topic Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11) in Desktop (Windows)

Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

freed0m — Fri, 02 May 2025 08:30:05 GMT

Installed Spotify on Windows 11. Clicked login, message appears 'redirecting to your browser' - the message 'Illegal Scope' appears.

No idea why, not a useful error message.

Sigh

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

Amay — Sat, 03 May 2025 06:42:33 GMT

Hey @freed0m, welcome to the Spotify Community! 🎵

Could you try the following steps and see if that helps:

Log in to your account on open.spotify.com and then try logging into the desktop app.
If you have installed the desktop app from the Microsoft Store, try installing from the official website.
Disable any VPN, firewall, DNS, or AdBlocker if you have one that could interfere with the same.

Let me know how it goes. You can also share a screen recording of the issue so I can take a closer look. 🙂

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

Antonio313 — Mon, 05 May 2025 11:06:13 GMT

I am getting the same response on MacOS. I downloaded the app from Spotify, ran the installer, no matter how many times I "Try Again", if I am already logged in on the browser I immediately get Illegal Scope. If I log out and "Try Again" as soon as I log in I get "Illegal Scope". Tried disabling any privacy apps running on my Firefox browser but it makes no difference.

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

Antonio313 — Mon, 05 May 2025 12:15:04 GMT

Worked round the problem by logging on using my phone.

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

straightbanana2 — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 13:52:02 GMT

Heb hetzelfde probleem, inloggen via PC lukt niet, krijg steeds die vervelende "Illegal Scope" boodschap. Maar wat je oplossing betreft: Door in te loggen op telefoon ben je toch niet ingelogd op PC of Mac?

@Antonio313

I have the same problem, logging in via PC does not work, I keep getting that annoying "Illegal Scope" message. But regarding your solution: By logging in on the phone you are not logged in on the PC or Mac?

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

freed0m — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 09:36:58 GMT

I pay for Spotify family but for whatever reason I simply cannot use the Spotify app on Windows 11 - "illegal scope" is displayed in the browser when I try to login. Really poor user experience.

Can someone look into this and explain why it happens please?

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

MihailY — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 09:31:55 GMT

Hey folks,

Thanks for your replies.

If you're experiencing this, try the following:

Try logging in with your username/email address + password in case you're using Facebook to log in.
Check if the system date and time are correct.
Check if you can log in to your account page on the browser.
Change your default browser to a different one.

Let us know how it goes.

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

freed0m — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:54:18 GMT

One month later and I still cannot login to the Spotify App on Windows 11 - still seeing 'Illegal Scope' in the browser.

Tried the workarounds suggested.

Unable to talk to Spotify support other than use this community async forum.

This is ridiculous.

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

Ivelina — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 10:11:51 GMT

Thanks for returning @freed0m.

Just to be on the safe side, could you confirm if you've taken a look at and followed the suggested troubleshooting steps by @Amay in this previous post?

We'd like to assist you further and it would be helpful if you could share as many details with us as possible of what you've tested so far, so that we can avoid repeating any steps.

Let us also know:

Does the issue persist with another browser on your computer?
Have you tested with another network connection (for example mobile data shared via hotspot)?

We'll be on the lookout.

Re: Unable to authenticate from Spotify app (Windows 11)

Topazoner — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:05:34 GMT

unbelievable, this issue is still here since many months.......

Seriously.....Go to APPLE MUSIC !

Spotify sucks