Spotify's offline download feature works only with a Premium subscription
You cannot download songs on Spotify with a free account. The offline download feature is exclusive to Spotify Premium subscribers, which costs $11.99 per month (or $119.99 per year if you pay annually). If you have a free account, you can still stream songs over Wi-Fi or cellular data, but they will not save to your phone for listening without an internet connection.
Once you upgrade to Premium, the download button appears next to every song, playlist, and album in the Spotify app. Downloaded songs take up storage space on your iPhone — typically 3 to 5 MB per song — so you may need to manage your phone's storage if you download large libraries.
Key Takeaways
- Spotify Premium is required to download songs; the feature does not work on free accounts.
- To download a song, open it in Spotify, tap the download icon (a downward arrow), and wait for the checkmark to appear.
- Downloaded songs remain on your iPhone even without internet, but they expire after 30 days if you do not connect to the internet.
- You can download entire playlists and albums at once by tapping the download icon next to the playlist or album name.
- Downloaded content uses iPhone storage space, so deleting songs you no longer listen to frees up room for new downloads.
How to download individual songs
Open the Spotify app on your iPhone and find the song you want to download. This can be a song in your library, a search result, or a song within a playlist. Tap the three dots (menu icon) next to the song title, then tap "Download" from the menu that appears. A downward-pointing arrow icon will show next to the song, and it will fill in as the download progresses.
Once the arrow icon is solid (not hollow), the song has finished downloading and is saved to your iPhone. You can now play it without an internet connection. If you change your mind, tap the three dots again and select "Remove Download" to delete it from your phone and free up storage space.
Downloading playlists and albums at once
To save an entire playlist or album instead of individual songs, open the playlist or album in Spotify and look for the download icon — a downward arrow — near the top of the screen, usually next to the play button. Tap this icon and Spotify will begin downloading all songs in that playlist or album to your iPhone.
The download progress appears as a percentage or a loading indicator. Depending on how many songs are in the playlist or album and your internet speed, this can take several minutes. Once complete, all songs in that playlist or album will play without needing an internet connection.
What happens to downloaded songs after 30 days
Downloaded songs on Spotify expire after 30 days without an internet connection. This means if you download a song and then do not connect your iPhone to the internet for a month, Spotify will remove that song from your phone the next time you try to play it. The song is not deleted permanently — you can download it again — but you will need internet access to refresh it.
To keep your downloaded songs active, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi or cellular data at least once every 30 days. Spotify will automatically refresh your downloads in the background when you are connected. If you travel somewhere without internet for more than a month, your downloads will expire and you will need to re-download them when you return.
Managing storage for downloaded songs
Downloaded Spotify songs take up space on your iPhone's storage. A typical song uses 3 to 5 MB, so 100 songs might use 300 to 500 MB. If your iPhone is running low on storage, you can delete downloaded songs to free up room. Open Spotify, go to the song or playlist, tap the three dots, and select "Remove Download."
You can also check how much space Spotify is using on your iPhone by going to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and scrolling to find Spotify in the list. If Spotify is taking up too much space, consider downloading only your most-played playlists or albums instead of your entire library. Downloaded songs will still stream normally over the internet if you delete them from your phone.
Downloading songs over Wi-Fi versus cellular data
Spotify allows you to download songs over both Wi-Fi and cellular data, but you can change this setting if you want to save mobile data. Open Spotify, tap the profile icon (your account picture) in the bottom right, select "Settings and privacy," then scroll to "Playback" and toggle "Download using cellular" on or off.
If you turn off cellular downloads, Spotify will only download songs when you are connected to Wi-Fi. This is useful if you have a limited data plan. If the toggle is on, you can download songs anywhere, but be aware that large downloads over cellular can use significant data quickly.
Troubleshooting downloads that fail or get stuck
If a song fails to download or gets stuck, first check that you have a stable internet connection and enough storage space on your iPhone. Try closing the Spotify app completely and opening it again. If the download still does not work, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find Spotify, and tap "Offload App" (this removes the app but keeps your data), then reinstall Spotify from the App Store.
If only certain songs fail to download, those songs may have regional restrictions or licensing issues that prevent offline playback in your country. Try downloading a different song to confirm the download feature itself is working. If downloads work for some songs but not others, the problem is likely with those specific tracks rather than your account or phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download Spotify songs and listen to them outside the Spotify app?
No. Downloaded Spotify songs can only be played within the Spotify app. You cannot export them as MP3 files or play them in other music apps. If you stop your Premium subscription, downloaded songs will no longer play even if they are still on your phone.
What happens to my downloads if I cancel Spotify Premium?
All downloaded songs will stop playing immediately. They will remain on your iPhone taking up storage space, but you will not be able to listen to them until you renew your Premium subscription. If you want to free up space, you can delete the Spotify app or remove downloads manually through the app.
Can I download songs on Spotify on my computer and transfer them to my iPhone?
No. Downloads are tied to the device and account they were downloaded on. You must download songs directly on your iPhone using the Spotify app. Downloading on a Mac or Windows computer will not make those songs available on your phone.
How many songs can I download to my iPhone?
Spotify allows up to 10,000 downloaded songs per account across all devices. In practice, your iPhone's storage will fill up long before you reach this limit. Most iPhones have between 64 GB and 512 GB of total storage, which limits how many songs you can realistically download.