Get rid of Spotify Web Helper

[user-removed]

Many, many times I unchecked "Allow Spotify to be opened from the web" in the “Advanced settings”. Just as often I checked “No proxy”. But, these settings are not saved.

Every time again this annoying “WebHelper” is running and it also appears in automatic start up items with Windows. Above that, approach through the browser is impossible since many many weeks (“Oops, something went wrong, try again”).

If I could approach Spotify from the browser, I would uninstall the whole desktop programme.

Because I am obliged to use the desktop programme, I want to get rid of this annoying WebHelper for good.

How?

[Sebasty]

Hi @user-removed!

You can actually toggle what programs will start up with Windows and what don't.
I guess you're on Windows 10, so Ctrl-Shift-Esc to the Task Manager and choose the Startup tab where you can further decide what you want to open on startup and what you don't. On Windows 7 you'll have to tap Windows logo and R and type in msconfig and press enter.. On the opening window go to Startup tab.

About the dysfunctional settings.. I am pretty sure that reinstalling the program is going to solve that. Here's how to reinstall (and also delete!)

About the browser Spotify: I suggest trying out the Solution. I actually had a similar issue. Also, if you're using Firefox, type about:preferences to the address bar, choose Content and see if it's allowed to play DRM content.

Hopefully this was of any help. If you have more questions, feel free to ask!

[user-removed]

Hello SebastVAIO,

Windows start-up items I always delete in CCleaner, but the Web Helper just comes back. I am on Windows 7 Home Premium.

Re-installing the desktop programme I already tried. But I don’t remember what I did with the settings immediately after. I have another programme that only keeps settings immediately after re-install. So I will try once more. I uninstall with Geek Uninstaller.

Firefox DRM content is checked. I tried that before. The Oops problem is the same in SRWare Iron.

Your Web Player solution works! I don’t know exactly what is a kudo, but I gave you one. Thank you very much! I removed the whole host file, because besides one Spotify item it just contained Doubleclick, Google Ad and so on.

[Sebasty · Accepted solution]

Oh, it's good that you got the web player work! 🙂

I am not exactly sure why the web helper is running, but I could guess:
Spotify is allowed to run from the browser, ie you click on a Spotify link or a play button ( such as those on last.fm) then it sends a nudge to the desktop program to open and play this song or playlist. That web helper could serve this purpose. I am entirely not sure if turning off the "allow Spotify to be opened from web" from the Spotify preferences would make it disappear, I have never tried. 🙂

About the hosts file... I have a lot of entries there. 😉 Its purpose is linking addresses with the IP's. Redirecting an address to another IP as well. An entry could be something like
192.168.20.1 www.thing.com. (it's a random example)
When you enter www.thing.com to your browser, then it will check the hosts file first for that entry (before going on to the DNS service with the query if the hosts file didn't help). It found an IP linked to the address and goes to connect to that device.
If it's 0.0.0.0, the address is redirected to void.
127.0.0.1 is a loopback, back to the same machine.
It's useful if you want to block access to some website, or you want to redirect address to another computer (or website) instead, or if you have a website you work on, which is not yet live and the list goes on. Good file, but majority of us don't use it. 😉

Hopefully that answers some of your questions. 🙂

[user-removed]

For a very long time I only used the Spotify web player, so for that purpose the Web Helper is not needed. I read it is useful for Facebook users.

When I see the word Facebook I immediately fall into crisis.

Some time ago it came out I had no host file at all (it was a discussion about memory warnings). So I am not sure if I have host files now. The memory warnings have disappeared.