[Troubleshooting] Linux Spotify

[Dreadlord]

Having trouble with Spotify on your Desktop app? Here’s what to try first.

• Search the Community

Someone might have asked your question on the Community before.
So type your issue into the search box and have a look.

• Basic troubleshooting

Go through these steps one at a time. They can help you solve most issues on your own.

1. Clear Spotify cache
killall spotify
rm -rf $HOME/.cache/spotify/Storage

2 Check this thread for troubleshooting connection issues.

3 Ask a friend or family member to sign into Spotify on your Desktop. See if the issue is persisting on their account too. If yes, the issue is the device and can likely be solved with more troubleshooting.
4. Change settings within the app: Sync quality, Stream Quality, Gapless Playback, Crossfade. See if a different combination of these settings makes a difference.

• Advanced troubleshooting 

1. Is spotify starting normally?

spotify

1. Can you play a sound?

aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

2. Is the system recognizing your sound card?

aplay -l

3. Is Spotify running on prefered sound card? Change between sound cards in gnome/unity control center.

unity-control-center sound
gnome-control-center sound

4. Nothing works so far? Report your issue!

spotify >$HOME/spotify-dump.txt 2>&1

   or

strace spotify > $HOME/spotify-dump 2>&1

• Report your issue

We’ll need as much information as you can provide. So filling in this template is helpful:

=== START OF TEMPLATE ===

1. Your device and operating system:
2. Type of Spotify account you have (Free/ Premium):
3. The app version of Spotify you’re using:
4. Brief description of the issue:
5. Steps to reproduce the issue:

• First I did this
• Then I did that
• I also did this

6. Attach the spotify-dump.txt ( $HOME/spotify-dump.txt ) from Advanced troubleshooting 4.

=== END OF TEMPLATE ===

Known issues : 

Error while loading shared libraries: libgcrypt.so.11 - fix debian / fix ubuntu.

Spotify on Linux doesn't play local mp3 files - fix.

Tips :

Add Spotify's testing repository:

echo deb http://repository.spotify.com testing non-free | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list

Install Spotify 0.9.17

sudo apt-get install spotify-client-0.9.17

Some information and template is taken from here.

Linux is not officialy supported by Spotify.

[Lexxidon]

Hey, thanks bro, can I do that only using commands in the terminal?
If so, what are the commands?

Thanks.

[bitelaum]

---

@Lexxidon wrote:
Hey, thanks bro, can I do that only using commands in the terminal?
If so, what are the commands?

Thanks.

---

Since you posted this I was waiting for some free time to write a small script which could do this.
You just need to install wmctrl and xdotool, then you can create a file with this inside it:

#!/bin/sh

# open spotify
spotify &

# wait for a little and move it to the last workspace and 
# then back to the current workspace giving focus on it
sleep 1
wid=$(wmctrl -l | grep 'Spotify' | tail -n1 | awk '{print $1}')
num_desks=$(xdotool get_num_desktops)
curr_desk=$(xdotool get_desktop)
last_desk=$(($num_desks-1))
if [ "$curr_desk" -eq "$last_desk" ]; then
	moveto=$(echo '0')
else
	moveto=$last_desk
fi

# tried this but does not work (I don't know why)
# wmctrl -x $wid; wmctrl -r $wid -t $moveto; wmctrl -R $wid

xdotool set_desktop_for_window $wid $moveto; xdotool set_desktop_for_window $wid $curr_desk; xdotool windowactivate $wid

Then just give the right permissions and launch the client form it and you will have it automatically showing in the taskbar.

[vazerick]

How can i make so that my app does not update no matter what?
I'm using Linux Mint Rosa. Thanks! 

[bitelaum]

Which version do you want to use?
If it's the 0.9 then you should add the testing repository and instal spotify-client-0.9.17 as shown in the first post of this topic.

If you want to use 1.x then I'd recomment staying up to date, since the latest versions have been including a lot of bug fixes.

[osornios]

@vazerick

Just delete any repository you might have in the system for the app.

If you haven't installed it yet, download the deb file for the version you're interested in using for install, and it won't update.

[ramedeiros · Accepted solution]

Hi, I have installed ubuntu-restricted-extras, ffmpeg, libavcodec, livavutil, libavformat, zenity but doesn't work.

