KNOWN UNRESOLVED ISSUE FOR YEARS - Spotify redownloads all songs every phone restart

[Atexor]

Plan

Premium

Country

Poland

Device

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X

Operating System

Android 7 (MIUI) -> 7.1.2 (custom systems since there)-> 8 -> 8.1 -> 9 -> 10

My Question or Issue

As title says - almost every reboot Spotify resets songs location to internal storage and redownloads songs. When I switched in options to SD card it still redownload songs again and again. It seriously destroys FLASH memory when Spotify wants to download over 1000 songs again.

One year ago I have reported issue there:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SOLVED-PARTIALLY-Spotify-downloads-songs-to-internal-memory...

And found workaround-solution which at the beggining seems to work partially, buty it doesn't work all the time. It's ******* KNOWN issue for years but still is unresolved. Shame!

I tried:

- denying/allowing various permissions to Spotify,

- disabling or enabling battery saving for phone,

- mounting SD card as extended internal storage (even I prefer to have it external)
- enabling developers options and allow to install or move app on SD card (I have that option but I do not see possibility to move Spotify to SD card),
- disabling overall Spotify app at system boot,

- modyfying app receivers (especially disabled broadcast receiver) - Spotify did not start, stuck at logo,

- disabling notifications - app does not start when I disabled "Spotify Music" notification,

- log out via all devices except phone,

- changing to SDHC, SDXC sc-cards,

- formatting SD cards with exfat, ext4 file systems,

- removing PIN and lock code.

Both Internal and SD cards were unencrypted all the time.

I feel really dissapointed of poor experience of Spotify on Android. Should I give a **** about copyrights and try to decompile, modify (hack) Spotify binaries, to remove/block every app blobs, binaries, permissions etc. to get it work? Maybe read-only mode or script which restores all Spotify files every boot might help?

Or just don't support that bugged app. There are various of services that can convert my playlists and move to i.e. Tidal or Google Play Music?

https://freeyourmusic.com/en/transfer-spotify-to-google-play-music

https://soundiiz.com/tutorial/spotify-to-google-music

I tried first of them, I didn't like it but it worked so it has a big advantage compared to Spotify. I maybe it's a matter of habit.

There are very, very many threads where people described that problem on various phones and systems, there were few solutions but none of them helped.

I posted "few" of them.

So... Spotify devs - could you finally fix that damn issue? Prevent Spotify from booting with system, check if SD card is available later, fix cache files or something?!

1. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-keeps-automatically-switching-downloads-to-internal...

2. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-keep-moving-to-internal-storage/td-p/49376...

3. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-are-in-my-storage-but-Spotify-won-t-show-t...

4. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-is-re-downloading-all-of-my-songs/td-p/4897498

5. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Offline-music-goes-away-after-each-restart-and-has-to-be-re...

6. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-setting-cleared-on-phone-restart-all-downloads-lost...

7. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-turning-to-not-downloaded-upon-restart-Bro...

8. https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/Downloaded-songs-resetting/td-p/1534628

9. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Music-library-redownloads-every-time-after-restart/td-p/485...

10. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Windows/Offline-Song-Storage-keeps-resetting-to-default/td-...

11. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SD-offline-downloads-lost-after-reboot-Maybe-due-to-SD-moun...

12. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Issue-with-storage-option-switching-from-SD-Card-to-...

13. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Offline-storage-on-SD-card-issues/td-p/4682363

14. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switching-to-internal-storage-after-ever-restart/td...

15. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-I-ve-foun...

16. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-I-ve-foun...

17. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-changed-after-every-Restart/td-p/1395877

18. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-swithes-to-internal-storage-after-restart-COST-ME-M...

19. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-changed-after-every-Restart/td-p/4862925

20. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-switches-from-SD-storage-to-internal-storage-on-har...

21. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Default-Storage-location-switches-to-Internal-after-every-p...

Thanks,

Angry and dissapointed Spotify user.

[lucasknie]

Hey, I've had that problem for ages and found a solution that works on my device. I downloaded an app that prevents apps from starting during startup and it fixed it! You may have tried this already, but just in case here's the app I used:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.advancedprocessmanager

And I'm hugely disappointed and in disbelief with Spotify too. It's a paid service for god's sake.

[Atexor]

Hello, thanks for sharing that app. I tried it but did not work for me. I forgot to reply you, sorry.

Hovewer I found (to my mind) better workaround hovewer it still needs root access, but it works every time.

I made a Spotify app backup via app Titanium Backup (it doesn't make backups of songs, so it isn't take a lot of memory). After every reboot I open Titanium Backup and restore backup before launching Spotify. My songs all the time remains.

When Spotify download new songs (not all are available) or when I update Spotify app, I delete backup and make new one.

One time I completely wiped (formatted) my phone and restored Spotify backup on fresh, new system. Songs remained 🙂

Shame on Spotify for that bug, but I'm happy that I found easy (root) solution.

