Local files for Android

[Jose_M]

Hi everyone!

Exciting news for users of Spotify on Android devices: you may have noticed a new feature in your app that has been highly requested in the Community. This feature is Local files! You can now stream all audio files stored in your device using the Spotify app.

In the past, it was only possible to play audio files importing them from the Desktop version. With Local Files Discovery, you can now easily find and play audio files from your mobile device.

Once you follow the steps to activate the feature, a new playlist containing your Local Files will be added in Your Library.

Follow the next steps to activate Local Files Discovery on your Android device:

1. Go to the Home tab  at the bottom of your screen.
2. Click on Settings .
3. Scroll down to the Import section and switch Show local audio files on .

Now you should be able to find your audio Files in Local Files in Your Library .

Spoiler

• You will need to grant the Spotify app access to your device storage to play Local Files.
• Spotify is not responsible for the audio files in your mobile device appearing in the “Local Files” playlist. Files from illegal sources are not permitted.
• Audio files must be longer than 20 seconds to show in the “Local Files” playlist.

Cheers!

[Jerd]

This feature is great, however, it includes unwanted voice memos. Do you know how to exclude these so it is just my local music files?

[Alex]

Hey @Jerd,

Thanks for reaching out about this.

Unfortunately there is no way to separate actual music files from voice recordings.

What you can do is to add your songs to a separate playlist in the Spotify app. The local songs will have the same functionality, but you'll have to play them from that new playlist instead of the Local Files folder.

Hope this workaround helps 🙂

[Jerd]

Thanks Alex, unfortunately this didn't work because there is no way to mass select files to add them to a playlist on mobile. With thousands of music files this would be unfeasible. I ended up moving the problem voice memos off my phone to Google drive where Spotify couldn't find them.

[jpemelin]

On android you can place empty files called .nomedia in folders where you dont want mediaplayers to look for audio. And also you can create a separate folder on your cell phone storage for the media you want to share with Spotify and only chose that specific folder for S to find audio.

[jpemelin]

Not being able to filter local files (on the android app atleast) is a huge drawback for controlled replay.
Is there a suggestion or ideas thread for it? (I can't bother to look for it myself right now, sorry!) 😉

[JulianBroudy]

How do you choose a specific folder to share on Android?

[sooontae]

I also want to know Spotify’s position on .nomeida.

[1126239081]

They don't care since it does not involve money.