topic Re: KNOWN UNRESOLVED ISSUE FOR YEARS - Spotify redownloads all songs every phone restart in Android

KNOWN UNRESOLVED ISSUE FOR YEARS - Spotify redownloads all songs every phone restart

Atexor — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:36:01 GMT

Plan

Premium

Country

Poland

Device

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X

Operating System

Android 7 (MIUI) -> 7.1.2 (custom systems since there)-> 8 -> 8.1 -> 9 -> 10

My Question or Issue

As title says - almost every reboot Spotify resets songs location to internal storage and redownloads songs. When I switched in options to SD card it still redownload songs again and again. It seriously destroys FLASH memory when Spotify wants to download over 1000 songs again.

One year ago I have reported issue there:

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SOLVED-PARTIALLY-Spotify-downloads-songs-to-internal-memory/m-p/4794422#

And found workaround-solution which at the beggining seems to work partially, buty it doesn't work all the time. It's ******* KNOWN issue for years but still is unresolved. Shame!

I tried:

- denying/allowing various permissions to Spotify,

- disabling or enabling battery saving for phone,

- mounting SD card as extended internal storage (even I prefer to have it external)
- enabling developers options and allow to install or move app on SD card (I have that option but I do not see possibility to move Spotify to SD card),
- disabling overall Spotify app at system boot,

- modyfying app receivers (especially disabled broadcast receiver) - Spotify did not start, stuck at logo,

- disabling notifications - app does not start when I disabled "Spotify Music" notification,

- log out via all devices except phone,

- changing to SDHC, SDXC sc-cards,

- formatting SD cards with exfat, ext4 file systems,

- removing PIN and lock code.

Both Internal and SD cards were unencrypted all the time.

I feel really dissapointed of poor experience of Spotify on Android. Should I give a **** about copyrights and try to decompile, modify (hack) Spotify binaries, to remove/block every app blobs, binaries, permissions etc. to get it work? Maybe read-only mode or script which restores all Spotify files every boot might help?

Or just don't support that bugged app. There are various of services that can convert my playlists and move to i.e. Tidal or Google Play Music?

https://freeyourmusic.com/en/transfer-spotify-to-google-play-music

https://soundiiz.com/tutorial/spotify-to-google-music

I tried first of them, I didn't like it but it worked so it has a big advantage compared to Spotify. I maybe it's a matter of habit.

There are very, very many threads where people described that problem on various phones and systems, there were few solutions but none of them helped.

I posted "few" of them.

So... Spotify devs - could you finally fix that damn issue? Prevent Spotify from booting with system, check if SD card is available later, fix cache files or something?!

1. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-keeps-automatically-switching-downloads-to-internal/td-p/1359959

2. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-keep-moving-to-internal-storage/td-p/4937664

3. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-are-in-my-storage-but-Spotify-won-t-show-them/td-p/1699220

4. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-is-re-downloading-all-of-my-songs/td-p/4897498

5. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Offline-music-goes-away-after-each-restart-and-has-to-be-re/td-p/1101739

6. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-setting-cleared-on-phone-restart-all-downloads-lost/td-p/4369584

7. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-turning-to-not-downloaded-upon-restart-Broken/td-p/1726669

8. https://community.spotify.com/t5/iOS-iPhone-iPad/Downloaded-songs-resetting/td-p/1534628

9. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Music-library-redownloads-every-time-after-restart/td-p/4855892

10. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Windows/Offline-Song-Storage-keeps-resetting-to-default/td-p/4811694

11. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SD-offline-downloads-lost-after-reboot-Maybe-due-to-SD-mount/td-p/4521490

12. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Issue-with-storage-option-switching-from-SD-Card-to-internal/idi-p/4655053

13. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Offline-storage-on-SD-card-issues/td-p/4682363

14. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switching-to-internal-storage-after-ever-restart/td-p/4840655

15. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-I-ve-found-the/m-p/4869717

16. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-I-ve-found-the/td-p/4714532

17. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-changed-after-every-Restart/td-p/1395877

18. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-swithes-to-internal-storage-after-restart-COST-ME-MONEY/td-p/4722884

19. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-changed-after-every-Restart/td-p/4862925

20. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Spotify-switches-from-SD-storage-to-internal-storage-on-hard/td-p/4686284

21. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Default-Storage-location-switches-to-Internal-after-every-phone/td-p/4858849

Thanks,

Angry and dissapointed Spotify user.

Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

user-removed — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:20 GMT

Plan

Premium

Country

Brazil

Device

Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite

Operating System

Android Pie

My Question or Issue

I have encoutered this issue and many post with people with problems rebooting the phone and mantaining the storage option properly configured as SD card.

I've found the solution! (at least to my case).

I hope it can help someone else.

