The Spotify web player might be one of their most important features. Not all music streaming services offer one, and Spotify's is packed with features.
You can listen to your playlists, favorite albums, and artists. All without a mobile app!
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits to users is that it works well with Spotify Connect, and makes hand-off easy between devices.
Let's take a look at the best web player tips, tricks and troublshooting issues you might have with the Spotify web player.
Ready? Let's dive in!
What Is The Spotify Web Player?
The Spotify web player is one of the options you have to listen to music. You can use it without installing the app. Once logged in, you can use the features of the Spotify app in the browser.
And Spotify Premium is not required!
With the web player, you still have access to your playlists, podcasts and audiobooks. Some users prefer the web player to the desktop app and the mobile app.
Considering how many people spend much of their time on computers, a webplayer can be a handy alternative to having multiple apps open.
Thanks to this Spotify version being a progressive web app (PWA). You can use it like a native app. It will feel familiar, and everything will work like it does on the desktop app.
How to Access Spotify Web Player
Spotify keeps it simple with the web player. The web player looks and feels like the app. The buttons, icons, and key features all work the same.
You can access your account settings, the whole Spotify music library, and the browser-version has all of the features that you normally.
Oh yeah, Spotify doesn't want you to miss a thing!
Some of these features include:
- Search for artists, albums, songs, and playlists.
- Look for the "Recommended," "New Releases," or "Genres and Moods" playlists.
- Access and edit the library created by the user.
- Use all playlists, songs, albums, or artists stored in the user account.
- Visit artists' pages.
You can visit the Spotify website at open.spotify.com. You can use your desktop or mobile device to access it.
These browsers support the web music streamer:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Edge
- Opera
- Safari
After logging in with your account details, you get full access to your Spotify account.
If you have any problem with the web player login, a quick refresh or browser update should fix it. You may have to check if the browser can play protected content.
How to Use Spotify Web Player
You'll see a simple interface when you log into your Spotify account on the web player. It has a clear side menu with all you need. With it, you can play your favorite music in just a few clicks.
Keep in mind the web version on mobile devices is as limited as its native application. You'll get random playback if you don't have a paid Spotify Premium account.
And, even if you have Spotify Premium, you won't be able to download music to listen to it later.
Finding Music on the Web Player
Tap on the "Search" tab at the top-left corner. You can search for your favorite tunes and artists or explore genres. You'll find the "Browse All" area here, too, with plenty of genres to choose from.
Click on any of them to explore a large collection of featured playlists. It has new launches, podcasts, and more!
Or, you can use the search bar to find anything in the Spotify library. You'll see songs, musicians, albums, playlists, and more as you type. And just like the mobile or desktop app, if you tap on them you'll be taken to the song or artists page.
Your "Home" page will fill with useful web links as you continue to stream songs. They will be customized to your preference.
Navigating the Artists & Albums Pages on Spotify Web
When you click an artist's name on Spotify, it will send you to their web page. You'll find the singer's most popular songs at the top of the list. This benefits a user who isn't quite familiar with the singer yet.
You'll find all the artist's albums, single tracks, and premier launches on this page. Click "Discography" to see more about the artist's songs or albums. You'll see the year of release, number of songs, and more!
Saving Music to Your Library
The "Your Library" tab lets you see all the music you love in one group. The tab also helps you arrange your favorite songs. It organizes them by different categories. The categories include playlists, podcasts, artists, and albums.
You can save more albums, playlists, or songs to your library. Just click the (+) icon above the item. To save a song, click the (+) that appears next to the track length.
Note that the (+) replaced the heart icon.
Also, you can keep tabs on an artist by following them. Spotify will notify you or show their new tracks on your home page. They will do this as soon as the tracks arrive. The platform also recommends more songs from artists you follow.
Downloading the Spotify Web Player
As we mentioned earlier it is a progressive web app. You can use it in which ever browser you prefer, or us it to download the desktop or mobile app.
On the phone, when you access a browser, you'll get a notification to add the website as an app. But this doesn't happen on the computer, so you must add it manually.
Let's show you how to do this on your desktop browser. You can also do it in Microsoft Edge, Opera, or Brave. You can also use any Chromium-based browser you like.
Go to the browser's address bar when you're on the web Spotify player page. Once there, you must click on the monitor-shaped icon and then click on Install.
This process will create an icon on the desktop and another in the start menu. This way, you can access Spotify. You can enjoy uninterrupted listening without reopening the web browser.
If the option to install doesn't appear, then do the following:
- Open the Google Chrome.
- Click on the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner.
- Hover your mouse pointer over More Tools.
- Select Create Shortcut.
- Check the "Open as Window" box and click the blue Create button.