😕

1. Your device and operating system: Intel® Core™ i3 CPU M 330 @ 2.13GHz × 4, 4GB, 64bit, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
   
2. Type of Spotify account you have (Free/ Premium): Free
   
3. The app version of Spotify you’re using: 1.0.28.89.gf959d4ce
   
4. Brief description of the issue: Local files do not play on Ubuntu 16.04
   

Spotify finds the songs, but don't play and close the app. 

=======================================================

Solved after read this post: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Desktop-Linux-Windows-Web/Can-t-play-local-files-with-current-...

So, I decided publish the solution.

1º) Install some packs: ubuntu-restricted-extras, ffmpeg, libavcodec, livavutil, libavformat, zenity.

sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras ffmpeg libavcodec-extra libavcodec-extra57 libavutil55 libavformat57 zenity -y

New version to packs: libavformat57 libavcodec-extra57 libavcodec-extra libavutil55 

2º) Download some archives: (I put all in the github repository)

--> Download the package: https://github.com/ramedeiros/spotify_libraries/archive/master.zip

Or direct from the terminal: 

git clone https://github.com/ramedeiros/spotify_libraries.git

3º) Put all the files in to /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/ with root privileges.

cd spotify_libraries
sudo cp lib* /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/

4º) Execute: ldconfig

sudo ldconfig

5º) If show any problem with link, make new links.

e.g.: "/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavutil.so.52 it's not a symbolic link"

So, execute command:

sudo ln -frs /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavutil.so.52.6.100 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavutil.so.52
sudo ln -frs /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavformat.so.54.36.100 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavformat.so.54
sudo ln -frs /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavcodec.so.54.71.100 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libavcodec.so.54

And so on...

 Original link: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Desktop-Linux-Windows-Web/Linux-Local-files-do-not-play-on-Ubu...

[willypuzzle]

I have spotify on linux ubuntu 16.04. It works properly but sometimes it fail to play some song (generaly after a pause or I navigated through spotify links). Simply the play buttons doesn't work for that sound anymore and I have to restart spotify.

I've started spotify by terminal a got these messages:

13:04:36.225 I [audio_player_queue_impl.cpp:826 ] Flush driver: 0x00003f3c97252a50
13:04:36.226 D [gaia_manager.cpp:941 ] GAIA: current state ID updated to -143172072
13:04:36.226 I [sliding_window_prefetch_strategy.cpp:212] Prefetch: looks like new context - resetting window size to 1

[roman_blanco]

1. Lenovo Thinkpad X240, Fedora 23 64bit / Acer Aspire V5, Fedora 23 64bit
2. Premium Account
3. Spotify Version 1.0.29.92.g67727800
4. Navigation arrows are misaligned
5. Appears on every page

After the last update, navigation arrows are misaligned, see screenshots:

Before:

After:

[L-Bit]

I have the same issue:

Ubuntu 12:04, Premium account, Can't identify the ver of Spotify (lack of skills).

Spotify won't start from launcher, Terminal gives same result as jaanvaks

which is:

spotify: symbol lookup error: /usr/share/spotify/libcef.so: undefined symbol: g_type_class_adjust_private_offset 

I'm desperate for a fix that doesn't involve downgrading......

Also, I previously had a similar error as b584371 had:

layout: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6: version `GLIBCXX_3.4.20' not found (required by layout)

I found the following fix:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test 
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

[durin]

Have you installed some non-Ubuntu libraries?

I found this with google http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/204877/symbol-lookup-error-usr-lib-x86-64-linux-gnu-libxfcon.... Maybe that helps.

[olejon]

---

@L-Bit wrote:

I have the same issue:

Ubuntu 12:04, Premium account, Can't identify the ver of Spotify (lack of skills).

Spotify won't start from launcher, Terminal gives same result as jaanvaks

which is:

spotify: symbol lookup error: /usr/share/spotify/libcef.so: undefined symbol: g_type_class_adjust_private_offset 

I'm desperate for a fix that doesn't involve downgrading......

Also, I previously had a similar error as b584371 had:

layout: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6: version `GLIBCXX_3.4.20' not found (required by layout)

I found the following fix:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test 
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

---

Well, Ubuntu 12.04 is no longer supported on the desktop (only the server version), so I suppose they don't develop for it. Coming versions will probably cause more problems every time. You can always use v 0.9 which works great on Ubuntu 12.04. It supports Spotify Connect and is stable and fast:

https://github.com/olejon/spotcommander/wiki/DowngradeSpotify

[eiGhee4j]

I just updated to 1.0.32.94.g8a839395 and scrolling has become extremely sluggish and I also get screen tearing while scrolling. I believe this is related to smooth scrolling which was shipped in chromium recently but which can be disabled there. Can you please provide an option to disable smooth scrolling in Spotify?

