topic Re: Local files are only playing on the left headphone (Spotify app for Windows in Desktop (Windows)

Local files are only playing on the left headphone (Spotify app for Windows

Barclay61 — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 21:43:25 GMT

Greetings. Songs on the Spotify site play fine on both sides of the headphones, but local .WAV files are only playing on the left side . . . no sound on the right side. These files play fine in stereo on both sides of the headphones using a different app (ex: Windows Media Player). I've tried uninstalling/reinstalling Spotify, but that didn't fix the problem. I also tried wired headphones, but still have the same problem.

Re: Local files are only playing on the left headphone (Spotify app for Windows

Yordan — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 10:34:43 GMT

Hey there, @Barclay61,

Welcome to the Spotify Community!

Have you tried installing Spotify from a different source to see if that does the trick? if you downloaded the app from our website, try the version from the Microsoft Store instead and vice versa.

If you have any other files in a different format (.mp3 or .flac), could you test if they play fine? You can also try converting your .wavs to check this. Make sure the sample rate of your audio output device / files is set to anywhere between 44.1 kHz and 192 kHz as well.

Something else you can do is disable the communication settings, as well as Exclusive Mode and audio enhancements in Windows:

Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound > Sound Control Panel, switch to the Communications tab and set "When Windows detects communications activity" to Do nothing.
Head back to the Playback tab, then right-click your audio output device and select Properties. In the new window that pops up, switch to the Advanced tab and untick "Exclusive Mode" + "Enable audio enhancements".

Lastly, I'd recommend making sure you're running the latest sound driver updates for your device.

Let us know how it goes 👍

Re: Local files are only playing on the left headphone (Spotify app for Windows

ollietoyne — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 20:59:31 GMT

hi, i have this issue and have dowloaded the microsoft store version after deleting the web version but the issue has not been resolved. any help would be appreciated.

Re: Local files are only playing on the left headphone (Spotify app for Windows

MihailY — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:53:08 GMT

Hey @ollietoyne,

Thanks for reaching out.

Can you please confirm you've also tried the other suggestions by @Yordan above? In addition, see if updating/reinstalling your audio drivers and adjusting the Audio Quality (e.g. Normalize volume) and Playback (e.g. Mono audio, Equalizer) settings in your desktop app makes a difference.

If the issue persists, send us your OS version and Spotify version.

We'll be on the lookout for your response.

Re: Local files are only playing on the left headphone (Spotify app for Windows

Barclay61 — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:06:43 GMT

Well, I started at the top of Yordan's list above and worked my way down, but I'm still encountering the issue, though on the way there was one glimmer of hope. After disabling Exclusive Mode, I went back into Spotify and the problem was resolved (I had sound in both Left and Right headphones), at least until I closed Spotify and reopened it . . . the same problem came back at that point. I am running Windows version 10 Enterprise, and my Spotify version is Spotify for Windows (64 bit)
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