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

[Atexor]

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...

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?!

Spoiler

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

2. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-keep-moving-to-internal-storage/td-p/49376...

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

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...

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

7. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Downloaded-songs-turning-to-not-downloaded-upon-restart-Bro...

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/485...

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

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

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

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...

15. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-I-ve-foun...

16. https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Storage-switched-back-to-internal-at-every-reboot-I-ve-foun...

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-M...

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-har...

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

Thanks,

Angry and dissapointed Spotify user.

[WillianWRM]

This solution does not work, never worked for me and most phones does not has such options available.

What I did try (and failed):
- paused Spotify (Android 12+ feature)
- reboot phone
- opened some SD card files just to check if it's was accessible (and it was)
- opened Spotify (removing it from the pause)
- Spotify is back to internal memory and started to download all over again

A less painful thing would be Spotify at least resume from SD library files after selecting back to SD; at least would avoid downloading it all again.

[Roachforlife]

Cant believe this is still happening in 2023. I pay for this service and you cant keep the files in the spot I told the system to?

[Roachforlife]

Hello, this app is no longer available Can you tell me the full name / version? Thanks

[Atexor]

Which app do you mean? Replacement for Titanium Backup? For now I changed phone, unfortunately without SD Card. I didn't try, but my friend used these 2 apps to make backups. As I remember they may also need root and one app had problem with banking app, the second with another app. I didn't test them on Spotify but if it could succeed make a backup like Titanium Backup (just app with settings, not entire songs), it should work.
https://github.com/XayahSuSuSu/Android-DataBackup/releases

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.swiftapps.swiftbackup

You can try them.

It's sad that for over 7 (!!!!!) years Spotify cannot fix that stupid bug.

[EarlPurple]

I have been  having this issue a lot recently, and Spotify keep sweeping it under the carpet like a re-install will fix it, instead of fixing the bug.

There are a few behaviours I have observed:

 - This happens when the files are stored on SD. But I need to use SD as my phone memory is 128GB and the SD 512GB  and if I don't use SD it will run out of space.

 - The files are still there. I check the memory usage and it is 68GB regardless of how far along Spotify thinks the download state is. So the files are there, but there's an issue with Spotifyh knowing that they are there.

 - Instead of rebuilding the index (checking the files are there) it just downloads them. It didn't do that previously. If you took a playlist off download, then put it back onto download it didn't re-download them. Rebuild the index and it will take seconds.

- There is no optional command to do the above step, nor is there an option to "force" remove an item from downloads e.g. you want to change to a different quality, or you have one faulty track (which happened in the past, hasn't happened recently).

 - Everything Spotify does is now addressed by bots, so the chance of getting through to developers is low. I am a software developer myself, and where I work I doubt an issue like, a key feature of the main product, would persist for close to 8 years (I see it raised in 2016).

It would be good if we could store the content (the spotify music files) on SD but index.dat and everything else related to the Spotify install would be stored in the main memory. It's the downloaded files that use a lot of space and need a bigger storage.

Spotify spends too much effort "connecting" and trying to suggest me songs I don't want rather than do the basic things. (I don't want suggestions to add to my playlists, most of my playlists are based on a theme you wouldn't understand, e.g. the entries in the UK chart on a particular week).

[vaajy]

I have same issue on Android 13 and newest Spotify app.

Started two weeks back, now it's almost daily Offline list resets with over 5 000+ tracks. Everything gets redownloaded, why? SD card seems to work, it does not give any errors on phone, folders all can be seen and found. My internet is 10 mbps only, cable modem, and it takes hours to redownload. At this time one can not do anything else with the internet.

Why it keeps suddenly redownloading? On Windows app no problems mentioned.

I did clean reinstall today of Spotify app.

[Hyde99X]

I actually found out the reason a while ago after ditching Spotify for Deezer. Other services have this issue to. It's BS, but what causes it is Spotify loads up before your microSD card can even be read, and in that small moment it sees you wanted to download your music, but it has no idea where it is. So it just starts to re-download your entire library and refuses to recognize what it's already downloaded once it's read your card. As I said, it's BS, but services have zero interest in fixing it. I just wound up getting a phone with larger storage capacity and said f*ck it to microSD cards in phones. 

[vaajy]

Hey.

