How to Upload Local Files to Spotify on Desktop and Mobile

Spotify can play music that isn't in its catalog, like rare tracks or your own recordings, using its Local Files feature. You add the files on desktop, then sync them to your phone. Here's how.

On desktop

1. Open the Spotify desktop app and go to Settings.
2. Scroll to Local Files and turn on "Show Local Files."
3. Add the folder where your audio lives. Spotify reads common formats like MP3 and M4A (DRM-protected files won't work).
4. Your tracks appear under Your Library > Local Files. Add them to a playlist to keep them handy.

On mobile

Local files don't upload over the internet, so you sync them through a playlist:

1. Add your local tracks to a playlist on desktop.
2. On your phone, make sure you're on the same Wi-Fi network and signed into the same account.
3. Open that playlist, download it, and the local tracks transfer to your device.

If a file won't play

Check that it's a supported, non-DRM format and that the source folder hasn't moved. A renamed or relocated folder is the most common reason local files disappear.

For the broader walkthrough on getting your own music into Spotify, see our main guide: how to upload songs to Spotify.