Playlist doesn't show local files on iPhone

[bobharbison]

I've imported my local files, and added them to a playlist. They're m4a, and play just fine on my desktop. When I launch Spotify on my iPhone, the playlist shows up but no songs are there and there's no option to play the playlist. 

I've tried all the answers I can find. Spotify is running on the desktop. Both devices are on the same wifi network. I can start the playlist on the desktop and when I do the iPod can control it, start, stop, skip track. But I can't launch the playlist from the phone, nor can I view any of the songs (all local files) on the phone. 

How do I get them to show up on the iPhone? I realize that this only works when I'm on the same wifi network. But I can't even get it to work then. 

[user-removed]

Hello,
You need to download the playlists on your iPhone or other mobile devices.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

[annelieprins]

I'm having the same problem.. The problem is, the songs don't download.. 

How do I get to download the songs?

[bobharbison]

I guess I wasn't clear enough. The NAME of the playlist is there, but the songs are not. Thus I cannot download them. If I create a playlist with 10 songs, 5 from Spotify and 5 local, only the 5 from Spotify will show up on my iPhone. (And the download option will be visible for those 5)
To re-state what I said earlier. I'm on the same Wifi network. Spotify is running on my desktop. On the iphone I'm using the desktop as the playback device. The songs are m4a and will play just fine when I play them using the desktop app. But if I add those songs to a playlist, they do not show in that playlist when you view it on the phone. They are in the playlist when viewed on the desktop. 

[bobharbison]

::tap:: ::tap:: ::tap:: ::tap:: This thing on?

Anyone have a suggestion? Still having this issue. 

I've downloaded the files on my desktop app (which seems rather stupid, they're local files, why would I need to download them?) but that didn't change anything on the iphone side of thing. None of the songs are visible there.  

[bobharbison]

OK, I finally got this to work. The problem apparently was the wifi network. 

As a recap, here's the process: (Premium only)

1. Using the desktop app, add local music files you want to sync to a playlist.
2. Log into Spotify on your iPhone using the same WiFi network as your desktop.
3. Open the playlist containing local files from your computer.
4. Select Download

Simple enough, right? 
The first problem I had was with the local songs. Some of them were m4p and couldn't be played. OK, fine, can't really blame Spotify for that. Did some research, found out Apple Music Match would let me download the m4a's and did that.

Then I created a playlist with the local songs as well as some from Spotify. Opened up the playlist on my iPhone and only the Spotify songs were there, not the local one. Created a playlist with only local songs as a test. The playlist name was visible but no songs. Everyone says "You need to download them!" Well, if they're not even visible it won't download them. 

I tried, numerous times, to make sure the desktop and iPhone were on the same wifi. They were, but it didn't help. Finally, I decided to try using the wifi from my cable modem rather than the Asus router I normally use. (The Asus is much faster than the crappy Comcast modem). That solved the issue once I switched them both over. The songs appeared, I clicked download and it's working. 

What was the difference? Honestly, I don't know. Maybe it doesn't like 5g? Maybe the Asus has some kind of a security setting that prevented them from talking? I haven't a clue. 

My only suggestion if you're also seeing this issue is to try various wifi networks if you have more than one. If you're using 5g and no luck, try the 2g band.