Spotify can't play this right now

[tehstuzz]

Plan

Premium

Country

Netherlands

Device

Lenovo Thinkpad

Operating System

Windows 10 Pro

Version 10.0.19044 Build 19044

My Question or Issue

Since last tuesday 2023/07/18 I keep getting "Spotify can't play this right now" messages whenever I attempt to play anything. I have uninstalled and then re-installed but the problem persists. I have the latest version of Spotify (1.2.16.947.gcfbaa410). The problem occurs regardless of whether I use my speakers or a bluetooth connection. My current workaround is to start playback from my phone, and then to control it from my laptop. However, I would like to play audio directly from my laptop. Advice is appreciated.

[Sebasty · Accepted solution]

Hey @tehstuzz 

Spotify shows this error message in mainly two cases - something's wrong with its cache or the app is using the wrong autio output.

Windows allows users to set a default output to individual apps, so that one program uses headphones and another defaults to speakers. Even if you set your overall default device to one thing, Spotify might still have something different instead. See this HowToGeek article on how to edit these settings.

Corrupt cache and other issues like that can be fixed with the clean reinstall. Regular reinstall may leave residual files behind, but a clean reinstall allows to start off fresh again. See how to do it here.

Let me know how it goes for you : )

[tehstuzz]

Thank you Sebasty! The Spotify output in Windows was blank, setting it to Default fixed the issue. This was bugging me for a week. Thanks!

[Afras]

Hello,

Not being able to change audio output devices, and the application failing to work when a user attempts to change the output device is quite frankly ridiculous for a music player. When can we expect this bug will be fixed for users? 

[Sebasty]

Hey

Windows handles the audio output settings itself even though it's still a pretty obscure setting, and the "Can't play this right now" is a fairly common issue on Windows. I've also noticed it's a passing error whenever something goes briefly wrong with Spotify's traffic.

In order for Spotify to work with a newly changed audio output device, the app needs to be restarted. I understand it can be quite troubling when you're using multiple different playback devices.

Apparently when you open the web player on browser and let that play the music while you switch the output device, and then you change back to the desktop app, you might be able to avoid having to restart. I sadly have no way to check if it's true. All my output changes are done in the preamp, which the OS does not see (it's just a little box of hardware).

I also can't remember having any issues like that back when I was using Windows 7 with an Asus Xonar. I could swap my output as much as I wanted and it was fine. :shrug:

[Shirpower]

Posting a solution to my particular problem because it was sort of like this.

I was unable to play songs on the Spotify for Desktop app, but Mobile and Web Player worked fine.
I'm on Windows 11

These steps didn't work for me:

Clearing Cache

Disabling Hardware Acceleration
Disabling and Enabling TPM (Secure Boot, Intel TPP, etc.)

Restarting the Computer
Uninstalling and Reinstalling the app

Sound Settings and setting Default Device for the Spotify App

Then I remembered that I have an audio interface, specifically the Behringer UMC204HD. I downloaded the latest drivers, so Windows would use the specific drivers for my interface instead of the default audio drivers (which were still good enough for every other app).

After installing the drivers and restarting the computer and logging out and into the app, Spotify for Desktop finally started playing audio properly. If you have an audio interface, consider checking to see if your drivers are up to date, or if a more stable version is available.

[JayTheDingo]

Plan

Premium

Country
AUS

Device

Laptop/Desktop
Operating System

Windows 10 & 11

My Question or Issue

I've been having this issue frequently occur over the last few months in which whenever I attempt to play any music that isn't downloaded on any of my Playlist's, I get an error that reads "Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer, you can import it."
It is becoming infuriating to deal with because it is constantly occurring and seems to randomly fix itself after a few days, only to reoccur a few days later.
I have done every possible fix to this problem mentioned across the Spotify Help Forums & Online Articles:
- Clean uninstall & Reinstall.
- Log in. Restart/Turn off PC. Log back in.
- Adjusted Sound settings on Spotify & my PC (Lowering & Increasing sound quality, changing device outputs, etc.).
- Updated/Reinstalled Drivers.
- Disabled Firewalls.
- Gone through multiple directories to fully erase Spotify off my PC before reinstalling.

