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Help categories
Account & Payment
Using Spotify
Listen Everywhere
Top Answer
Here are some troubleshooting steps that are worth taking a look into:
Check if there are any pending updates for your browser and install them. It's also highly recommended you manually check if the latest version of the Widevine plugin is installed. There's a detailed guide on how to do that in this article.
Below you can find some additional things you can try. Click on each section to expand it.
► Audio Output & Sample Rate
Make sure Spotify is mapped to a valid audio device in Windows/macOS and that the sample rate isn’t set too high (anywhere between 44.1 and 192 kHz should be okay). Check “App volume and device preferences” and confirm Spotify is assigned to the correct output. You'll find a detailed guide on how to do that here.
► USB DACs or external audio interfaces
Driver conflicts or odd configuration in advanced setups (e.g., gaming headsets, external DACs) can trigger errors. Disabling/re-enabling the device driver or trying a different USB port often helps.
► Clearing hosts file
Check if the hosts file contains any entries with Spotify in the address and remove them. You'll find the steps to do this here.
► Symlinks or moved browser data
If you moved your browser’s cache/profile via symbolic links, check permissions and confirm Widevine is working with the new location.
► Firewall/Antivirus software or Ad blockers
Aggressive AV or restricted network policies can break DRM or streaming requests. Try disabling them briefly or test with another network. Uninstall any ad-blocker apps.
► In case you're using any DJ apps/ software for mixing or creating tunes
If you have any DJ apps/software for mixing or creating tunes, try disabling the option to exclusively use a specific sound card. You can try using a different device to verify if the issue is limited to your setup and/ or network.
We hope this helps. If you still need a hand, you can start a new topic in the relevant Help board including all the steps you've tried so far and their outcome and we'll take it from there.
P.S. If you're on a non-personal device or network (student laptop, student network, corporate laptop, corporate network) get in touch with the administrator for more help! 🙂