Spotify is extremely slow to sync offline playlists on iOS

[fr8d]

Hi,

I'm running the latest Spotify for iOS 5.0.1 version + did a complete restore on 2 iPhones 4S yesterday. I have the same problem on both my iPhones: Spotify is unbearably slow to sync offline playlists.

I have 1200 songs that I want to sync for offline listening. The mobile Spotify app is extremely slow to sync songs and usually stops after 20-25 songs. This has been happening for weeks if not months.

I have a blazing fast cable connection: 100Mb download speed + backup 8Mb download DSL. I've tried on these 2 connections + a 20Mb DSL connection at work and I have the same issue. Wifi signal is 5/5 on both iPhones and bandwidth tests are good.

Friends of mine living where I live (Strasbourg, France) don't seem to have the same problem. I can only think that it might be related to my account.

In addition, I've had to re-download all my playlists something like every 2 weeks for the last 4 or 5 month. I'm only using Spotify for offline listening on 2 devices so it has nothing to do with the 3 device limit.

I usually turn offline mode off every 5 days to make sure my offline playlists will stay on my 2 iPhones but I still have to re-download everything very frequently.

Spotify has become unbearably painful to use because of all this...

Please help!

Thank you,

Fred

[redcarpet26]

Just tried it with IOS 6.0.1, still unbearably slow. It might be faster but it is not fast enough. Not nearly as fast as spotify syncing used to be on my iPhone 4.

[Gamexcb]

Gah, this is frustrating... possibly an update to Spotify's ios client would do the trick...

Any word when that will happen?

Last I heard it was comming "Soon" but that was a month ago.

[WhatisIX9]

OK so updated to 6.0.1 - and no difference, still 10+mins per song. Crap.

Thought I would be a bit daring and updated to 6.1 Beta 1. STILL BROKEN.

Apple says they've fixed some Wifi issues in 6.0.1 - but it still doesn't fix the Spotify app.

Come on Spotify, update your app already!

[Gamexcb]

They really need to update it.

Throughought today I have been getting app update notifications and I just keep hoping it will be Spotify but am continually dissapointed.

Although I have found an interesting way to speed it up.

If you run the Spotify app in the background but keep your phone unlocked and on the homescreen or in another app, the sync speed is much faster.

The only issue is that spoify syncs time out if you don't open the app within a 10 minute time frame.

With this method I was able to sync about 60 songs at "extreem" quality a bit faster than usual. (If it is local why not have it be full quality I guess)

Incredibly far from great speed but better than what I had been experienceing.

Anyone else have luck?

[mghou]

Same for me

[eeiciap]

This issue has been causing me a lot of frustration. It renders the subscription almost useless. The app update today didn't fix anything. What is more surprising to me is that Spotify is completely uncommunicative over the matter. There is no acknowledge of the issue at all, even though there is a 15-page thread, and a separate 3-page thread on this matter. Customer service simply stopped replying to me even when the issue is NOT fixed. Spotify, you need to get your act together, or paying subscribers will leave your service. I consider this the final straw myself. The least you could do is acknowledge that your users are experiencing a frustrating problem, and try to help or even find out more from us.

[redcarpet26]

Just downloaded updated version for iPhone 5. Will post results.

[rmin]

The 0.5.8 update improved things dramatically for me.

iPhone 5 - IOS6.01

[redcarpet26]

Just synced 3 songs in less than a minute. Get the latest update guys. It seems to fix the issue.

[mghou]

still no joy - over 5 minutes and not 1 additional song (sigh).

I will try re-installing if this really does solve the problem for other users - my concern is that if it doesn't work then I have just lost the 80 songs I had before this problem started and will not be able to get them again - making the reason for owning a premium account useless.

Getting to point to where I will be looking for another music vendor - this is more than frustrating.

[Gamexcb]

If the re-install work please get back to me.
I am a bit too scared to do this myself.

[crainger]

I updated, still really slow, reinstalled apps on iPhone, iPad and Windows desktop, no change. Local files (my own mp3s) sync extremely quickly. Anything else wont sync.

I have noticed the following behaviour. Anything streamed and cached, will sync quickly (instantly as it's already on the device)

If I have a combination of local mp3s and Spotify music the local files will sync, sometimes the Spotify tracks download quickly, then just as the sync should stop, it adds a few extra tracks to try and sync. Ie. 160 of 160 synced will jump to 160 of 163 and just sit there doing nothing. When I check my iPhone all tracks are synced, but it wont progress to another playlist.

I actually won a years worth of Spotify Premium, but I haven't been able to use it due to this bug. I wonder if the company who ran the competition knows they backed a dud. 😞

[Richard]

Hey all, sorry that we've been a bit quiet on this issue recently.

It's something that we're very much aware of though and are working to get sorted. In the meantime, please try the usual troubleshooting of changing the sync quality in the app, and upgrading to the most recent release of the app (currently 0.5.8).

We'll be back with more info just as soon as we've got it. Thanks for your continued patience.

[redcarpet26]

False Alarm, I just tried to sync 2 full albums at work and it's still snail slow. 

[PhilT]

I have just started to get this issue.

I just upgraded from an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 5.

It takes hours now......

[kshae]

A puzzling thing occured with the syncing I was attempting.  Very, very slow on my high speed(50 mb) home network.  Happened to be at a Hospital with public network.  The sounds downloaded much faster although not fast enough to meet my expectations of acceptable download speeds.  Go figure.

[motifuser]

It's working now! Syncing is much faster now on my iphone 5.

[Dima]

I deleted my Spotify app by accident and when I reinstalled it, everything worked 5x faster. I was able to sync 400 tracks in 2 hours, while it was 10 hours before. This was on an iPhone 5 with iOS 6.0.1.

[ALTRON]

Nope. Just got latest app update and still PAINFULLY SLOW.

[Gamexcb]

Just updated and still having issues.

Glad that Spotify Support is with us though.