Now you can access the Spotify.com Web Player on your desktop or task menu.
Spotify - Web Player: Music For Everyone
The Spotify web player is a game-changer for heavy computer users, offering seamless streaming directly from your browser without bogging down system resources.
Its lightweight design ensures smooth performance even during intense multitasking, making it perfect for those who juggle multiple applications.
However, its user-friendly interface and efficient operation mean it works well for anyone, providing a hassle-free listening experience for all types of users.
Pros and Cons of Spotify Web Player (Vs Desktop App)
in the end personal preferce will be the decider here, but there are pros and cons for using the web player.
Pros:
- You can access your Spotify music on any device. Just log in to the Spotify online player, and you'll have access to the entire catalog and your custom libraries.
- Spotify is browser-based, so it doesn’t use up your device’s storage and offers great flexibility.
- You can use Spotify for free—no need for a Premium subscription. If you don’t have Premium Individual, Duo, or Family, don’t worry.
- The free app includes ads, like banners, videos, and audio. However, if you use the web player, you can hide these ads with a free account or an ad blocker.
Cons:
- The web player streams at a lower bit rate than the app, resulting in lower audio quality.
- Free users get 128kbps from the web player but 160kbps from the app. Premium users enjoy 256kbps on the web player and up to 320kbps on the app. Upgrading to Spotify Premium gives you better sound quality and an ad-free experience.
- The web player requires an internet connection and doesn’t support offline listening, even for Premium subscribers. If you want offline access and additional features, you’ll need the Spotify app on your phone or computer.
Fixes for “Spotify Web Player Not Working”
Like with most tech, it has issues from time to time.
Your web player might stop working for a range of reasons. It depends on your operating system and browser.
Here are a couple of the most common issues with Spotify's web player - and how to solve them.
Does your Apple Music or Spotify keep pausing? Find out how to fix it!
Poor Internet Speed or No Internet Connection
When the web Spotify player isn't working, check the internet. Bad internet is a common reason for not accessing your Spotify music.
You can't play music offline with the web version of Spotify.
You must be on a Wi-Fi or cellular network to ensure an internet connection. Also, check that you didn't accidentally set Airplane mode. And, check that no browser extensions are blocking the access.
Alternatively, you can solve this by trying to open the Spotify web player in a private window. Use incognito mode. Remember, some shared or public networks (work, office, school) may block some services.
Even with an incognito window, you might not access the Spotify web player. Contact the network managers for more info.
Browser Incompatibility
Another reason is that the Spotify web player is not working. This can be due to an old browser. Or, in some cases, clearing the browser cache is necessary.
If it's compatible, you can try fully restart your browser as well. To use the Spotify Mobile Web Player on Android, the device must have Android 6.0 or later.
It must connect from:
- Chrome 69 or higher
- Samsung Internet 9.2 or later
- Firefox 95 or higher
On iOS Spotify Mobile Web Player works on the following browsers:
- Chrome 69 or higher
- Safari 11 or higher
You want to use Spotify Desktop Web Player but not install the app.
Here are the supported options:
- Chrome 66 or higher
- Firefox 60 or higher
- Edge 18 or higher
- Opera 49 or higher
- Safari 12.1 or higher
So, if the Spotify online player doesn't work, ensure your browser is up to date. On Chrome, click the three-dot menu icon. You can find it in the top-right corner. Then, go to Settings > Help > About Chrome.
Playback of Protected Content Not Enabled
You get the error message "Playback of protected content is not enabled" on Spotify's web player. So you need to enable it. You can enable protected content on popular browsers.
Do this by following the steps below:
- Type "chrome://settings/content" in the Chrome address bar. At the bottom of the page, tap "Additional content settings." Then, select "Protected content IDs" to turn it on. This will allow any site on your browser to play protected content.
- On Firefox, click Enable DRM in the yellow warning bar at the top of the screen. Or, enter "About:preferences#content" in the URL bar. Then, click DRM content and enable Play DRM.
- A Media Feature Pack may be required for the Spotify web player to work on Windows 10. Go to the Microsoft download area. Choose your language and click Download. Then, choose your platform and click Next.
Also, if you try to access Spotify online from iPhone on Safari, you may see the "Something went wrong" screen. It will invite you to download the mobile app or update it. The problem may be temporary.
But, you can try to bypass it by using the web Spotify player from Chrome or another browser.
If the common issues remain, you can reset settings to their original defaults. Then, you can set up the web player again.
It could also be an Windows issue rather than your browser. Some versions of Windows will need you to download and install the media feature pack.
Finally, if Spotify isn't for you, for example, due to no offline listening. You can transfer your playlists to another music platform. You can do this using FreeYourMusic.