[Hyde99X]

I am one of the many victims of this bug. It's a shame because other than this I really like Spotify and it's introduced me to many good songs, but if I can't successfully download music for offline on my SD card, then there's no real point. I've collectively spent over 6 hours troubleshooting with Spotify agents on their chat and have come to no solution. I've followed every single "fix" on the web for this, but Spotify blames me by saying my "cache is corrupted on their end" every single time no matter what I do.

This is beyond unacceptable and I'm VERY tempted to go to YT or Prime Music, despite not liking them.

[Mihail]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for searching for the answer you need here.

We are aware that some users do experience this issue and that there are quite a lot of reasons for why this can happen. However, after a thorough investigation based on the info we have gathered here in the Community as well as our other support channels, the relevant team was not able to confirm that this is an issue which is caused by Spotify, but rather based on how different devices manage their cached data files.

Still, we respect the fact that multiple users are affected by this issue, so we'd like to provide some steps which we hope might help. Please give them a go, if you haven't already:

• Check out the steps on our support page here

• Try disabling WiFi assist

• Check for any settings that could affect the Spotify background data

• Change the quality of the downloads in the Spotify app

• In case you have your downloads stored on an SD-card, we’d also recommend you try the solution suggested in this thread.

 Hope this info is useful. The Community is here for you if you have any other questions.

[Hyde99X]

Just confirmed that none of these steps work. I have talked with support several times for multiple hours collectively and every single suggestion they gave didn't work. Last night yet another agent told me I had "corrupted devices on my account" and assured me him "removing them" would end this issue. As expected, it did not. Just like I told him it wouldn't. After a reboot this morning I'm notified once again Spotify is trying to force my offline downloads onto my internal storage.

Spotify is the ONLY music platform that does this and has this issue. Rather than blaming the several users devices who are having this issue (as our devices work flawlessly with other apps), how about you accept responsibility for your buggy app and actually fix it? If even YouTube Music (as bad as it is) can manage to successfully avoid this issue with offline downloads, then Spotify has no excuse.

Fix this or we WILL leave and we WON'T come back.

[Atexor]

Hello Mihail,
Also I can confirm that none of these steps helped.

Disabling WiFi Assist - to be honest it's option for iPhone not Android. For Android there is a bit similar option in Developers options called - "mobile data always active but it isn't causing that.

None of the 3rd apps affects spotify. Changing quality of songs didn't helped too. I checked it one year ago when I downloaded them be mistake in "normal quality" instead in "highest quality". I doubt that it can be even a reason for it.

And about trying a solution in thread link you provided:

Make sure, if you have a PIN or password set, to Android ask BEFORE the system boot.

Check my main post - I given link to that thread before you, it's nr 16.
I can't change order when Android asks me for PIN. Never meet with such option, that's why I tried to remove PIN-code or pattern to unlock phone what I also wrote on main post.

Currently I am using Android 11 and problem still remains. My workaround is using Titanium Backup (requires root) to make a Spotify backup and when the battery goes down or I need to restart phone, before I launch Spotify I restore it's data via it.

But... it's not solution. Spotify should not launch on phone boot or not check sd-card because it's faster than Android boot.

Could you forward that thread to Spotify devs?

[XyriusZ]

2021 and issue is still there. I tired of fear that my phone will restart accidentally, or stay without battery. Becasue gues what, it will remove all songs from sd card, and will start downloading all 40 Gb to internal memory!!! Generic answers are not helping, tried all and everytime is the same. Very tired of this, very tired of spotify doing nothing!

[Mroadster]

SOME?? Users, really. As long as you keep closing tickets it look that way. There have been numerous tickets as well as the reason why this problem occurs. How do you explain after at least 3 years you cannot fix the issue?

[Roachforlife]

Cant believe this is still happening in 2023. I pay for this service and you cant keep the files in the spot I told the system to?

[Roachforlife]

Hello, this app is no longer available Can you tell me the full name / version? Thanks

[Atexor]

Which app do you mean? Replacement for Titanium Backup? For now I changed phone, unfortunately without SD Card. I didn't try, but my friend used these 2 apps to make backups. As I remember they may also need root and one app had problem with banking app, the second with another app. I didn't test them on Spotify but if it could succeed make a backup like Titanium Backup (just app with settings, not entire songs), it should work.
https://github.com/XayahSuSuSu/Android-DataBackup/releases

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.swiftapps.swiftbackup

You can try them.

It's sad that for over 7 (!!!!!) years Spotify cannot fix that stupid bug.

[EarlPurple]

I have been  having this issue a lot recently, and Spotify keep sweeping it under the carpet like a re-install will fix it, instead of fixing the bug.

There are a few behaviours I have observed:

 - This happens when the files are stored on SD. But I need to use SD as my phone memory is 128GB and the SD 512GB  and if I don't use SD it will run out of space.

 - The files are still there. I check the memory usage and it is 68GB regardless of how far along Spotify thinks the download state is. So the files are there, but there's an issue with Spotifyh knowing that they are there.

