Why Can't I Play Full Songs on Spotify? Troubleshooting Tips for Common Issues
When navigating through your playlists on Spotify, you may encounter a frustrating issue where songs only play for 10 seconds, leaving you wanting to hear the full track. This can be due to a variety of reasons ranging from app glitches to hardware issues. Below are detailed steps to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this common problem.
Troubleshooting Steps
1. Restart Spotify: Sometimes, the issue might be as simple as a temporary freeze. Restarting the app can resolve these issues quickly. To do this, close the app completely and reopen it. If the problem persists, proceed to the next steps.
2. Check Spotify’s Account Status: If you're using a Spotify Free account, some premium features are limited. On a free account, you can only play playlists and albums in Shuffle mode and can't select individual songs manually. Free users cannot download Spotify music either. However, with the paid Premium version, you can play full songs without any limitations.
3. Log Out and Then Log Back In: Sometimes, logging out and then logging back into the app can refresh your session and resolve the issue. Close the app, sign out, wait a few seconds, and sign back in.
4. Restart Your Computer: Issues with your device can also cause playback problems. Restarting your computer can clear out temporary glitches and could potentially resolve the issue.
5. Ensure You Have Enough Storage: Spotify requires a minimum of 250 MB of free storage to stream songs properly. Check your available storage space. If your drive is almost full, clear up some space by deleting photos or uninstalling unnecessary apps and try playing the songs again.
6. Update Spotify: Make sure your Spotify app is fully up to date. Sometimes, the issue could be due to an outdated app version. Ensure automatic updates are enabled in your app settings to keep the app current.
7. Turn Off Crossfade: Crossfade settings help to smooth the transition between songs, but they might sometimes cause issues with the full song playback. Turn off crossfade in the app settings to see if this resolves the problem.
8. Turn Off Hardware Acceleration: This setting can affect app performance. Turning it off in your device's settings might resolve the issue.
9. Make Sure Spotify Is in Online Mode: Ensure that Spotify is running in online mode. Check your connection settings in the app and try playing a song to see if it's online. If not, you might need to troubleshoot your internet connection.
10. Check Your Firewall: Your device's firewall might be blocking Spotify's access to your music files. Temporarily disable your firewall and see if that resolves the issue. Remember to re-enable it once you've troubleshooted.
11. Reinstall Spotify: If none of the above steps work, a complete uninstall and reinstall of Spotify might help. Backup any important data first, and then remove Spotify completely from your device. Afterward, download and install the latest version from the official app store and try playing your songs again.
Buy the Subscription
If none of these steps resolve the issue, the problem might be due to limitations of a free account. To play full songs without any restrictions, consider subscribing to Spotify Premium. This will allow you to enjoy full song playback, customize your playlists, and more.
In conclusion, troubleshooting playback issues on Spotify can be a process, but by following these steps, you should be able to resolve most common problems and enjoy your full songs seamlessly. If the issue persists, reaching out to Spotify's support team might be your next step.