I sat for good hours with this. I even tested my card and it seems to be slow at a times running tests. Average is 30 MB/s, maximum over 100 MB/s, but it goes zero for seconds in cycles after few moments. When card should be much faster than this. Because before no issues like this, I assume this is a problem of old micro sd card as well, as they may lose speed/freshness. But I also noted this, Spotify just does not wait once the storage is in use. My phone is one year old in three months and it has only 32 Gb of space. So without card it's no way for me as there is 12 Gb free space and cache alone of Spotify is 10. So it will be full. iPhone is too priced for me.

My issues does not need even a reboot, just opening app makes it redownload content.

SD cards retain downloaded files by writing and erasing cycles on the card’s memory cells. An SD card’s lifespan has everything to do with how frequently it is used. According to HowStuffWorks, memory cells in micro SD cards can undergo up to 10,000 write-and-erase cycles before wearing out. 

When I will buy my new phone in a year or so, I will make sure not to use any sd cards and buy more storage.

They seem to be indeed not very interested with this at streaming apps.

[vaajy]

It seems to be a bug. Today happened again. The download button on mobile app showed like it was downaloading at 25 % about. In status bar there were no downloads going on. Some tracks were waiting a download (icon on some rows). I waited a bit and closed app. opened it, and everything was correct. It started to download few just added on Windows app (5 tracks). No other downloads for already downloaded tracks and everything corrected after simple app reboot.

All rows green and download button all green. No need to redownload.

Previously when I've seen fake download, i immediately pressed on download button to save bandwidth on my slow net.

It looks like this download is "fake", maybe because of micro sd card, but it seems nothing is erased from downloads.

Unless you click in a hurry to stop "download".

[vaajy]

Update.

So now it "downloads" daily my offline list over 5600 tracks. 47 GB of content. It does not use data, it just shows 90 % undownloaded on that list on certain app opening and "downloads" - but no data plan is used for download. I have 10 Mb net and 0.5 Mb mobile net on phone, so there's no way it could download one track a second. It started happening few weeks ago. My micro sd card is almost 1,5 years old. It should be 10 in speed class. I don't know where problem is. It feels like Spotify loses "content" on sd card or can not see it and then fetches it when problem occurs from cache storage as offline again. I can not afford iPhone phone with more storage, maybe Samsung, but my phone is one year old in april.

So I am not willing to go for new one so soon. My phone storage 32 Gb, so this is why I use 125 Gb storage card.

Is my SD card faulty, should I replace it? I also feel that Spotify app opens so slow sometimes despite of 10 Mbps net at home on wifi. Maybe it is related to the sd card it uses as app storage. Any related issues someone?

[Hyde99X]

Spotify will never fix this. I explained above what's happening and why. 

[vaajy]

I am getting rid of my microsd forever. It seems truly Spotify losts sd card view for sometimes.

My problem is it does not need any phone restart, it just happens any time, app usage or app opening is enough.

I will go tomorrow to return sd card for money and try to live with 32 GB phone storage. Free 13 GB.

So I will be clearing cache often until I find other solution.

[vaajy]

Thank you for all the help.

Visited the shop, explained problem with slow app opening or usage on decent internet and all those storage issues.

Problem started one month ago and got worse. 50 track weekly updated list now Offlined on built storage and no redownloads mentioned.

She immediately told me Spotify usage, their 10 GB outrageous cache system with constant writing and reading, plus offline usage, makes these card obsolete in less than 2 years. I was not the only one customer explaining this issue.

Got full cashback from storage and was suggested not to use SD cards as well for this reason.

My main problem is 32 GB only inline storage, but I just empty cache for Spotify weekly from now on. I just couldn't put the €20 given as a cashback from storage to another storage card, if these problems will be again within a year.

I was told that most people never get their chance to get full cashback or new card within lifetime warranty.

They just throw their slow microsd cards in garbage and get new one. I was first this year to complain and get full refund in that store.

[vaajy]

It seems to affect Windows app as well.

It just started to "redownload" today by itself and it seems no hard drive writing / internet usage at the same time.

The Spotify apps seem to go down more with each price increase.

It "re-downloads", but no data usage

Is there anyone from Spotify makers to reach? It's recommended not to use Offline for now at any device. It's buggy.

It may corrupt sd cards and make SSD bad faster. My laptop storage is SSD.

I was thinking to get new storage card for my phone, but it seems it's not worth the price, as this behaviour will destroy it anyway quick. Why it redownloads? It seems for me the system is buggy and no one is here fixing it.

Honestly if price increaces once again, I'll just go elsewhere, because important bugs are still present.