I've bought this new phone some weeks ago, and it has Android Pie (my old phone was Marshmellow) and in this version I've set a PIN number and, for some reason, didn't let configured to ask for the PIN before the system boots (with is the most secure option). Instead, it asked for the PIN before the first unlock and after the system boot. That's the catch:

I noticed that the SD card only mounts AFTER I unlock the first time after the boot. You can see it by the SD card icon who apears quickly at status bar just after the unlock. For security reasons, it make sense, since someone who stole the phone could try to load malicious software via external storage. Spotify service probably loads BEFORE the SD card mount, and then, like a mother who call the police when his son is 30 seconds late to come back home, it switches to the internal memory and starts to download all again. If the PIN is typed before the system boot, the SD card mount and when Spotify service loads, it can find the external storage. Works like a charm.

This solution did not let Spotify devs off the hook, since many other apps that use external storage didn't present this issue at all.

SOLUTION:

Make sure, if you have a PIN or password set, to Android ask BEFORE the system boot.

Cheers!

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

kupkrazy — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:20 GMT

Thank you for this... I have this same problem with my Note 9. I tried what you said by setting up Secure boot which does exactly what you said, and sure enough, it works and SD storage is retained. Like you said, it's not a permanent solution since the app should actually work - but at least it works for now and I can actually download my playlists again. Thanks. Spotify, please fix this! 🙂

[SOLVED PARTIALLY] Spotify downloads songs to internal memory instead of keeping on SD after reboot

Atexor — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:30 GMT

Edit 25.07.2021:
Better workaround, but unfortunately it also needs root access like older below - you need to make Spotify backup via Titanium Backup app. After restarting phone you need to restore made a backup before and all songs will remain. Works all the time.

From time to time I make a new backup when I update Spotify app (hoping for that bug to be fixed or add new songs).

----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Edit: 19.11.2019:
[PARTIALLY SOLUTION-WORKAROUND]: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SOLVED-PARTIALLY-Spotify-downloads-songs-to-internal-memory/m-p/4859614/highlight/false#M159526
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Plan

Premium

Country

Poland

Device

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X

Operating System

Android 7/8/9/10 (I am using custom Android systems but it does not matter in that case)

My Question or Issue

Hello, some time ago I set storage to my SD card, where I have downloaded over 1000 songs. Unfortunately I have noticed that every time, when I reboot my phone Spotify downloads immediately all songs again to internal memory and in the preferences the option is switched to Device storage.

As I noticed Spotify process launches immediately after PIN is inserted and before SD card is checked, so it 'thinks' that there isno SDcard and starts download tracks again. There should be a delay or possibility to disable auto-launch app on boot.

I have noticed that similar issues were posted in in the current and previous year but problem is still unresolved.
https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SD-offline-downloads-lost-after-reboot-Maybe-due-to-SD-mount/td-p/4521490

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-Samsung-Galaxy/idi-p/4329272
https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Issue-with-storage-option-switching-from-SD-Card-to-internal/idi-p/4655053
https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Android-encrypted-SD-Card-Offline-Music-lost-on-Reboot/idi-p/3382277

I noticed and tried are few workarounds like:
- mounting SD card as extended, internal storage (I cannot do it, I need SD card as external),
- enabling developers options and allow to install or move app on SD card (I have that option but I do not see possibility to move Spotify to SD card),
- disabling overall Spotify app at system boot (I cannot do this, disabling autoboot it via AppOps doesn't help, it still boots),

- modyfying app receivers (especially disabled broadcast receiver) - Spotify did not start, stuck at logo,

- disabling notifications - app does not start when I disabled "Spotify Music" notification.

Could you take a look on it? It's quite old issue, many people "voted" for it so as I think it should be fixed as soon as possible without combining. What if we are abroad and the phone will be discharged? Roaming might be really expensive.

With regards,
Atexor

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

GrobiFarnsworth — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:30 GMT

This bug has been known for several years now, it not being fixed would be a disgrace even for a free service. I can't get my head around why this extremely annoying issue is simply closed every time it pops up, referencing some obscure work-around using a complete reinstall of the app or something similar.

I really don't WANT to switch to a competitor, but every time this happens (about once a month) makes it more likely...

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

Atexor — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 21:35:22 GMT

Thanks for reply - exactly, I don't know what I can do more with that thing - I can't delete more apps in my internal memory (I'd removed all bloatware as I can with root access), migrating other apps to SD card is impossible on my Android system.

I prefer to keep Spotify cache on SD card - in case of changing phone or system to not download that large amount of files every time. It terribly destroys the lifespan of flash memory - both internal and SD card. Spotify team - can you finally take a look on it?

Or just add possibility to not auto-launch Spotify on system boot?

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

qrty — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:30 GMT

Spotify programmers seem to be busy on making the app completely impossible to use, like destroying the Library, removing the Widget...

This would imply an improvement in the way the app work, that is why they do not care. probably, this threat will be closed soon . XD

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

shay_ortiz — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:20 GMT

**bleep** this is exactly the problem i'm having atm! It's absolutely irritating for my 1k+ songs to have to download every.fricking.time. What did you mean by having android "ask" before system boot? Thanks!

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

Atexor — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 20:21:11 GMT

I have migrated to Android 10 and changed my SD Card to another one.

