Windows App stops responding

[5against4]

Plan

Premium

Country

UK

Device

Dell G7 7700

Operating System

Windows 10

My Question or Issue

i've installed the Spotify app, but it stops working within minutes of using it. Some of the options still respond when i click on them, but their functionality doesn't work. The current track keeps playing but i can't switch to another, jump within the current track, or do anything else. Closing the app doesn't do anything either, as the song keeps playing. i have to kill the app using Control Panel. Restarting, and it works for a couple of minutes but inevitably stops working properly soon after. i've tried multiple reinstalls (both from a download and via the Windows store) and the problem persists. i've tried turning off Hardware Acceleration, no effect. Honestly, i just started trialling Spotify yesterday and this isn't giving me a lot of hope to stick with it. The web player has poor sound quality so i need the app to work.

Thoughts? Suggestions??

[kaworu_bloodpaw]

Hey!

I had some issues with the app crashing before I updated it.

Please try clearing your host files by following these instructions.

Also, please try a Clean Reinstall following these instructions.

If you still have issues with your app crashing after performing these steps, please let me know.

If my answer was useful, don't forget to give it a 'Like!' If my answer was the solution, don't forget to mark it as the solution! Thanks! 😇

If you need anything else, please reply and ask! Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Spotify.

[5against4]

Okay, i did all of that. Nothing has changed, after less than 2 minutes the app just stops responding properly.

i've noticed that when this happens, if i go into the settings, a lot of them are missing. See attached screenshots; 1=before things go wrong; 2=after.

[5against4]

Please note the stupid forum is showing the images the WRONG WAY ROUND (2 first, 1 second)!!

[5against4]

Furthermore, it stops responding properly regardless whether i'm playing music or not. i just tried not playing anything, but looking around, searching, etc. and it still stops working! This app is ridiculous!

[5against4]

Also, after my last reboot, Spotify opened up like this, and remained like this for about 2-3 minutes...

i have an extremely fast machine, so this is all downright weird. Can't carry on like this.

[kaworu_bloodpaw]

@5against4

Something else you could try:

Completely uninstall Spotify (clean reinstall link above)

Run Windows Disk Cleanup (showing system files)

Then run DISM in the command prompt (follow these instructions)

Restart your PC

Reinstall Spotify

Hopefully this should help

[5against4]

Why should i need to do all this kind of thing when literally EVERYTHING else works perfectly fine at all times and it's just the stupid Spotify app that's failing to work?

[kaworu_bloodpaw]

Since you've given Spotify a clean reinstall, and it's still not working, it could be a corrupted Windows file causing Spotify to not work.

[5against4]

Okay, i tried all of that; and after a clean reinstall, after about 2 minutes of general use it stopped responding.

[Eni]

Hey @5against4, 

Thanks for your reply.

Just to confirm, have you tried reinstalling the app from a different source? If you installed the desktop app from our web page, make sure to uninstall that version and try installing the one from the Microsoft Store or vice versa. 

If this doesn't do the trick, could you give a different internet connection a go to see if that makes the difference? You can try creating a hotspot on your phone and using that - if that's possible.

If the issue persists, we suggest that you head over to Settings > toggle on Show Local Files > toggle off all the sources that appear there > toggle off Show Local Files.

Keep us posted on how it goes. 

[5against4]

i've already tried installing from both the Spotify web page and also the Microsoft Store. Same issue in both cases.

Per your suggestion, i switched to an internet hopspot on my phone - same issue again. Furthermore, see the attached screenshot to see what i see when the app first opens, just a blank window with NOTHING in it - which persists for several minutes before everything eventually appears. During that time i'm not able to drag this window around at all. And then when everything's appeared, the app responds for a short time (usually 2-3 minutes), then stops for a while (while continuing to play), then sometimes it responds again for a bit.

This it totally weird behaviour - but it certainly means i can't use the app at present. (Web player is fine, but of course the audio is less good; iPhone is also fine).

[MihailY]

Hey @5against4,

Thanks for the additional info.

Let's give it one last try to narrow down the possible cause - please start your PC in Safe Mode with Networking and check if the issue persists.

Let us know how it goes.

[5against4]

Okay, i just started in Safe Mode with Networking, and connected via ethernet. Same issues.

[MihailY]

Hey @5against4,

Thanks for getting back to us.

We've forwarded this to the relevant team here at Spotify, however, we can't confirm when it will be addressed. In the meantime, you can try re-installing your audio driver to see if that makes a difference.

We hope this helps.