Please make Unlimited plan. Premium features without Offline and Auduobooks for LESS price.

I for examle use unlimited home free 10 Mbps cable modem included in rent and unlimited device internet for € 4 only at 512 kbps. i just don't need offline, but I use it when offered to premium. When it's clearly not working Unlimited would be better.

[AmAnCaLlEdSam]

I have had the exact same issue the past week, and the thing is: I don't have an SD card. I download the playlist onto my internal phone storage and over the past months it would redownload now and then which was annoying enough, but in the past weeks it is daily. Sometimes only a few hundred songs, sometimes thousands.

I used to have an SD card on other phones and had this problem a lot, for years and years. I then upgraded my phone to a OnePlus 9 Pro to have more storage to specifically fix this issue, and alas it persists. I've tried everything they say on all the multiple forums over the past 8 years. I've dug around my phone's settings and tinkered with everything related to storage, battery, cache, etc. Still an issue. And that's besides all the other performance/lag issues that have developed in past months...

[vaajy]

My problem got fixed with micro sd card change.

I no more experience redownloads issue. soon two weeks no redownloads.

My new sd card micro is designed for large apps and files.

Samsung EVO Plus 128 GB Micro SDXC.

[vaajy]

My issue is back on new Samsung card two weeks old.

After each reboot Spotify not sees it and starts to download on inline 32 Gb storage which is not enough... It is always back on inline memory after each reboot even if I transfer Spotify back to sd card using Spotify savings.

FIXED THE ISSUE!!!

1) Turn on "Force allow apps on external" in developer options.

1. Go to "Settings" to enable developer options.
2. Tap "About device" or "About phone"
3. Tap “Software information”
4. Tap “Build number” five times in a row or more until it activates.

2) Go to "Apps" in Android settings.
3) Locate "Spotify" and tap "Storage". Tap here "Force to SD". Wait a bit, few seconds at the most.

You can force transfer any app, but Spotify is good enough, as it has this issue with sd cards.

You don't need to reinstall Spotify. Download tracks in offline one Last time.

Reboot all day long to see it never goes back to inline storage.

You will clearly see that all other app icons on inline storage will load quick after reboot, but Spotify icon will be seen for 10 seconds as SD card app (can not be opened), it will wait the SD card to be ready for use. Once icon is normal, then you can open it hassle free.

This is perhaps why Spotify app is always redownloading to inline storage. It is not waiting 10-14 seconds for sd card!!!

Problem fixed and works!!! I was about to go buying new phone with bigger storage, but it worked without purchase.

[David050558]

It's 5 years later and the problem still exists!  Why does't Spotify get its act together and fix the problem?

[Ian39]

Unfortunately this solution doesn't work for me (there is no option to use pin or else before restart, seems to me that it does already as default, so... nada)

Plan: Premium

Country: CA

Device: Samsung Galaxy A50

OS: Android 11

Spotify version in settings: 8.9.24.633

Wouldn't be possible to circumvent the issue with a forced command to "change and choose" storage folder only manually, and/or deny other folders? So that the app wouldn't virtualize its data on the internal memory every time it doesn't find the old path? or at least give a notification and an option: "Spotify hasn't find the xxx Storage, would you like to change the storage path to xxx? before we call 991, CIA, Blackwater, and a ballistic nuclear attack to your location?" because that would be nice when you are outside, in the rain, and the only comfort it's some music, THAT YOU PAID.

This would fix the problem regardless of the phone type or any external changes outside the app (phone updates/reboots, temporary change of SD card or occasional dismounting of the SD card, aka fall drops, etc)

The app should be a smart balance between automated and manual changes, manual for end user customization (settings) that should be unchangeable without direct user control.

Few more things maybe ca be helpful

1 before, several until several months ago I didn't had this issue, so it is a recent issue for me due to new updates of the app

2 no significant changes for the device, same phone with same app

3 all other apps have no issue with the SD card

4 Every possible standard solution has been done

 Clean reinstall (deleting all data and cache through a PC + rebooting of the phone and new installation of Spotify

 Using another SD card

To the most drastic as factory reset of the phone

[vaajy]

I was dealing with this for months. My phone boots automatically at tuesday night, so downloads lost.

I no more use offline, I just stream with unlimited 4G €4 month. 512 kbps.

I think they just don't want to fix it. My phone is 90 % full almost since Spotify cache alone is 10 Gb maximum.

32 Gb isn't much, after OS 21 GB only, but I can use my phone.