I've set download to SD Card, downloaded songs and restarted phone few hours later... The same. Spotify team - can you add just delay to detect SD card? Is it so difficult?

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

dcrosthwait — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:20 GMT

Same issue on my Moto g6 running Android Pie. 128gb Samsung SD card.

After this issue of the Spotify app changing storage locations with each restart I tried switching to Offline Mode and then restarting. Unfortunately the app wouldn't even let me log in after that... Got stuck in an endless loop of Spotify sending me a login email, then the app saying the link had expired (2 seconds after I received it) - and round and round I went...

F&$# it. Going to try Google Play's 30-day free trial. I pay for Spotify Premium so I can have my music with me. If that functionality isn't available, there's no sense in stickin' around.

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

sdrakulich — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:30 GMT

Hey spotify I'm so ready for you to crash and burn, this is pathetic. You really should feel badfor ruining such a decent application.

Electon app, pfft. All these bugs that make things actually unusable. Shame on you.

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

Atexor — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 08:58:21 GMT

[SOLVED PARTIALLY - NEED ROOT ACCESS]

Hey @sdrakulich, you've written in right time. Just 2 hours ago I've found an app on PlayStore that helps with that issue. The app is called: Autostart and StaY!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atasoglou.autostartandstay

After Installation I selected Spotify, delayed it for 3000ms after SD card mounting after reboot. Then I rebooted my phone... and downloaded songs remained 🙂

Unfortunately it requires root (admin) access for your phone what may be problematic (especially for users without proper knowledge), and often results with broken varranty. It's rather designed for experienced users because root access gives you great access to mainain your phone (delete unecessary apps), but if you use it wrong you can broke your system.

Without root you can only blame on Spotify. The same like me for months.

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

Atexor — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 09:10:16 GMT

I've found workaround for that issue. Unfortauntely it requires admin (root) permissions, what may be quite embarrassing for most of you. But still something and maybe it will help someone: https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/SOLVED-PARTIALLY-Spotify-downloads-songs-to-internal-memory/m-p/4859622#M159527

I didn't test with encrypted SD card but should work too.

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

Daedalus100 — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:20 GMT

Proposed solution to require PIN before phone booting did not work for me on moto g6 play android 9

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

Petya — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 07:47:01 GMT

Hi @Daedalus100,

Thanks for reaching out to us!

Can you try the following steps? These are:

Enable permission for storage option for Spotify. This can be accessed by going to Settings>Apps>Spotify>Permissions>Storage.
Do a clean reinstall as explained here.

If this doesn't do the trick, you can let us know your device, OS, Spotify version and all the steps you've tried so far.

Keep us posted 🙂

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

Atexor — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 13:21:34 GMT

Hello @Petya. I am not Daedalus100, hovewer I tried your steps several times. Nothing helped.

You just need to implement postponed autostart for Spotify after boot or restrict permissions from starting its services.

For my phone only the solution with root works...

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

Daedalus100 — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 00:57:49 GMT

I have permissions set correctly and I have tried several clean reinstalls.
I am still having the same problem, and it is highly frustrating. My latest
rather unsophisticated attempt to work around the problem is to try to
"catch" the problem right after boot up and make sure the data storage is
switched back to the SD card. That approach (not surprisingly) has failed
too. I end up having to re-download everything which is inevitable because
sooner or later, I need to reboot.

Moto G6 Play
Android 9
Spotify 8.5.33.831

Please fix this. I'm not the only one with this issue.

Thanks for your help.

Enable permission for storage option for Spotify. This can be accessed by
going to Settings>Apps>Spotify>Permissions>Storage.
Do a clean reinstall

as
explained here.

Re: Storage switched back to internal at every reboot (I've found the solution!)

wackygoose — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:38:20 GMT

Thank you very much! I can't believe it was easy to fix... I've searched a lot and read aot of forums and similar topics, no one had indicated the password on boot. But still, spotify is faulty, it should wait for SD card mount or at least verify downloads like Tidal does. If I could move Spotify to SD card it would be easier but I just can't even with force move apps Tru dev options.

I hope more people find this as the problem seems to be somewhat common and not new

Re: KNOWN UNRESOLVED ISSUE FOR YEARS - Spotify redownloads all songs every phone restart

lucasknie — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 15:44:24 GMT

Hey, I've had that problem for ages and found a solution that works on my device. I downloaded an app that prevents apps from starting during startup and it fixed it! You may have tried this already, but just in case here's the app I used:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.advancedprocessmanager

And I'm hugely disappointed and in disbelief with Spotify too. It's a paid service for god's sake.

Re: Spotify downloads all songs to internal memory every reboot instead keeping them on SD card

fjalla — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 09:41:07 GMT

Hi @Atexor,

I tried your solution – I installed Autostart and StaY, selected Spotify and set it to start 3000ms after "ON MEDIA MOUNTED". However it still starts sooner. Did you do anything else? If not, does it still work on your end?

Cheers,
Juraj