Getting "Maximum Number of Downloads" error when downloading local files

[dannygl]

I'm getting the "Downloaded Content: You've reached the maximum number of downloads..." error message on the iOS Spotify app on my iPhone 6s, even when I'm downloading local files to my device from my computer.

Steps:

1. Before starting, I went into the "Offline Devices" section of my Account information and did "Remove All Devices", to make sure I wasn't using my quota on other devices.
2. I made sure that the number of cloud-based songs is under the documented limit. I deliberately created one playlist of all of my cloud-based songs, which has around 2900 songs, and created a second playlist of all of my local file-based songs, which contains around 2300 songs. First I successfully downloaded the entire cloud-based song playlist. Then I downloaded the local file-based playlist of all of my local files. It gets nearly to the end but now reports the aforementioned error and appears to show 11 songs remaining to be downloaded.
3. There is plenty of free storage available on my device (nearly 70 GB available even after all of the above downloads).

Note that the aforementioned documentation explicitly states, "If you're syncing your local files then there’s no limit."

Unfortunately, once it gets into its current state, it will no longer let me download any new cloud-based songs, even though I'm more than 400 songs below the 3333-song limit. 

Possibly related, but when Spotify is downloading the local songs, I notice that the progress count jumps around frequently, e.g. it might show "Downloading 300 of 2300", then "Downloading 600 of 2300", and then back.

Any suggestions for how to fix or troubleshoot this problem? Thanks.

[alagemo]

I have a possible solution: I've hit the same limit (although only using Downloaded songs from Spotify, no local files).

I think the problem is maybe the app not respecting the difference between albums that are Saved and albums that are Downloaded.

I've tried removing an album from my Saved library and that seems to allow it to kick-off some more downloads. I feel like there's something not quite working correctly between those two states.

Maybe try that and see if it helps? I'd be interested to hear if that works for you

[dannygl]

Thanks for the suggestion. I just tried this but it did not help.

[sgifford5]

I am also having the same problem.  I have tried everything including turning off the download/offline button on every song/playlist on every one of my devices (iPhone, iPad and Macair).  I still get the message that "I've reached the maximumnumber of downloads."  I can't figure out how to remove existing dowloads.  I have a premium subscription.  Any advice? 

[alagemo]

I contacted Spotify customer support via Twitter and after some rudimentary troubleshooting I ended up having to delete the app and reinstall it.

This fixed the issue, but means I have to redownload every album again

Massive product fail that punishes power users

[sgifford5]

Hi, thanks for this. Does this mean you loose all the playlists in the
cloud too?

[sgifford5]

Hi, thanks for this. Does this mean you loose all the playlists in the
cloud too?

[alagemo]

No - all your playlists/followed artists etc. are saved, it's just the downloaded files that are removed

[prttyeyz305]

I'm having the same issue & it's really getting frustrating. I have an iphone & I actually just opted to pay $2- extra a month for extra storage because of this situation. (stupid I know) but I didn't know what else to do. I've uninstalled & reinstalled the app multiple times with no change. I have more than enough storage & I'm seriously this close to just cancelling my premium x(( because I don't feel that I'm getting what I'm paying for.. If anyone could help that would be amazing!! :))

[katharinemary]

im also experiencing this problem .. DELETED a bunch of playlists in the hope of downloading more, but hasnt worked. 

[prttyeyz305]

I'm surprised that this being such a huge issue that is is Spotify hasn't done anything about it?? I'm seriously in awe.. especially because it's happening to their paying premium customers. SMH Spotify SMH.

[dannygl]

I'm following up to note that I'm still seeing the problem that I originally reported last year. I've had two different chat sessions with Spotify support. One, back in January, ended with the support technician telling me to uninstall and reinstall Spotify, and re-download all of the tracks. That didn't resolve the issue. The second, today, ended with the support technician telling me that developers would investigate the problem, but added, "please be aware we’re not able to confirm if or when your specific request will be addressed."

To reiterate, this is the specific problem I'm seeing:

1) Download to my iPhone a playlist with a large number (but still below the per device limit) of songs from the Spotify catalog. In my case, just under 3,000 songs. This works fine.

2) Download to my iPhone a playlist with a large number of songs from my Local Files. This works most of the way, but then stops before number and reports that the maximum number of songs has been downloaded.

3) From this point on, no more songs added to the first playlist will download to my phone, and I get the max number of songs warning every time Spotify detects that my phone has connected to Wi-Fi.

The support technician I chatted with today made several other statements which I found curious:

1) While the stated limit per device is 3,333, the "limit of songs may still vary from the track length and quality because file sizes of the songs are different from each other."

2) If you have the same song occur in more than one downloaded playlist, it counts more than once against the 3,333 limit.

3) Even though the Spotify documentation explicitly states that "there's no limit" when syncing local files, the technician asserted that, "when you add songs from your local files, it's also included to the 3,333 song limit." This particular assertion not only contradicts the documentation, but seems patently inaccurate because I can have a combined total of over 5,000 songs on my phone before Spotify starts complaining about hitting the limit.

My suspicion is that Spotify is incorrectly counting some of my Local Files as coming from the Spotify catalog, but I have no way to confirm this or work around it.

[stardog]

Also very frustrated about this...I'm a big music fan and Spotify on my phone was supposed to be a viable replacement for my mp3 player, I bought a 128gb memory card for this reason...and now find I can't even use half of this. I've been a paying Premium member now for years but given this and other issues (like all my songs being randomly undownloaded at times, then having to download them all again one by one) I will probably switch to another service now. I just want a player that works reliably and holds my music collection - not too much to ask surely

[egroupus]

I've been having the same problem on my iPhone 6, have tried virtually everything to fix it and, frankly, I'm sick of paying Spotify each month to both jip and **bleep** me off. They should be paying ME. And with no tech or customer phone support (which is bunch of **bleep** I might add) I'm this close (watch my fingers) this close to cancelling my Spotify membership and head over to Apple Music. At least Apple Music is designed to interface with other Apple products, not to mention they have world-class customer support - actual people who are polite and articulate. Oh and Spotify is no longer offering iPhone 6 support? You know what... Thank you Spotify! You just helped me make my decision. 

Spotify, you COULD BE amazing... if you would get your s##t together and start giving a fat rat's a## about your customers. Congratulations! You just lost one.