Important: Spotify has two versions on PC: the web player (which you open on a browser) and the desktop app (which you need to download and install on your PC).
I won’t go into the details here, but the difference is the desktop app allows you to listen to higher-quality audio and download songs for offline listening.
The web player streams less-quality audio and doesn’t allow offline listening.
Whichever version of Spotify you use on your computer, here are some of the reasons why your Spotify Premium account is not working on your PC.
1. Needs time to sync
Log out and back into your account. This can force an update between your computer and account. Sometimes this is needed to sync your account and PC.
If you’ve done this and you still cannot access Spotify Premium, wait for 1 hour to log back in. After you’ve subscribed to Premium, Spotify may need time to sync your account.
I came across this issue when I was trying to download songs. I have Spotify Premium and have no problem downloading songs on my phone but my computer says this:
All I did to solve the issue was to log out and then log back in. I didn’t even need to reinstall the desktop app. Once I logged back in, I was able to access the Premium features.
2. Your payment is still pending
Just as Spotify needs time to sync your account, it may also need time to confirm your payment. Your transaction may not have gone through if your Spotify Premium payment is “pending.”
When you submit a payment, your bank puts the funds aside as “pending”. The pending status will expire and the funds will be returned to you if the payment fails.
Make sure your credit/debit card is working properly.
If your plan is with a partner company (pay by mobile or PayPal, for example), contact them and ask whether the transaction has been successful or not.
3. The Spotify desktop app needs an update
If you are using the Spotify desktop app, and your Premium account is not working, check for an update. The desktop app may be out of date. An update may solve the issue.
Make it a habit to keep your desktop apps up to date. Updates contain important changes to improve the performance, stability, and security of the applications that run on your computer.
It’s also a good idea to reinstall the Spotify desktop app. Often, a simple reinstall is all you need to get your Spotify Premium account working as it should.
4. You logged into the wrong account
Make sure you log in with the same email address shown on your account page. Otherwise, you could log into another account that doesn’t have Premium.
If there’s no email address on your account page, try logging in with Facebook.
It may sound simple, but many Spotify users have created multiple accounts. I find people logging into the wrong account which doesn’t have Premium features.
5. Login with your username instead of email address
If you have trouble accessing your Premium features, try logging into your Spotify profile on your browser here with your email. Your username will be displayed after you log in.
You should receive an email receipt from Spotify for your Premium subscription purchase. Inside, you will be able to see the assigned username for you.
Spotify assigns a combination of random numbers and letters as your username.
Now log out of the Spotify app on your device, and be sure to use that username instead of your email address to log in to your account. You should be able to access Premium features now.
Once you’re inside (logging in with your username), you can check the status of your subscription here and also check your receipts here.
6. Someone removed you from the Premium plan
Did you get invited to a Premium plan? Some Spotify Premium plans are made for a group of people. For example, the Premium Family is for 6 people while the Premium Duo is for 2.
It could be the account manager has removed you from the plan.
Alternatively, you may have lost access to your account if Spotify can’t verify you. You can ask the manager to invite you again or choose a different Premium plan.
7. A firewall may be blocking Spotify
A firewall is designed to block certain apps from accessing the internet. If you have not set it correctly, it may be blocking Spotify Premium from doing the same thing.
A firewall is a network security device that monitors traffic to or from your network. It allows or blocks traffic based on a defined set of security rules.
Usually, Spotify will display the “A firewall may be blocking Spotify” error message because of your firewall’s security considerations. You’ll need to change the security rules.
If you use a Windows computer, here’s what you do:
- Press Windows key + R to bring up a Run dialog.
- Type firewall.cpl and click OK. This should bring up the Windows Defender Firewall.
- Select Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
- In the Allowed apps window, click Change settings.
- Find spotify.exe and check the Private and Public options.
- Click OK to save the new firewall settings.
If you don’t use a Windows computer, you should follow the error’s instructions and allow Spotify through the firewall. Once you’ve done this, Spotify Premium should work properly.
8. You are using a VPN
There are plenty of reasons to use a VPN, but sometimes it interferes with some apps on the computer, including Spotify. As a result, you won’t have access to Spotify Premium.
Spotify doesn’t officially support the use of a VPN. Because of this, there is a huge possibility that the service won’t connect to the Spotify servers when used together with a VPN.
Turn off your VPN and see how it goes.
9. You have not set up your account properly
Each time you create an account on Spotify, they will assign you a random combination of numbers and letters as your username. Connect an email address immediately.
If you haven’t connected your account to an email address or Facebook, you may have trouble logging back in once you log out because you are likely not to remember your username.
Since the account is not connected to an email address or Facebook account, you cannot log back in using your credentials and you cannot reset the password.
Make sure you connect your Spotify Premium account to an email address.
Related articles:
- What happens when you clear the Spotify cache?
- Why are some songs louder on Spotify?
- Why does Spotify censor music?
- Spotify Premium not working on the phone