The Spotify Application Is Not Responding – 11 Ways to Fix It

Our room is not the only thing that needs cleaning. Even digital data, like the Spotify app, can stop responding if we don’t clear its junk files regularly. But being the digital form, Spotify can have an array of other reasons it’s freezing or crashing. 

So, let’s find out why Spotify is not responding on Windows 10 and how to fix it. 

Why is Spotify Not Responding on Windows 10?

If your Spotify is not responding or loading, it could be due to the following potential reasons:

1. Your Spotify is not updated to its latest version.  
2. Spotify has bugs or corrupted files. 
3. Spotify is crashing due to problematic Cache files.
4. Spotify is not available in your region. 

How to Fix Spotify Not Responding on Windows 10?

Regardless of the reason your Spotify is not responding, we have an array of solutions that you can try:

Troubleshoot Spotify

It’s always best to first troubleshoot Spotify directly from Windows without needing any third-party apps. This simple feature helps fix minor bugs and errors. So, here’s how you can troubleshoot Spotify: 

1. Go to Settings from the Start menu. 
2. Click on Update & Security. On the left panel, scroll to find the Troubleshoot option and click on it. 
3. Select Additional troubleshooters that’s below View troubleshooting history.
4. Select Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. You can scroll down and find it under the Find and fix other problems section. Select it and click on Run the troubleshooter.
   
5. Windows will ask you to select a program. Find and select Spotify. Click on Next.
6. You can either let Windows apply its recommended settings or manually choose the problems and troubleshoot. If you select to apply its recommended settings, it’ll allow you to test the program. 

Now, you can reopen Spotify. Please note that sometimes when running the troubleshooter, it might also say “Troubleshooting couldn’t identify the problem.” In that case, you can try other solutions below. 

Check if Defender Firewall is Blocking Spotify 

At times, apps like Spotify can stop working because the Windows Defender Firewall is blocking them. This is because Firewall wants to keep your computer safe and in some cases, it might not trust certain apps. So, you’ll have to manually change the settings to unblock Spotify.

1. Open the Control Panel from the search bar. 
2. Select System and Security. 
3. Click on Windows Defender Firewall settings. 
4. On the left panel, select Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
5. Here, you can view all the apps. Above the box, click on Change Settings. Now, you can make changes to your existing apps. 
6. Find and select Spotify Music. Check all the boxes, like Private and Public of Spotify.
7. Click on OK. 

Clear Spotify Cache Data

If it’s been a long time since you started using Spotify, chances are there are piled-up cache files in your computer. A cache is the record of your data, like your history, searches, liked songs, and more. Over time, these saved cache data can take a lot of space in your computer. Along with that, some files can get corrupted as well if not cleared regularly. 

These corrupted files can interfere with Spotify’s interface, causing problems like not responding or freezing. So, here’s how you can clear Spotify cache data on Windows:

For Spotify App Installed From the Windows Store: 

1. Go to your C Drive to open AppData. Windows keeps this file hidden by default. So, you may not find it by searching for it in the search bar if you haven’t changed its settings. 
2. Open Users folder. 
3. Open the folder with your admin username.
4. Click on AppData and then click on Local. 
5. Select Packages.
6. Here, you can find all the apps downloaded from the Windows Store. You should be able to find Spotify with this name SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic_zpdnekdrzrea0.
7. Open the folder and click on LocalCache. 
8. Now, open the Spotify folder. 
9. Open Data and remove all files from the folder. 

If you can’t find the AppData folder anywhere, you can remove cache data from your settings as well. Go to Spotify from the Apps and Features list. Click on Advanced Options > Reset.

For the Spotify App Installed From the Official Website

Follow the above steps from #1 to #4 and then follow these steps:

1. Instead of Packages, open the Spotify folder.
2. Open the Storage folder. This is where you’ll find all your Cache files. Select all files and delete. 

Now, you can restart Spotify and see if it’s starting to respond. 

Turn Off Hardware Acceleration

Hardware Acceleration is when your computer software collaborates with hardware aspects to boost the overall performance. This setting is always on by default. 

However, if your PC assigns tasks to the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) instead of the CPU, browsers can crash or not respond. So, if you often only use Spotify on your browser, this could be one of the reasons. 

Here’s how you can disable hardware acceleration on Chrome: 

1. Go to Chrome settings by clicking on the three dots at the top-right corner. 
2. Open Advanced Settings. 
3. Click on System. On this page, click on the toggle that says Hardware Acceleration When Available to turn it off. 
4. Restart your browser. 

Here’s how to disable Hardware Acceleration on Firefox: 

1. Open Firefox and select Menu that’s on the top-right corner. 
2. Go to Options. 
3. Click on Advanced. 
4. Open General. 
5. Untick the box that says Use Hardware Acceleration When Available. 

Repair Spotify

You can easily repair Spotify from your Windows settings to fix minor errors. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go to Apps from settings. 
2. Look for Spotify in the Apps and Features list.
3. If you had installed Spotify from the Windows store, you should be able to see the Advanced options beneath Spotify. Click on it to find more options.
4. Scroll down to find the Reset section. 
5. Click on Repair.

Force end task

When Spotify is not responding, even though you close it, it still keeps running in the background. So, when the app is frozen, it’s best to properly restart it. To do that, you’ll need to force end it. Here’s how you can do it.

1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc at once. 
2. You’ll see a small pop-up window where you can view the apps running in the background. 
3. Right-click on Spotify and click on End task. 

Reboot PC

If you tried the Force end task method and it didn’t work, you can try rebooting your PC. When you reboot your PC, it closes all active programs and even refreshes the operating system. To reboot a pc, you can follow these simple steps: 

1. Go to the Start menu. 
2. Click on the Power button. 
3. Click Restart. 

Reinstall/Update Spotify

If the above tips are not working, you can always uninstall and reinstall Spotify. If you use Spotify on a web browser, log out and log back in. But, if you have the Spotify app, you can uninstall it by searching Spotify in the search bar and clicking on Uninstall. 

When you reinstall Spotify, you’ll also get its latest version. The update fixes minor bugs and enhances the overall performance. But if you don’t want to reinstall and only update your Spotify, go to the Windows Store and find Spotify. You’ll see the Update Available option. Click on it to get the new version.

Check for Updates from Spotify

Finally, sometimes Spotify won’t respond because their server is down or the Spotify team is maintaining or fixing it. In such cases, Spotify always shares this information on their social media. So, you can check their Twitter, Instagram, or such social media platforms.