[jooon · Accepted solution]

---

@eiGhee4j wrote:

I just updated to 1.0.32.94.g8a839395 and scrolling has become extremely sluggish and I also get screen tearing while scrolling. I believe this is related to smooth scrolling which was shipped in chromium recently but which can be disabled there. Can you please provide an option to disable smooth scrolling in Spotify?

---

Very likely related.

Some of the chromium options are available in Spotify as well, but since there is no chrome://flags/ page you have to set it from the command line.

spotify --disable-smooth-scrolling

It is unlikely that this will become a toggle in the settings menu.

[eiGhee4j]

---

---

Some of the chromium options are available in Spotify as well, but since there is no chrome://flags/ page you have to set it from the command line.

spotify --disable-smooth-scrolling

---

This worked, thanks.

[draconicrose]

Hello everyone. I've been told to post here so, could anyone please take a look at https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Desktop-Linux-Windows-Web/Spotify-crashes-on-start-Linux-Mint-...? Thanks.

[jalefkowit]

Does anyone else experience crashes when using the Discover Weekly playlist in the Linux desktop client? I've been hitting them fairly frequently lately, which is weird because it's been very stable for me in just about every other scenario. It just segfaults periodically when playing back the Discover playlist. Clearing the app's cache doesn't seem to have any effect.

Here's my info in the suggested support-post template format:

1. Your device and operating system: Desktop PC running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
2. Type of Spotify account you have (Free/ Premium): Free
   
3. The app version of Spotify you’re using: 1.0.28.89.gf959d4ce
   
4. Brief description of the issue: Desktop client segfaults periodically when playing back songs from the Discover Weekly playlist. Occurs both when playing in shuffle and non-shuffle modes. Appears to be related to particular songs -- e.g. sometimes it will play for a while and then crash, while other times it crashes right away if you start playback from a different song. I have not been able to identify a pattern in the songs that cause crashes, though.
   
5. Steps to reproduce the issue:
   • Start the Spotify desktop client
   • Load the Discover Weekly playlist
   • Hit "play"
   • Wait for crash
6. Attach the spotify-dump.txt:  Attached.

[jalefkowit]

Update on my issue described above: it appears to be a case of the client crashing when it hits a song in the Discover playlist that I happen to have as a local file. So it's not so much a problem with the playlist as it is with local file playback.

I found this thread from last December elsewhere in the forum that claims to have a fix for crashes when playing back local files, but it as it involves installing a bunch of .deb packages from a random website I'm not really comfortable trying it for security reasons. If that's the official solution for local file playback, it'd be better if the instructions showed how to get the necessary packages from packages.ubuntu.com, packages.debian.org or some other official repository.

[durin]

---

@jalefkowit wrote:

I found this thread from last December elsewhere in the forum that claims to have a fix for crashes when playing back local files, but it as it involves installing a bunch of .deb packages from a random website I'm not really comfortable trying it for security reasons. If that's the official solution for local file playback, it'd be better if the instructions showed how to get the necessary packages from packages.ubuntu.com, packages.debian.org or some other official repository.

---

Try this to add the official Ubuntu Trusty repository and install the required packages. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Desktop-Linux-Windows-Web/Linux-Local-files-do-not-play-on-Ubu...

Other option is to find the required packages from packages.ubuntu.com or packages.debian.org

And the last option is to disable the local file playback from the Spotify settings.

[jalefkowit]

---

@durin wrote:

Try this to add the official Ubuntu Trusty repository and install the required packages. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Desktop-Linux-Windows-Web/Linux-Local-files-do-not-play-on-Ubu...

Thanks for the pointer! I figured the packages were probably in the official repos somewhere. I grabbed them from the trusty release via packages.ubuntu.com and now local file playback appears to work.

It'd be better if Spotify didn't require me to go hunting for outdated packages to use that feature, of course, but I will take what I can get. 😄

[corvusd]

Hi community and devs,

Sorry for the off-topic.

This important linux website is inform that spotify support is end.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/08/spotify-web-player-desktop-integration-ubuntu

This forum is alive this months back... I can't understand what happens. Is true that situation of the not support?

Thanks advance,

David Gámiz Jiménez