one message then disappeared, never to be seen again.

[shinnokina]

They don't do anything there, either, they send you a general FAQ...

[Oates13]

Don't know if this'll help since you managed to download SOME local files, but.

1) A few files of mine that were missing/greyed in the desktop app was because the file ending was xxx.Mp3 instead of xxx.mp3. When I changed the file endings to only small letter they were found.

2) When trying to download playlists with local files in them, the local files didn't download until I disabled my VPN (and had spotify on the computer active ofcourse).

It's worth a try at least.

[Mihail]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for keeping us in the loop. Just jumping in to add some info next to the solution @Katerina posted.

Keep in mind that only local files, obtained from official sources can be imported in the Spotify app. It's also a possibility that some of your files are  protected in restricted formats. We recommend that you reach out to your distributor to find out more.

Note also that the Spotify app doesn't officially support VPN. This means that all supported features, including the import of local files might not function correctly until you disable it. This solution helped @Oates13.

Hope you find this useful. Let us know how you get on.