 - Instead of rebuilding the index (checking the files are there) it just downloads them. It didn't do that previously. If you took a playlist off download, then put it back onto download it didn't re-download them. Rebuild the index and it will take seconds.

- There is no optional command to do the above step, nor is there an option to "force" remove an item from downloads e.g. you want to change to a different quality, or you have one faulty track (which happened in the past, hasn't happened recently).

 - Everything Spotify does is now addressed by bots, so the chance of getting through to developers is low. I am a software developer myself, and where I work I doubt an issue like, a key feature of the main product, would persist for close to 8 years (I see it raised in 2016).

It would be good if we could store the content (the spotify music files) on SD but index.dat and everything else related to the Spotify install would be stored in the main memory. It's the downloaded files that use a lot of space and need a bigger storage.

Spotify spends too much effort "connecting" and trying to suggest me songs I don't want rather than do the basic things. (I don't want suggestions to add to my playlists, most of my playlists are based on a theme you wouldn't understand, e.g. the entries in the UK chart on a particular week).

[vaajy]

I have same issue on Android 13 and newest Spotify app.

Started two weeks back, now it's almost daily Offline list resets with over 5 000+ tracks. Everything gets redownloaded, why? SD card seems to work, it does not give any errors on phone, folders all can be seen and found. My internet is 10 mbps only, cable modem, and it takes hours to redownload. At this time one can not do anything else with the internet.

Why it keeps suddenly redownloading? On Windows app no problems mentioned.

I did clean reinstall today of Spotify app.

[Hyde99X]

I actually found out the reason a while ago after ditching Spotify for Deezer. Other services have this issue to. It's BS, but what causes it is Spotify loads up before your microSD card can even be read, and in that small moment it sees you wanted to download your music, but it has no idea where it is. So it just starts to re-download your entire library and refuses to recognize what it's already downloaded once it's read your card. As I said, it's BS, but services have zero interest in fixing it. I just wound up getting a phone with larger storage capacity and said f*ck it to microSD cards in phones. 

[vaajy]

Hey.

I sat for good hours with this. I even tested my card and it seems to be slow at a times running tests. Average is 30 MB/s, maximum over 100 MB/s, but it goes zero for seconds in cycles after few moments. When card should be much faster than this. Because before no issues like this, I assume this is a problem of old micro sd card as well, as they may lose speed/freshness. But I also noted this, Spotify just does not wait once the storage is in use. My phone is one year old in three months and it has only 32 Gb of space. So without card it's no way for me as there is 12 Gb free space and cache alone of Spotify is 10. So it will be full. iPhone is too priced for me.

My issues does not need even a reboot, just opening app makes it redownload content.

SD cards retain downloaded files by writing and erasing cycles on the card’s memory cells. An SD card’s lifespan has everything to do with how frequently it is used. According to HowStuffWorks, memory cells in micro SD cards can undergo up to 10,000 write-and-erase cycles before wearing out. 

When I will buy my new phone in a year or so, I will make sure not to use any sd cards and buy more storage.

They seem to be indeed not very interested with this at streaming apps.

[vaajy]

It seems to be a bug. Today happened again. The download button on mobile app showed like it was downaloading at 25 % about. In status bar there were no downloads going on. Some tracks were waiting a download (icon on some rows). I waited a bit and closed app. opened it, and everything was correct. It started to download few just added on Windows app (5 tracks). No other downloads for already downloaded tracks and everything corrected after simple app reboot.

All rows green and download button all green. No need to redownload.

Previously when I've seen fake download, i immediately pressed on download button to save bandwidth on my slow net.

It looks like this download is "fake", maybe because of micro sd card, but it seems nothing is erased from downloads.

Unless you click in a hurry to stop "download".

[vaajy]

Update.

So now it "downloads" daily my offline list over 5600 tracks. 47 GB of content. It does not use data, it just shows 90 % undownloaded on that list on certain app opening and "downloads" - but no data plan is used for download. I have 10 Mb net and 0.5 Mb mobile net on phone, so there's no way it could download one track a second. It started happening few weeks ago. My micro sd card is almost 1,5 years old. It should be 10 in speed class. I don't know where problem is. It feels like Spotify loses "content" on sd card or can not see it and then fetches it when problem occurs from cache storage as offline again. I can not afford iPhone phone with more storage, maybe Samsung, but my phone is one year old in april.

So I am not willing to go for new one so soon. My phone storage 32 Gb, so this is why I use 125 Gb storage card.

Is my SD card faulty, should I replace it? I also feel that Spotify app opens so slow sometimes despite of 10 Mbps net at home on wifi. Maybe it is related to the sd card it uses as app storage. Any related issues someone?

[Hyde99X]

Spotify will never fix this. I explained above what's happening and why. 

[vaajy]

I am getting rid of my microsd forever. It seems truly Spotify losts sd card view for sometimes.

My problem is it does not need any phone restart, it just happens any time, app usage or app opening is enough.

I will go tomorrow to return sd card for money and try to live with 32 GB phone storage. Free 13 GB.

So I will be clearing cache often until I find other solution.