Playlist stuck on "Waiting to Download" (Trying to play local files on mobile)

[janislai]

I wanted to be able to play my local files on my phone.

So I made a playlist on Spotify on my desktop.. Put all the songs on it.. I even chose "Available Offline" on my desktop.

Then I went on my android device (Note 2), select "Available Offline", and now it's stuck on "Waiting on Download"..

I was thinking the problem MIGHT be that I do not have an external internet in my apartment.. What internet I have on my desktop it's tethered to my phone's 4G network. So it's not desktop and phone connect to one network per se.. but my desktop connecting to my phone, which connects to a 4G network. I dont know if this is what's causing the problem.

Please help!

[alucke00]

Hey 🙂

I have a question: What if you have an anti-virus software on like Norton? How do you get around that to get to the firewall?

Thank You. 🙂

[skittleslover94]

i tried all of that. none of my local files downloaded. i added spotify to the firewall thing and NOTHING..uninstalled and reinstalled both on my phone and tablet and NOTHING. it still just says "waiting to download". so i have no idea what could be happening. i have both phone and laptop on the same wifi. i have windows 10 and it updated the other day. maybe that has something to do with it.

[XMS3D0]

i still have the same problem and tried it all.

i think spotify should definetly just add drag and drop instead of browsing folders. that way we make sure we know what we just added.

[DarkCyrus101]

Turning off my firewall worked for me 😄

[Ksmendoza]

Okay, I was in the same boat where I tried to download my "local files" on to my phone and it kept saying "waiting to download;" I just figured this out, and this is how you do it:

1. Make sure both your computer and phone are on the same network. I simply set up a hotspot on my phone and connected my computer to it.

2.  Set up your spotify apps on both of you devices so that the same song is playing on both at the same time.  You can do this by going to your computer - or phone- spotify app and click on the "connect to device" icon at the bottom right. Your phone name should be there; click on it.  If it's not, try doing the same thing on your phone to connect to the computer.

3.  On your computer, click on settings --> Mobile Hotspot (if you chose to set it up that way) --> Windows Firewall --> click on "Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall" at the top left --> click on "Change Settings" --> scroll down until you find your spotify files ---> click to check all of them. Only one of my spotify files were checked, and once I clicked on all of them and clicked "okay," all of a sudden my "local files" automatically began to download onto my phone.

I have been searching high and low for the answer to this problem; I hope this helps!

[TPVar]

Hi there

Just wanted to say THANK YOU!!! This fixed it for me too. I'm thrilled.

[talialeanne]

Yay! So pleased! You’re welcome!!

[Twonky]

The thing that fixed it for me (Windows 10, but I think other Windows versions will be simillar) was setting that mark in my Network/Ethernet settings, where it says: "your device (It is my desktop PC) can be found by other devices from your network". After that it instantly started downloading. Never found that solution anywhere else, so I wanted to share it. 

[Krisjanio]

darn thx m8

[XMS3D0]

Again

the issue isn't solved for me!

[Goon9311 · Accepted solution]

Easy Solution!!!! 

Make sure you are on the same network. If you have a modem and a wifi router(meaning you have 2 different boxes) and your computer is on the lan with your modem and your phone is on the wifi on the router. Unplug the ethernet that is feeding your computer and plug it into the wifi router..... Problem should be solved. 

[Green14]

This is still the solution. thank you.

[thirdegreesmirk]

thank you so much. this is was what happened to me. just a lil something to add: if your computer/laptop (especially windows 10) has updated i think it automatically goes back to the firewall default settings which block spotify.exe

[Khanivour]

For me, the problem was that Spotify was trying to save the songs to my SD card.  I assume that there are some permission issues in android, because when I said save to phone, it started downloading the songs straight away.

[SPOTTON]

My firewall is not blocking spotify on my laptop. But I'm still getting songs that are greyed out on my phone and shows "waiting to download". Any solutions to this?

[Goon9311]

Do you have a modem and a router? Look on your laptop and find what Wi-Fi
network you are on. Connect your phone to the same network.

For instance if you see this

Wi-Fi #1
Wi-Fi #2

If your phone is on Wi-Fi #1 and your laptop is on Wi-Fi #2 it won't work.
The SSID aren't the same . Connect them both to either Wi-Fi #1 or #2

[SPOTTON]

Yes, the two devices are connected to the same WiFi and I do have sufficient storage on my phone. The only thing that appears weird on the spotify of my PC is that the green "Download" flicker of my local files that I have created appears to be showing "Waiting".

P.S: I've created a seperate playlist for these greyed out songs and it is still able to play perfectly fine (problems occur only on phone).

[Goon9311]

Try creating another file and label it music, move all files to that
folder. Then go to spotify and make sure you tell it look for that folder
for local files. Connect the phone to your laptop and allow the transfer of
media files. Also if you have a modem and router combo and another router
that could be an issue. If you changed the password for your Wi-Fi and your
router has the capabilities to move devices from 2.4 Ghz to 5 Ghz that
could be the issue cause the passwords don't match and your device is going
from one to the other.

[SPOTTON]

What do you mean by transfer of media files after connecting my phone to laptop. 

Does this mean I'm not suppose to transfer songs through "add to playlist" from my laptop's Spotify to my phone's Spotify?

Also, apparently I have no control over my Wifi.. so that's a little out of the question 😞

[Goon9311]

Not sure what type of phone you are using. I am using a Samsung Note 5,
when I connect my phone via USB (charging cable) I can set it to just
charge or transfer media files. Not having control over the Wi-Fi might
produce a issue.