Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it

[lukaswil]

Plan

Premium

Country

UK

Device

Desktop

Operating System

Windows 10

My Question or Issue

When I try to play a song I get the following error message "Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it"

I have tried all the fixes I have seen:

Reinstalling app.

Using version from Microsoft store.

Disabled hardware acceleration.

Disabled crossfading.

Changed speaker options.

Deleted local files.

I've had this issue before and it was fixed by using the version from the Microsoft store but this isn't working now.

Spotify works on my phone and my laptop, web player also works only the desktop app doesn't work.

[lukaswil]

I think I have found a temporary resolution to this issue. Turn off "Smart Shuffle" then play the songs you cant play. Then turn "Smart Shuffle" back on and the songs should be playable.

If you have shuffle turned off, cycle through the shuffle options then play your song that was unplayable. The app seems to lag or freeze for a second then recover after this action when the issue is present.

[lukaswil]

For me, I found going into your audio settings, clicking on your output device, and disabling any "effects" worked.

[nujpque]

In my case, all my playlist seems to be playing except from the Liked Songs

Getting the same error soo 
So what worked for me is just to TICK OFF the smart shuffle.

[user-removed]

Why does spotify just ignore this issue? been going on for years and yet they dont take accountabllity. its lazy, and shows they dont care about customers. you talk to customer service and they want you to fix the site yourself. honestly, they might just have the WORST EVER tech people in the history of mankind. The site breaks daily and they have not got any tech brainpower to fix the damn thing. embarrassing from spotify. 

[user-removed]

I havent been able to use my spotify on the web for over 8 months, spot have know about the issue, and basically do nothing! 8 months with the same issue!

[ajonathanpalmer]

Plan

Premium

Country

UK

Device

Macbook Air

Operating System

Mac OS Monterey

My Question or Issue

"Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it." I do have the file on my computer. I have followed all the steps to import it. It shows up in my Local Files folder. But it won't play. It played two days ago. Where am I going wrong?

[mrmotion]

What worked for me: System, Sound, Properties. Change format to 16bit 44100hz or 24bit 44100hz. I have been dealing with this problem since i purchased a new computer and I stumbled on this today since my settings were originally on 24bit 48000hz. 

[StoleYourFood]

I have this issue every so often. Playing songs in "Liked Songs" on mobile result in a shuffle of a limited set of songs. This time I was restricted to only one genre! And tapping on 90% of the songs cause no action.

On PC it's the same except I get the error "Can't play this right now," as everyone else mentioned.

My solution this time was to search the artist, and play the song from their page. Just playing this one song seemed to completely fix all of my songs, and they were all able to be played.

[gregoryalocke]

This has been happening to me for YEARS. It even happens with songs on playlists I have downloaded for offline use. It makes no sense. 

[DavidCh0]

Happened to me after Windows 11 24H2 update:

1 To get songs playing I changed Output settings to 44100 Hz (from 48000) in Settings System/Sound/ Speakers Headphones > Output settings.

2 To get videos playing I have to open Spotify app with administrator privileges. 

[#12]

Over last 2 weeks I keep getting the 'can't play any track' error for all tracks but before then it was fine. I have tried restarting PC, several 'clean up' tutorials and re-installing Spotify but still happens. At one point it worked when my wife logged in on my PC to her account but now both are once again not playing any track. We are both able to listen on our phones but not on my PC. None of the other threads or so-called advice helps and although I pay monthly for a service they do not have any humans to ask the question to.

[mrmotion]

Did you check the sound properties on your pc? I did all the same things you did and that was my solution that worked. My answer is a few above yours.

[tdann]

Changing the Output Settings Format to 24bit 44100hz as mrmotion suggested worked for me. I was listening through the desktop app within the last few days with no issues. Then when I started my laptop this morning, it appeared Spotify installed an update. After that, I continually got the error and no workaround resolved the issue. I was able to play through a browser, but decided to try this suggested workaround.

[#15]

"spotify can't play this right now. if you have the file on your computer you can play it"
This keeps popping up whenever I click the play button. I have searched my computers audio settings and find no issues with input and output. Whenever I unplug my headphones, spotify will play music, but it will not play any sound, as I have tried it with a bluetooth speaker and it does not play any music, yet the progress bar indicates so. I have uninstalled and reinstalled from both the microsoft store and spotifys main webpage. I have also restarted my computer, installed and updated my audio drivers, yet nothing is fixing it, not even reddit.

[AcIdReb0rn]

Every time I try to play anything on spotify app on my computer I get the message "Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it."

I have tried updating, reinstalling, deleting all files on my computer and nothing works. Spotify on the webplayer and my phone works just fine for the account."

[AcIdReb0rn]

Windows 10 pro Version 22H2

Spotify version 1.257.463.0

Hardware acceleration is turned off

[januaria81]

When seeking online advice for a technical issue, I tend to avoid all advice that suggests you reinvent the wheel or reformat your hard drive or reinstall the OS and all drivers from scratch. The solution (at least for me) was to change the Sound settings on your PC. Scroll through this thread and you'll find the exact adjustments to your settings that will solve your problem. And the solution is simple and painless and quick, not like the nonsense advice you sometimes get.

Unfortunately I'm at work now and can't get into more details.

[#19]

"Spotify Can't play this right now. If you have the file on computer you can import it"

[topiqq]

i can't find the spotify setup the 3rd step, how should i do?

[topiqq]

Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it.

[Lanciano007]

Hey Hey, I have a similar problem again after installing last update on my desktop. 

In Discography section some albums won't play and hops to the next album. Again I'll get the "Spotify can't play this right now. ... you can import it " message.

I have to click the Album instead, where I can play the songs and don't get the message. Seems Discography got broken again with some Albums in Discograhy section on pc desktop... Sad dissapointment. 😞

Please help. 🙂

Seems the connection with my mobile to my pc desktop app works correctly. I can use my mobile app as a remote control. But this is not how it should work. With this workaround I can stay on the Discography screen on my desktop. But when I use the mouse pointer it gives me the "Spotify can't play this right now. ... you can import it " message. 

Now when I play the skipped Album directly, the next Album in Discography section that was playable before, gets the same message. 

Emptying my cache doesn't solve my problem. But the "Spotify can't play this right now. ... you can import it " message appears randomly. Mostly somewhere halfway Discography section...or when i add a song from there to one of My Playlists and come back.

Update: My message got replaced in this topic so it's a bit messy... I was responding on an ongoing topic where I was already involved...And the first time our problem got solved by a new update. I didn't do anything and didn't mess up anything except updating Spotify like the last time when the same problem appeared for many users.. I'm a bit confused why my message got placed here...

[Billybunkers]

you are a god send!!! Thank you for getting my music back and running!!!!