Desktop Spotify for Debian Windows Issues

[d3ad3nd]

Plan

Premium

Country

US

Operating System

Debian 12 (Bookworm)

My Question or Issue

I have downloaded the latest Spotify client on Debian, and it is running using the X11 display manager. I have recently upgraded my system from Debian 11 (Bullseye) to Debian 12 (Bookworm), and it was working properly on Bookworm until a recent package manager update which updated some of the X11 extensions. Since that recent update, the Spotify client will create a process; however, the window for the process will not display. I was wondering if others had this issue and if the Spotify team was aware of it.

Thank you for all your assistance,

Long time Linux user and Spotify subscriber

[omsmith]

I noticed the same the other day. Launching the client will consume 100% CPU in a polling loop.

spotify --version
Spotify version 1.2.11.916.geb595a67, Copyright (c) 2023, Spotify Ltd

Downgrading (via a locally-stored dpkg) resolves this issue:

spotify --version
Spotify version 1.1.84.716.gc5f8b819, Copyright (c) 2022, Spotify Ltd

From tracing the process, it appears to be stuck polling the X server socket:

socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM|SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0) = 29
connect(29, {sa_family=AF_UNIX, sun_path=@"/tmp/.X11-unix/X0"}, 20) = 0

...

socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM|SOCK_CLOEXEC, 0) = 30
connect(30, {sa_family=AF_UNIX, sun_path=@"/tmp/.X11-unix/X0"}, 20) = 0

...

poll([{fd=15, events=POLLIN}, {fd=16, events=POLLIN}, {fd=29, events=POLLIN}, {fd=30, events=POLLIN}], 4, 0) = 1 ([{fd=16, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(30, {msg_namelen=0}, 0) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
recvmsg(30, {msg_namelen=0}, 0) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
poll([{fd=15, events=POLLIN}, {fd=16, events=POLLIN}, {fd=29, events=POLLIN}, {fd=30, events=POLLIN}], 4, 0) = 1 ([{fd=16, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(30, {msg_namelen=0}, 0) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)
recvmsg(30, {msg_namelen=0}, 0) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)

[hedlundur]

I have the same exact issue. Any solutions yet?

[hedlundur]

Same issue here. Any solutions yet?

[d3ad3nd]

I do not have a locally installed downgraded package of the spotify-client, but do you know if Spotify maintains an archive of all the previous versions of the spotify-client.

[d3ad3nd]

I do not have a locally installed downgraded package of the spotify-client, but do you know if Spotify maintains an archive of all the previous versions of the spotify-client.

Thanks for the response omsmith!

[deltalejo]

I recently experience the same issue, I solved it by deleting the cache folder: ~/.cache/spotify

[d3ad3nd]

I tried that as well; the issue continues.

Thanks for the response deltalejo

[Wobbleburger]

Yep, clearing the cache through Preferences won't do it.  Fully close the app and delete whatever folder you set the Cache folder to.  Mine wasn't the default, but I don't know if that relates to the issue.  I disabled/re-enabled services, edited my host file, reapplied firewall rules... etc etc - This is the only thing that worked and I wish I would have tried it first.  I feel for my Grey Play Button crew out there. 

❌Edit: Nevermind, it's back - I played one song and I'm back to the grey play button.  Only occurs on Win10 as Android/Web/Mac works fine.  I logged out of all sessions, so there shouldn't be crossfire.  Tested with/without VPN, with/without Hardware Acceleration, with/without Proxy settings (auto vs none), verified read/write permissions on cache directory, Ran As Admin, tested on new Admin user, Uninstalled/Reinstalled with Revo to remove any registry/lingering files in users/appdata etc.

[omsmith]

Thanks for the suggestion, but deleting that folder has no effect on my machine either.

I actually just set up a new computer yesterday, and with a fresh install of everything I experienced the issue on the very first launch of spotify.

[duja]

Experiencing the same issue on Debian 12 and Ubuntu 24.04.

This is what gets logged to the console

---

---

---

(spotify:5425): libayatana-appindicator-WARNING **: 22:38:01.184: Unable to get the session bus: Unknown or unsupported transport “disabled” for address “disabled:”

(spotify:5425): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: 22:38:01.184: Unable to get session bus: Unknown or unsupported transport “disabled” for address “disabled:”

---

With strace the output is mostly this being repeated until I kill the process

poll([{fd=15, events=POLLIN}, {fd=16, events=POLLIN}, {fd=29, events=POLLIN}, {fd=30, events=POLLIN}], 4, 0) = 1 ([{fd=16, revents=POLLIN}])
recvmsg(30, {msg_namelen=0}, 0) = -1 EAGAIN (Resource temporarily unavailable)

---

[pgomes]

Hi Duja,
The error you are getting (LIBDBUSMENU) is related to the tray icon support, which requires DBUS. But the logs show as it cannot connect to a DBUS session.

Can you provide more information? Are you running the DEB or Snap package? What does dbus-monitor prints when you start it?

[umanwizard]

Hello, this is also happening to me with both DEB or Snap.

> The error you are getting (LIBDBUSMENU) is related to the tray icon support, which requires DBUS. But the logs show as it cannot connect to a DBUS session.

The window manager I'm running does not have support for "tray icons". How can I disable that feature?

[pgomes]

umanwizard you shouldn't have to do anything if your window manager does not support tray icons. The code tests if the tray icon could be loaded, and if it couldn't, it understands that there's no support for tray icon

But since you asked, the features is turned ON or OFF at the user's settings, with the option "Close button should minimize the Spotify window"