Can't sync local files to device

[KiwiShuriken]

Hi, I am using an iPhone 5S currently and I'm trying to sync songs that I've downloaded from the internet and that I've added to a playlist on Spotify to my device. My computer and phone are on the same wifi, but it is not syncing. I can even control my computer from my phone. I've been able to sync local files before, but I haven't been able to recently.

[MattSuda · Accepted solution]

There is a current bug in the iOS app that causes some local files with (parenthesis, commas, dashes, etc.) in the name to not sync. This might be what is causing you to have problems syncing. You could try editing the song title for the metadata

The developers are currently investigating this bug. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.

[KiwiShuriken]

There are no special symbols in the titles, artists, or albums of the songs I'm trying to sync.

[MattSuda]

I'm not sure what is causing the problem then...

I know it sounds stupid, but also check to make sure your device has enough storage left.

Spotify won't sync if you have less than 200-300 MB of storage left in order to leave space that the device might need.

[KiwiShuriken]

Yep, I have 848 MB free

EDIT: I also just synced a song that is on Spotify perfectly on my phone.

EDIT: I tried logging out, restarting my phone, and logging in again. Didn't work.

[KiwiShuriken]

Still needing assistance with this problem, thank you. I've also tried connecting my computer to my phone's mobile hotspot and using an ad hoc network.

[MattSuda · Accepted solution]

I'm not really sure what else you could try.

I know you said you had all the songs in a playlist, but try this.

Make sure you have all of your local files inside of a playlist, and then make that playlist available offline.

See if this will help:

1. Delete the Spotify App

2. Re-install spotify

3. Connect phone to the same WiFi as computer

On the computer

4. Add the local files into a new playlist

On the phone

5. Make this playlist available offline

If you still need help, I suggest you contact support. They might be able to help.

https://www.spotify.com/about-us/contact/contact-spotify-support/

If you get an automated reply email, you need to reply back to it.

Support usually replies within 24-48 hours.

[KiwiShuriken]

Just deleted my app and all 529 songs with it. No good. I just sent an email to support. If I get it resolved, I'll be sure to post it in this thread.

[iwantbiggername]

guess you never got the  reply, huh?

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@KiwiShuriken wrote:

Just deleted my app and all 529 songs with it. No good. I just sent an email to support. If I get it resolved, I'll be sure to post it in this thread.

---

[Chenshen]

I had this problem as well. What worked for me was just uninstalling and reinstalling the app. I will have to resync all my playlists marked for offline listening (worth 5300+ songs), which will take me the better part of a day (I know, I had to resync them once before) but at least everything seems to be working okay again.

Thank you Matt Suda for your good advice!

[Prestige]

Do local files actually sync now? Last time I spoke with customer support, they told me that it was removed in order to improve it. This was way back in March. 

[KiwiShuriken]

Nope, still haven't gotten a solution for this. I started a free trial of Google Music and it worked perfectly. If there was only a way to transfer playlists I'd be using their service right now...

[Liambee11 · Accepted solution]

I cannot believe that this issue is still present... this is an absolute joke. People are paying money for this and still Spotify just take their paying customers for granted. How come Deezer, Google Music and other services have this working, flawlessly for millions of users on multiple device platforms. But the "Leading" music streaming provider can't sync a song from a PC to a phone...

Are you guys actually working on fixing this, or just laughing at every new post that comes in? I just couldn't be a developer for your company and sit there knowing that we'd completely borked something that worked fine, then get our support staff to lie day after day that it does work and we must have an isolated issue. There are hundreds and hundreds of people moaning about this and it's always the same response:

1. Re-install the app
2. Restart your phone
3. Re-make the playlist
4. Waste hours of your life doing this as we all know it doesn't work

I personally feel like Spotify doesn't care about their customers, comminuties and how they operate as a business. If you guys actually did care, you'd fix something that should be a relatively easy fix, maybe a month at tops.

I'm starting to think that maybe this is a music industry related thing and you guys want to restrict what we can listen to to ensure you're getting revenue. How'd you make money from people playing local files that Spotify doesn't know? It all makes sense to me really, rip off customers by telling them that we can play local files on mobiles, then don't offer that service in the hope we'll seek files on your punch out catalogue and earn you extra revenue.

Tell me I'm wrong? And while your at it, tell me how I can sort the local file issues... Im sure the CEO's of spotify don't have this issue.. people would be fired by now.

I've recently switched from Deezer back to Spotify (stupidly assuming this fault would be fixed, its been 10 months...) and am immediately regretting it. I cannot believe your lack of commitment to your customers that are keeping your business afloat.

[tstroud]

I'm in the same situation and I'm beyond sick of it. I've been a Premium user for years and this is just ridiculous. Why am I paying for this? None of my Taylor Swift songs, and now most of my new Adele songs that I've purchased from iTunes will sync to my phone. I've tried every single "follow these steps" on this forum. Nothing works. I will be researching a new music service to switch to. 

[Liambee11]

I actually managed to get this working finally. Here's how I did it.

1. Go to firewall settings
2. Delete all rules fro Spotify (for some reason I had 6 rules)
3. Open spotify and the Firewall will pop up asking for connection options
4. Make sure you select BOTH public and privite connections
5. Go back to the firewall settings and enable both firewall exceptions as for somereason only the public wifi connection actually gets switched on
6. After the above is set up, the local files synced fine.

Absolutely crazy that Spotify aren't telling people that there must be an issue with how their application talks to windows in regards of the firewall. But it worked for me, synced 35 local files with no issue. But still had to use the "Put them all in their own local file playlist before you add them to any other playlist" trick

[hugorubin]

Has this problem been resolved yet? It's been over a year and I just started experiencing this problem recently. Not 3 months ago all my songs were playing fine. What happened?