Spotify Won't Open: How to Fix Spotify Not Opening on Windows 10 & Mac

Spotify is a popular music streaming service with millions of active users from all over the world. It can be downloaded and installed on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chrome. You can even set up Spotify on Linux.

Unfortunately, many users have complained that Spotify won’t open on Windows 10 or Mac anymore. On the bright side, it’s usually a simple problem that can be solved without too much effort.

What to do if Spotify won’t open?

Check out the following easy instructions to fix Spotify on your Windows 10 and Mac if the application refuses to launch.

1. Restart your device

We know it sounds simple enough, but bear with us. Restart your Windows 10 or Mac computer before attempting to launch Spotify. It helps when the app has functionality issues caused by hanging system processes.

However, if it doesn’t do the trick, proceed with the following solutions on this list.

2. Run the Spotify app as admin

The music streaming app might have trouble opening on your machine due to permission errors. To put this theory to the test, make sure to run the Spotify app with elevation rights, even if you’re signed in as the PC administrator. It’s not necessary to do this on Mac since all apps run with admin rights by default.

How to run Spotify as admin on Windows 10:

Click the Start button and type Spotify
Click Run as administrator
If prompted by UAC (User Account Control), click Yes

3. Restart Spotify

This is another solution that may sound too simple to work, but it usually helps if Spotify won’t open on your Windows or Mac computer. Before restarting the app, though, make sure to close all its processes.

How to restart Spotify on Windows 10 correctly:

Right-click the taskbar and go to Task Manager
In the Processes tab, find Spotify and make sure to select the entire process tree
Click End task
Press the Windows key and type Spotify
Select Run as administrator
Click Yes if prompted by UAC

How to restart Spotify on Mac:

Select the Spotify app window
Open the Apple menu
Select Force Quit
You can also press Option + Command + Esc, select Spotify, and select Force Quit
Start the Spotify app

4. Run Spotify in compatibility mode

Your Windows 10 edition might not be fully compatible with the Microsoft Store app for Spotify. However, you should be able to solve this problem by launching the tool in compatibility mode.

How to run Spotify in compatibility mode on Windows 10:

Press Win key + E to open File Explorer
Type %appdata% in the address bar to open this folder
Go to Local > Microsoft > WindowsApps
Right-click Spotify.exe and select Properties
Switch to the Compatibility tab
Enable the Run this program in compatibility mode for option
Click the dropdown menu below and select Windows 8
Click Apply and exit
Try to open Spotify now

5. Update the Spotify app on Windows 10

Microsoft Store apps get regularly updated. If the Spotify app won’t open anymore, perhaps it’s obsolete. But you can easily bring it up to speed.

Click the Start button, type Microsoft Store, and press Enter
Click the More button on the top-right corner to open a menu
Select Downloads and Updates
Find the Spotify app in this list and click the update button
Or, you can click Get updates on the upper-right corner to update all apps at once
Try to open Spotify after the update

6. Check for system updates

Whether you’re running Windows 10 or macOS, your operating system should be updated at all times to avoid application functionality issues caused by a lack of support. It could be the reason why Spotify won’t open anymore, especially if you haven’t been using your computer for a long time.

How to run Windows Update:

Click the Start button, type Check for updates, and press Enter
Click Check for updates. While Windows is busy, you should suspend all computer activities
If there are any updates available, click Download
Wait until Windows finishes all updates. Your computer might have to be restarted several times
Double-check if your OS is up to date by clicking Check for updates again
Try to open Spotify

How to update macOS:

Open the Apple menu on the upper-left corner
Click Software Update
While Mac is looking for updates, you should stop using other applications
If it finds any updates available for download, click Update Now
Write your administrator username and password if requested for authorization
Restart macOS and try to open Spotify

7. Repair the Spotify app on Windows 10

Microsoft Store has a repair function prepared for Spotify, which you can access with minimum effort. It’s not as efficient as the reset mode, but it will spare your data so it’s worth trying first. Here’s what you need to do:

Press the Windows key, type Spotify, and click App settings
Scroll down and click the Repair button
Repairs won’t take long. Once the task is complete, try to open Spotify

8. Reset the Spotify app on Windows 10

If Spotify won’t open on your Windows 10 PC anymore, it’s a good idea to reset the app. Thankfully, there’s a built-in option for that purpose, so you just have to track it down.

Just keep in mind that the app’s data will be deleted, including preferences and sign-in data, so you will have to enter your login credentials and customize options again.

Click the Start button, type Spotify, and click App settings
Scroll down and click the Reset button
Click Reset again to confirm
Try to open Spotify now

9. Clean reinstall Spotify

If the reset function doesn’t work on Windows 10, or if you’re currently on Mac, you can perform a clean reinstall of the Spotify app. It’s a bit more complicated compared to the previous solution, but it has been proven by users to be more effective.

How to clean reinstall Spotify on Windows 10:

Right-click the Start button and select Apps and Features
Find and select Spotify
Click Uninstall and then Uninstall again to confirm
Press Win key + E to launch File Explorer
Type the following address in the address bar to visit this location
```
C:\Windows\Prefetch
```
Find, select, and delete all SPOTIFY.EXE files
Download Spotify from the official website
Set up and try to launch Spotify

How to clean reinstall Spotify on Mac:

Click Spotify in the menu bar
Select Quit Spotify
Open the Finder and click the Go menu
Visit the Library section. If the option isn’t visible, press and hold the Alt key
Go to the Caches location
Select and delete the com.spotify.Client folder
Go back and open Application Support
Select and delete the Spotify folder
Download Spotify from the official website
Install and try to open Spotify

10. Allow Background apps on Windows 10

The Spotify app must be allowed to access background apps on Windows 10. Otherwise, it won’t open due to a lack of permissions. Here’s how you can easily enable this setting:

Click the Start button, type Spotify, and click App settings
At App permissions, set Background apps to On
Exit this window and try to open Spotify now

11. Disable hardware acceleration

By default, Spotify uses hardware acceleration to improve your music streaming experience. However, if you have old hardware, the acceleration could be putting too much pressure on it. In some cases, it could even prevent Spotify from opening correctly. But you can fix this problem by turning it off.

