How to Download Music and Podcasts on Spotify for Offline Listening

Spotify Premium offers a vast music library, ad-free listening, and cool features like collaborative playlists. But one of its most valuable perks is the ability to download music and podcasts for offline listening. This is a game-changer for those long flights, road trips, or areas with spotty internet connectivity.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about downloading music from Spotify. We’ll cover both the mobile and desktop app experiences, answering common questions along the way.

Downloading Music on the Spotify Mobile App

1.

Set Your Download Preferences:

Before you begin, adjust your download preferences based on your mobile data usage. If you don’t want to use mobile data, turn it off. Go to

Settings > Audio Quality > Download

and choose the audio quality for downloads. Opt for

Very High

for the best playback quality if you’re only downloading over Wi-Fi. For cellular downloads, select a lower quality to save data.

2.

Choose Your Content:

Search for or browse the playlist, album, or podcast you want to download. This can be anything from playlists you’ve created, Daily Mixes, full albums, podcast episodes, or even content from the Made For section.

3.

Download:

Tap the

Down arrow icon

next to the desired content. This will start the download and add the content to your library.

4.

Confirm Download Completion:

You’ll know the download is complete when a green Down arrow icon appears next to all tracks.

Accessing Downloaded Music on Mobile

1.

Open Your Library:

In the Spotify app, tap the

Your Library

icon at the bottom of the toolbar.

2.

Use the Downloaded Filter:

Select the

Downloaded

filter at the top. This will display all your downloaded content, ensuring you can enjoy it even without internet access.

Removing Downloaded Music on Mobile

1.

Deselect the Down Arrow:

Navigate to the content you want to remove (playlist, album, or podcast) and tap the green Down arrow icon to deselect it. A confirmation message will appear. Choose

Remove

to confirm.

2.

Delete All Downloads:

To clear all downloaded content, open

Settings

, scroll down to

Storage

, and tap

Remove all downloads

. Confirm by tapping

Remove

.

Downloading Music on the Spotify Desktop App

1.

Adjust Audio Quality:

Access the

Settings

menu from your profile picture in the top-right corner of the app. Scroll down to

Audio quality

and select

Very High

for optimal playback.

2.

Download Content:

Find the playlist, album, or podcast you wish to download and click the green

Down arrow icon

. Your download will begin, and a filled-in green Down arrow icon will indicate a successful download.

Accessing Downloaded Music on Desktop

1.

Enter Offline Mode:

On a Mac, go to the

Apple menu

and select

Spotify

. On Windows, click the

…

icon at the top and choose

File

.

2.

Enable Offline Mode:

From the drop-down menu, select

Offline Mode

. A blue icon next to your profile picture indicates you’re in Offline Mode. Your

Music Downloads

(playlists, albums, podcast episodes) will be displayed on the main screen. Any content not downloaded will be grayed out and unplayable until you exit Offline Mode.

Removing Downloaded Music on Desktop

1.

Purge Downloads:

Access the

Settings

menu, scroll down to

Storage

, and select

Remove all downloads

to delete all your downloaded music.

Offline Listening and Spotify Premium

To access offline listening features, a Spotify Premium subscription is required. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the Individual plan; Duo, Student, and Family plans also offer offline listening capabilities.

Spotify Premium Subscription Costs

* Individual: $12 per month
* Duo: $17 per month
* Family: $20 per month
* Student: $6 per month

Other Music Streaming Platforms with Offline Listening

Many music streaming services offer offline listening features, including Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer. It’s important to note that in most cases, offline listening is a benefit exclusive to paid subscribers.