Is Spotify Down? How to Check Status & Fix Issues

Quick Answer: If Spotify isn't working, it could be a global outage, regional issue, or problem with your device. Check Spotify's official status page or API Status Check for real-time updates. Most issues resolve within 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Spotify is one of the world's most popular music streaming services, with over 600 million users worldwide. When it goes down, millions of people immediately notice. Whether you're in the middle of a workout playlist, your daily commute, or a focused work session, a Spotify outage can be frustrating.

This guide will help you determine if Spotify is down, troubleshoot common issues, and find alternatives while you wait for service to resume.

How to Check if Spotify is Actually Down

Before troubleshooting your device, verify whether the problem is on Spotify's end or yours.

1. Check Official Spotify Status

Spotify maintains an official status page at status.spotify.com. This page shows real-time information about:

• Service availability across different regions
• Known issues affecting streaming, login, or downloads
• Incident updates with estimated resolution times

If Spotify's status page shows all systems operational but you're still experiencing issues, the problem is likely on your end.

2. Use API Status Check

API Status Check provides independent monitoring of Spotify's services. We check Spotify's availability every minute from multiple locations worldwide, giving you:

• Real-time uptime status
• Response time metrics
• Outage alerts and notifications
• Historical uptime data

Unlike user-reported issues, our automated monitoring detects problems immediately, often before Spotify officially acknowledges them.

3. Check Social Media

When Spotify goes down, users flood social media immediately. Search for:

• "Spotify down" on Twitter/X – real-time reports from users worldwide
• #SpotifyDown hashtag – trending during major outages
• DownDetector – user-reported outage map showing affected regions

If thousands of people are reporting issues simultaneously, it's almost certainly a Spotify outage rather than a problem with your device.

4. Test Multiple Devices

Try accessing Spotify on different devices:

• Open the Spotify web player at open.spotify.com
• Try the mobile app on your phone
• Test on a desktop app or different computer

If Spotify doesn't work on any device, even over different networks, it's a service outage. If it works on some devices but not others, see the troubleshooting section below.

Common Spotify Issues and How to Fix Them

Not every Spotify problem is an outage. Here are the most common issues and their solutions.

App Crashes or Won't Open

Symptoms: The Spotify app closes immediately after opening, freezes on the logo screen, or won't launch at all.

Solutions:

1. Force quit and restart – Completely close the app and reopen it
2. Restart your device – Often clears temporary glitches
3. Update the app – Check your app store for pending Spotify updates
4. Clear app cache:
   • iPhone/iPad: Delete and reinstall the app
   • Android: Settings → Apps → Spotify → Storage → Clear Cache
   • Desktop: Settings → Show Advanced Settings → Offline Songs Storage → Delete Cache
5. Reinstall Spotify – Uninstall completely, restart your device, then reinstall

Playback Errors ("Can't play this right now")

Symptoms: Songs skip, won't play, or show error messages like "Can't play this right now" or "No internet connection."

Solutions:

1. Check your internet connection – Open a browser to verify you're online
2. Switch between WiFi and cellular data – Sometimes one works better
3. Log out and back in – Refreshes your authentication
4. Check Spotify's regional restrictions – Some songs aren't available in all countries
5. Disable VPN or proxy – These can interfere with Spotify's licensing checks
6. Try a different song or playlist – The issue might be content-specific

Login Issues ("Wrong username or password")

Symptoms: Can't log in even with correct credentials, or Spotify keeps logging you out.

Solutions:

1. Reset your password at spotify.com/password-reset
2. Check if you're using the right login method:
   • Did you originally sign up with Facebook, Apple, or Google?
   • Try "Continue with Facebook/Apple/Google" instead of email/password
3. Clear cookies and browser cache (web player)
4. Sign out of all devices – Go to your account page and select "Sign Out Everywhere"
5. Check if your account has been compromised – Unexpected logouts can indicate unauthorized access

Download and Offline Mode Problems

Symptoms: Downloaded songs won't play offline, or downloads keep failing.

Solutions:

1. Verify you have an active Premium subscription – Only Premium allows downloads
2. Check device storage – Spotify needs space to store offline songs
3. Re-download affected playlists:
   • Toggle the download switch off, then on again
   • Delete and re-download the entire playlist
4. Go online at least once every 30 days – Spotify requires periodic verification even for offline content
5. Check download settings:
   • Settings → Data Saver → Download using cellular (if needed)
   • Settings → Audio Quality → Download quality

Audio Quality or Streaming Issues

Symptoms: Music sounds distorted, keeps buffering, or quality is poor.

Solutions:

1. Check your streaming quality settings:
   • Free users: Up to 128 kbps
   • Premium: Settings → Audio Quality → adjust to High or Very High
2. Disable "Normalize volume" if audio sounds compressed
3. Test your internet speed – Spotify recommends at least 0.32 Mbps
4. Close other bandwidth-heavy apps – Video streaming, downloads, etc.
5. Switch audio output settings – Try different Crossfade or Equalizer configurations

Notable Spotify Outage History

Understanding Spotify's outage history helps set expectations and shows you're not alone when issues occur.