This issue has occurred on both my Desktop PC & my Laptop. The web-players seem to work fine, but they don't operate in a manner I like which the Application does (Such as responding to shortcut keys like "Play/Pause", "Skip/Replay", etc).
I haven't had this issue on my Android Device however.

The only step I haven't done this time is a Factory Reset of my Device - which if I have done once before on a new device only for it to occur again a couple of weeks later. At this point it's coming to me thinking of cancelling my Spotify and resorting to other means of listening to music because I shouldn't have to Factory Reset a device for an issue that is just going to keep happening.

Is there any solution to this problem at all? Is there a bug fix or something to stop this from happening?

EDIT: I forgot to mention in the first paragraph that while most of the time this doesn't occur to downloaded music, on the VERY rare occasion this error prevents me from playing ANY music regardless of if it's downloaded or not.

[ljfs]

On the artist discography page, I frequently get the error "Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it." In one case the icon is present which indicates the song has been downloaded for offline use (though typically the entire album is unplayable.) If I click on the album and go to the single album view the album is playable, and the songs are also playable from playlists and the artist page.

[morphyx61]

Spotify for Windows (64 Bit)
1.2.31.1205.g4d59ad7c

Plan

Premium

Country

turkey

Device

lenovo ideapdgaming

Operating System

Windows

My Question or Issue

My app is bugged since a couple of days now. I tried reeinstaling, changing the headset and every solution that i could find already, still the same. Web player is working fine, phone too. Windows app or spotifyapp doesnt change anything.

[Lemon_Zest]

Tried playing multiple songs and playlists, and keep getting this a message saying "Spotify can't play this right now. If you have the file on your computer you can import it." I am not offline, and don't know what's happening. If reloaded the page, closed the tab, and even logged out and logged in, with no better results.

[alexandrabuculescu]

Hei, I have the same issue, just switched to Premium minutes ago and it does the same.

when I select any song or playlist, it will randomly go to something else and when it finally plays, it stops after 10 seconds, showing also an error: spotify can't play right now, if you have the file on your computer, you can import it.

Caches cleared on computer, still does the same, even though when I had free account it worked perfectly fine. 

I am using Google chrome as a browser, but for some reasons I can t install the app on computer, only on phone.

[fxhacker]

very simple just do this

in Linux press ctrl+shift+r

in mac press command+shift+r

in windows i think it will be ctrl+shift+r

the concept is to clear all corrupted caches completely and start afresh

[lil_nightmare813 · Accepted solution]

Run your windows audio troubleshooter and make sure audio enhancements is off in your sound settings. Restart Spotify app. This fixed the issue for me.

[Viknesh]

You Sir, are a god!! I was stuck with this problem for almost 2 years and was just using android app to play and I used your method it all cleared up!! 

[PredatorI]

Plan

Premium

Country

Freance

Device

Desktop

Operating System

Windows 11

My Question or Issue

 Good morning For 2 days Spotify has no longer been able to play my music on my computer, although everything is fine on my phone. It says that Spotify cannot read this content because I have to have the file on my computer even though it is music from Spotify and not the downloaded one.

[Maksiu555S]

I can't listen to music. Every time I click to play music I get this error.

[Mangeh]

For me the issue was solved by installing the driver to my USB audio interface (a behringer UMC1820). Windows had installed its own driver, which worked fine for audio in general but just specifically not for spotify.

[#18]

necesito ayuda

[genericcode]

I haven't saved or imported anything from spotify, just wondering whats going on? Keeps happening

[tekgrrl]

I have the "Spotify can't play this right now..." error message when trying to play anything with the Spotify Desktop app. If I open the Web app I can start to play a song with the desktop app closed but not with it open. If I'm already playing a song and open the desktop app then it carries on playing. I can then play anything through the desktop app.   As soon as I close the web app though it stops playing on the desktop app and I'm back to the original error message if I try to restart playback.

Sharing in case it helps with diagnostics. I don't honestly care if you fix it. 

-Amanda