[Windows]Blank screens

[Kakatronia]

Spotify update: We've posted a workaround to this issue here. Thanks for hanging in there - we're working on a permanent solution.

Hi there,

I'm a Premium user since 3 years and a half. The first couple of years I was super happy with the whole experience of sharing songs with friends and stuff, top notch, really. But since the last year and a half I have a REALLY ANNOYING problem in the computer version of Spotify that I've been trying to fix all the time with no success. I tried to find a solution for it, but nothing helped me, that's why I'm writing here finally, because today the problem got even worse with the new update that I just installed.

My initial problem/bug is that one day, with a new update, I wasn't able of sending/sharing songs anymore with my friends. I right-clicked on the song that I wanted to send/share, clicked on ''share'', and suddenly, instead of the classic tab where I used to write the message with the ''SEND'' button, I got a blank white tab. I was always using this very same method, but it stopped working for me for some reason with one of the updates. I couldn't write or send anything. I uninstalled the program and re-installed again several times but didn't work. I really enjoyed that part of spotify, but I eventually gave up.

Some months later, new spotify update, the problem got worse. Not just couldn't send or share songs anymore, now not even the sections ''Explore'' and ''Discover'' showed up. They were white, blank. Nothing will show up there. This is the first screen you see when Spotify opens, right? For me it's completely blank since long time ago. Sometimes it looks like it's charging, but nothing really.

But what happened today is completely wrong. With this new update, this new version of spotify, I'm not even able to look for new songs or new artists. Guess what happens, it's blank. I look for a song, click on the artist/band name and it doesn't load. I can even see the band page with their albums and songs...

Basically what I can only do now is just seeing my own playlists, and I'm afraid this will end in the moment you guys make a newer version of Spotify...

I'm using Windows 7 64bits. Please, I need some urgent help. I'm sure someone else has the same **bleep**ty problem. This is getting really awful!

I'm attaching some images so you guys can see it properly.

Thanks!

EDITED subject to make it clearer

[Joe · Accepted solution]

You can do it.. First enable the option "Don't open automatically" in preferences then follow the steps here to put a copy of the shortcut you made in the startup folder.

[Kakatronia]

FIXED.

Thanks a lot for everything! 🙂

[Joe]

Enjoy your music 🙂

[topo95]

I updated spotify a couple of days ago and everything worked well, but now content (discover, radio, follow) is "invisible" (I can click things that should be there)  and not displaying on spotify. I have Windows 8.1.

[Joe]

@topo95 I've merged your post into a thread concerning this problem. The solution which seems to work is in my post here. Shout if you have any trouble.

[topo95]

Thank You! I got it working now!

[CathalandMary]

Hi Kakatriona,

I am not an IT person, but I think I know what to do.  As far as I understand, Windows 8 has beefed up the security considerably.  You need to tell your pc that you are the administrator, and that you want the ability to delete certain files and to carry out certain issues.  

This link may help you - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9564-run-administrator-windows-8-a.html

I found a programme that has given me the functionality of earlier version of software, but as I am not at my home pc I can't give it to you just yet.  I will try later, if you don't mind the wait  🙂  

I didn't try jwylot's solution, but my trick did allow me to create a shortcut on my desktop, and can start from there without needing to go through any other tricks.

Hope this helps - c 

CathalandMary, I couldn't click on the option ''Run as administrator'' for some reason, but anyway, what jwylot suggested worked for me. Thank you too.

I have a final doubt, but it's okay if it doesn't fix because it's not so annoying after all, really, but I will talk about it just in case.

I have the option of starting Spotify right from the beginning, when Windows starts, and even if I wrote that command in the shortcut tab, the same old problems happens again. I have to quit Spotify and starting it again from the shortcut icon to have the proper functional Spotify... Any way to solve this issue? Should I paste the magic command somewhere else?

[MieszkoIV]

Hey,

Having the same issue.

Adding --disable-accelerated-layers --disable-accelerated-fixed-root-background to the shortcut works just fine.

I'm just a little disappointed that the app is broken (since I have to add a command to be able to use it properly) 😞

Hope you can solve it soon.

Cheers

Mieszko

[Joe]

This was happening last autumn but got fixed so I guess some broken code crept back in. It has been escalated.

[renee123]

I don't understand how to use the run command with " 

%APPDATA%\Spotify\spotify.exe --disable-accelerated-layers --disable-accelerated-fixed-root-background

please help?! 

[narutoslayer]

I tried reinstall and running it as admin and also troubleshooted it and runned it in different compatibiility modes.
What can I do? 😧

[Joe]

@renee123 Hit Start and type in run then <enter>. In the dialogue which pops up, paste that text and hit OK to launch spotify. If that works, you can create a shortcut as I described in this post.

[Joe]

Hey @narutoslayer I moved your post into a thread on this issue. See if my solution here works for you.

[Richard]

Hey guys, for those of you having this issue there's two things we'd like you to try.

1) Make sure your graphics drivers all up-to-date.

2) Try enabling/disabling Hardware Acceleration in the app's Preferences. (Windows: Edit > Preferences | Mac: Spotify > Preferences)

Let us know if it helps!

[CathalandMary]

Hi, see attached, this worked for me - c 

[justinilla · Accepted solution]

Using the Run command to run "%APPDATA%\Spotify\spotify.exe --disable-accelerated-layers --disable-accelerated-fixed-root-background" works like a charm. This seriously needs to be brought to the attention of Spotify developers, if they don't already know about it. The fact that even when the screen was blank I could still click and get songs to play told me that the content was there in some fashion but that I just wasn't seeing it. Thanks a bunch for this temporary work-around/solution. They need to look into this accelerated layers and fixed root background thing. It seems like the visual cool factor they are going for might be undermining functionality at this point, at least on some systems for whatever reason (the discover, browse, follow, and messages tabs worked fine on my work computer and Android phone).

[MieszkoIV]

@Richard

Hi!

My drivers are up to date, tinkering with hardware acceleration doesn't change anything.

Kr

[varshaoforange]

It still won't work! I still get this screen

[Joe]

@varshaoforange Did you try launching spotify with the switches I posted here?

[serose]

(New to all this so I hope I'm replying correctly) I had the same problem, keyword HAD:) Thank you for the solution, you have saved the work day!

Best.