March 2023: Global Outage (3+ Hours)

One of Spotify's longest recent outages affected users worldwide for over three hours. Users couldn't log in or stream music. Spotify later attributed the issue to a "backend systems failure" affecting authentication servers.

February 2022: Login System Failure

A major outage prevented users from logging in across all platforms. The web player, mobile apps, and desktop applications all showed authentication errors. Service was restored after approximately 2 hours.

March 2020: Pandemic Usage Surge

As COVID-19 lockdowns began, Spotify experienced intermittent outages due to unprecedented usage spikes. While not a complete outage, many users experienced slow loading times and playback errors during peak hours.

July 2019: Major Regional Outage

A significant outage affected users primarily in Europe and North America for nearly 90 minutes. The issue prevented playback across all devices and platforms.

Ongoing Minor Issues

Beyond major outages, Spotify experiences minor regional disruptions monthly. These typically affect specific features (like Social or Discover Weekly updates) rather than core streaming functionality.

Key Takeaway: Most Spotify outages resolve within 30 minutes to 2 hours. The service maintains approximately 99.9% uptime annually, meaning significant outages are rare but do happen.

What to Do During a Spotify Outage

When Spotify is confirmed down, here are your best options:

1. Use Spotify's Offline Mode (Premium Only)

If you've previously downloaded playlists or albums, you can continue listening without an internet connection:

1. Open the Spotify app
2. Go to Your Library → Playlists
3. Look for playlists with a green download arrow
4. These should play even during an outage

Note: Spotify requires online verification every 30 days, so if you haven't connected recently, offline mode may not work.

2. Try Alternative Music Streaming Services

Consider these free alternatives while Spotify is down:

YouTube Music – Free with ads, massive music library, works in any browser

Apple Music – Free 1-month trial, seamless experience on Apple devices

Amazon Music – Free tier available, especially useful if you have Amazon Prime

Pandora – Free radio-style streaming, great for passive listening

SoundCloud – Free access to independent artists and remixes

Deezer – Free tier available in many countries

3. Listen to Locally Stored Music

Dust off those old MP3s:

• Apple Music/iTunes on Mac/iPhone
• Windows Media Player on Windows
• VLC Media Player on any device
• Google Play Music uploads (if you previously uploaded music)

4. Explore Podcasts on Other Platforms

Many Spotify podcasts are also available on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Pocket Casts
• Overcast
• Directly from the podcast's website

5. Check Your Subscription Status

Use downtime to verify:

• Your subscription is active and billing correctly
• You're on the right plan for your needs
• Your payment method is up to date

Visit spotify.com/account to manage your subscription.

How to Report Issues to Spotify

If you're experiencing problems that aren't related to a known outage:

1. Spotify Community Forums

Visit community.spotify.com to:

• Search for similar issues and solutions
• Report bugs and technical problems
• Get help from other users and Spotify moderators

2. Twitter/X Support

Tweet @SpotifyCares – Spotify's dedicated support account responds to issues publicly and via DM.

3. Spotify Mobile App

1. Open Spotify app
2. Go to Home → Settings (gear icon)
3. Scroll to Support → Contact Us
4. Describe your issue and select relevant category

4. Spotify Account Page

Log in at support.spotify.com and submit a support request with:

• Detailed description of the issue
• Device and operating system information
• Screenshots if applicable
• Steps to reproduce the problem

5. Check Known Issues

Before reporting, check Spotify's status page to see if your issue is already being addressed.

Prevention: Set Up Status Alerts

Don't wait to discover Spotify is down when you need it most:

1. Bookmark status pages:

   • status.spotify.com
   • apistatuscheck.com/services/spotify

2. Enable notifications on API Status Check – Get instant alerts when Spotify goes down or comes back online

3. Follow @SpotifyStatus on Twitter for official updates

4. Download playlists for offline backup (Premium only) – Always have music available

Conclusion: Stay Informed, Stay Listening

Spotify outages are frustrating but usually brief. By checking official status sources, troubleshooting common issues, and having backup listening options, you can minimize disruption to your music streaming.

Quick Recap:

• ✅ Check Spotify's status page and API Status Check first
• ✅ Try basic troubleshooting: restart app, check internet, clear cache
• ✅ Use offline mode or alternative services during outages
• ✅ Report persistent issues to Spotify support
• ✅ Set up status alerts to stay informed

Most Spotify issues resolve within 30 minutes to 2 hours. If problems persist longer, contact Spotify support directly or check back for updates on service restoration.

Stay updated: Bookmark API Status Check's Spotify monitoring page for real-time status updates and historical uptime data.