Local Files won't download

[Dykeules]

So I got my local files in my playlist on my desktop, my phone is connected to the same wifi as my desktop, the files play perfectly fine on my desktop, but when I go to download the playlist on mobile, the entire playlist downloads EXCEPT the local file, which just has a little error symbol (!) where the download symbol should be, so I can't listen to the song on my phone. I've done this over and over again and read and reread all the steps, and I do not know what is going wrong.

[Dykeules]

Hey there,

Thanks for the feedback.

The change was made due to compatibility issues with the sync between devices, especially between iOS and PCs as those are dependent on third-party software. Allowing local file discovery instead of a sync was also a popular request among users.

So this has been implemented to alleviate the compatibility issues which are beyond our control and in accordance with the feedback we received, as we continuously strive to improve the user experience on our platform. 

Hope this clears things a little,

Cheers!

[minderella]

I BELIEVE you have to be a premium member, but am no expert by any stretch!

[inboxron]

Hi Guys, i am also struggling with this and found a solution. i did everything as mentioned.
No special Characters in the names
Supported Format
Reinstalled Desktop and IOS Spotify app
On the Desktop app set up the local files and choose folder that is created on the main boot drive of the PC
Go to Phone's spotify>settings> local files.
This will prompt for you to allow Local files from apple music and the next prompt is to allow network access for media transfer.
Accept and allow everything!
My local files started downloading on my Phone Spotify.

Cheers, hope this helps

[lucky96]

I was able to sync songs from my PC onto my iPhone last week, despite the fact that the solutions said that was discontinued months ago. Now I’ve done nothing different but I can’t sync a new song. When I try to play the song from a playlist on my phone, the Spotify app tells me to connect by syncing with my computer with no further information on how I’m supposed to actually get the file on my phone. All of my previously synced songs are still there. I don’t know how to solve this because no solutions make any sense.

[featherclaw99]

I know it's been a while, but I know of a much simpler way to get your phone to download local files without having to save them on your phone or anything!

Simply have the Spotify app open on your phone, but play the songs you want to download on the desktop app. They will still be shown as playing on the mobile app. Then like the songs on your phone and it will register them and download them just like normal. Nothing needing to be downloaded or anything! 😄

[Jeriez]

Plan

Premium

Country

Israel

Device

iPhone 11

My Question or Issue

Hello, I've been trying for so long to get local files working on my iPhone, it works perfectly on my hp laptop, I tried adding songs to a playlist and then downloading the playlist on my iPhone but keeps showing the songs as unplayable. If anyone can help me with this I'd be very grateful.

[aatkisson]

My local files were not downloading when I switched my iphone so I deleted and redownloaded the app and tried to redownload local files but they are showing up with the red download icon or just not downloading at all.

what can i do? local files are enabled on my iphone. 

Plan

Premium

Country

Device

(iPhone 8, Samsung Galaxy 9, Macbook Pro late 2016)

Operating System

(iOS 10, Android Oreo, Windows 10,etc.)

My Question or Issue

[crunberg]

thank you so much

[Lesbeanieboo]

Hello! I found out it is possible to play local files on spotify and would like to do that. I got all the songs i wanted transferred into MP3, and downloaded them and placed them in a playlist in my windows computer spotify. I have checked to make sure all software and such is properly updated, and am on the same wifi for my computer and IPhone. But when i try to play the songs on my iphone, it says I must mark the playlist containing the song for offline sync. i have tried doing that, but every source says there is a button to smdo that, yet i have seen no such thing on either my phone or computer. i have reinstalled both apps, restarted both devices, redownloaded playlists, and toggled local files. what am i missing?

[jonrokofsky]

I'm having the same issue, I have all my songs downloaded as MP3 files yet when I try to download them on my PC nothing happens and there is no green arrow next to the song.

[sbamberger81]

Plan

Premium Duo

Country

US

Device

iPhone 14 Pro; Windows laptop

Operating System

iOS 16.2; Windows 11

My Question or Issue

On my desktop (laptop) application for Spotify, I have more than 5,400 songs in my Local Files folder. This includes songs from my CD collection that I had originally uploaded to my laptop, i.e., they are not all downloads. On my iPhone, the Local Files folder only shows 1,350 songs, so there are more than 4,000 songs that are not shown in the Local Files folder on the iPhone. Any thoughts on what I might do to change that? Thanks a lot in advance!

[NightlyAlpha]

Also having the same problems as the topic starter. 

I cannot get the local files synced from my PC to my android phone.

Followed all the guides, logged out of the app and back in, even deleted the apps on the pc and phone then reinstalled both again. Also tried with creating new playlists and having those to sync. And I have made sure the files are all in mp3 format.

But still I cannot get the sync to work.

Both solutions offered in this thread don't work for me. All I get is the ! in front of the audio file

PC is running Windows 10, app: Spotify for Windows 1.2.5.1006.g22820f93 and is connected via ethernet cable.

Phone runs Android 11, app version: 8.8.12.545, both wireless connections (2,4GHz and 5GHz) are on the same network as the pc is.

I'm also baffled that this issue still persist for more than 1½ years (counting from topic starter). 

[Dijeteric]

Not really a full proof solution but I find another way around it. Some songs I'm not able to download on my iPhone so tried downloading the file from a different website. I used to use youtube as my go to but now I use SoundCloud since everytime I download a song from there I never have any issues downloading it. Maybe it could be the DRM, I'm not sure but there is a possibility that it is. So I encourage you to try download your songs from SoundCloud or another website besides youtube on your PC then see if it downloads onto your phone.

[Dijeteric]

Found a loophole to downloading songs. I think a lot of songs aren't able to be downloaded because of DRM. So what I did was download the file from youtube and then upload to SoundCloud. Then I went a SoundCloud mp3 converter and poof it magically download onto my phone. Make sure you make it public on SoundCloud before you download from an mp3 converter or else it won't work. Hope this helps. 🙂 

[jc707270]

Just found this answer after searching, trying for a week for a solution and absolutely nothing worked better than this THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spebby]

Thanks for putting this out there, but Spotify on the app still acts as if it's possible to sync between devices. Shouldn't this be updated to reflect that this is no longer possible?

[elles03]

you are a FRIGGIN GENIUS!! Thank you for your work- I hope your pillow is always cold on both sides ❤️

[slayyyterr]

im also having issues here. i am trying to play songs on my iphone 14 (running ios 16) from my macbook pro (16 inch, 2019 model). i have turned local files on both devices, made playlists that contain all of my local files, and restarted both my phone and computer a few times. i have confirmed there are on the same internet as well.

the spotify-made local files folder doesn't even show up on my phone. i'm not even sure how to get that to show up, considering i did everything the instructions app told me to (and watched a few youtube videos to see if i was going crazy.)

please help!

[Babagd]

Plan

Premium

Country

Netherlands

Device

Huawei p30 lite

Operating System

android

My Question or Issue

i have like 1k+ local files and they were all working and playable. i decided to clean up a little bit cause the tagging on some of the songs were off and it was just a mess. i did this with the files on my computer. then when i was done I put the newly tagged songs in my playlist and they play normally on my windows laptop. i transferred the EXACT same files from my laptop to my phone but for some reason the files wont play on my phone even though ive done it like this for months. 

[Kriskunze12]

Being in the same network. Does this mean is my computer desktop is hardwired in and my iPhone is on wifi it won’t work?

[digitalwolf]

A chunk of my music library thats in flac does not sync to my phone. Why does the desktop app support flac but then doesn't sync the flac to your phone and won't even tell you that will be a problem?

I assume this is some kind of bug.