How to disable hardware acceleration on Mac:

Select the Spotify window
Open the Spotify menu
Click Hardware Acceleration to deselect it
Restart Spotify

How to disable hardware acceleration on Windows 10:

It’s a bit more complicated on Windows because it means accessing the settings section of Spotify, assuming that you can open the app in the first place.

Open the Spotify app
Click the arrow button next to your account name on the top-right corner to open a menu
Go to Settings
Scroll down to the bottom of the window and click Show advanced settings
Scroll down to Compatibility
Turn off Enable hardware acceleration
Restart Spotify to commit changes

12. Update the GPU driver

If Spotify won’t open your computer, it might be due to display issues. But you can fix the problem by updating your graphics adapter to the latest version. To update your GPU driver on Mac, it’s only necessary to run macOS updates.

How to update the graphics driver on Windows 10:

Right-click the Start button and go to Device Manager
Open the Display adapters group
Right-click your graphics device and select Update driver
When prompted with two options, click Search automatically for updated driver software
If you see the The best drivers for your device are already installed message, click Search for updated drivers on Windows Update
Restart your PC and try to open Spotify

Regrettably, Microsoft often fails to find drivers through Windows Update. In that case, you have to track down a newer GPU driver by visiting the manufacturer’s website.

But if you don’t want to risk installing an incompatible driver, we suggest using a third-party driver update application. You can use it to keep all your drivers updated and automatically find newer versions.

13. Disable Spotify autostart

Some users claimed they fixed the application error by preventing Spotify from automatically running at every system startup. Instead, they manually open the music streaming program.

How to prevent Spotify startup on Windows 10:

Right-click the taskbar and go to Task Manager
Switch to the Startup tab
Select Spotify and click Disable
Restart your PC and try to open Spotify

How to prevent Spotify startup on Mac:

Open the Apple menu on the top-left corner
Go to System Preferences
Select Users & Groups
Pick your username on the left side
Switch to the Login items tab
Find and select the Spotify entry
Click the – button to remove it from the list
Restart the computer and try to use Spotify

14. Check the firewall settings

The system firewall might be preventing you from opening Spotify due to security issues. You can quickly check this by temporarily disabling your firewall on Windows 10 or Mac.

How to disable the firewall on Windows 10:

Sign in to Windows 10 with the administrator role
Press the Windows key, type Check firewall status, and press Enter
Click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off on the left
Select Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) at Private and Public network settings
Click OK
Try to open Spotify now

How to disable the firewall on Mac:

Open the Apple menu
Select System Preferences
Go to the Security section
Choose Firewall
Click Turn off Firewall
Try to open the Spotify app

Even if this solution worked, you shouldn’t keep your firewall turned off, so make sure to retrace the steps above to start it up again. A permanent solution is to add an exception for Spotify in the firewall.

How to allow Spotify through the firewall on Windows 10:

Make sure you’re logged in as the admin
Click the Start button, type firewall, and open Firewall & network protection
Click Allow an app through firewall
Click Change settings
Locate Spotify Music on this list. If it’s not there, click Allow another app, then click Browse to find and add Spotify
Check the box next to Spotify Music
Also, check the associated Private and Public boxes
Click OK and exit
Open the Spotify app

How to allow Spotify through the firewall on Mac:

Open the Apple menu
Go to System Preferences
Click Security and switch to the Firewall section
Press the lock button
If asked by Mac, enter your admin username and password to continue
Select the Firewall Options area
Click Add Application
Select Spotify and click Add
Click OK
Launch the Spotify app

15. Disable your antivirus

If you have a third-party antivirus installed, it might flag the audio streaming application as malware. As a result, you won’t be able to open and use Spotify anymore. To fix this problem, it’s necessary to disable your antimalware solution.

However, if you’re keen on keeping it, then you should whitelist Spotify by reporting it as a false positive. It won’t get blocked anymore, and you will be able to enjoy your favorite music without any further problems.

16. Run the Microsoft Store troubleshooter

The Spotify app depends on Microsoft Store to work properly on Windows 10. So, if there’s something wrong with the Store, then you shouldn’t be surprised if Spotify won’t open on your PC.

Luckily, Windows 10 has a troubleshooter prepared to fix common Store problems with your Microsoft account, missing or corrupt files, service registration, temporary Internet files, User Account Control, and others.

How to use the Microsoft Store troubleshooter:

Right-click the Start button and go to Settings
Select Update & Security
Pick Troubleshoot on the left side
Click Additional troubleshooters
Scroll down to the bottom of the window
Select Windows Store Apps and click Run the troubleshooter
Follow the on-screen instructions
Try to start the Spotify app now

17. Start Windows 10 in safe mode

A foolproof way to troubleshoot Spotify app problems on Windows 10 is by booting Windows 10 in Safe Mode. It disables any non-essential processes, services, and drivers that may affect the Spotify streaming service. Here’s how to do it correctly:

Press the Windows key and click the power button to open a menu
Hold down the Alt key, then click Restart to launch Windows in troubleshooting mode
Click Troubleshoot
Go to Advanced options
Select Startup Settings
Click Restart
Press F5 to enable Safe Mode with Networking
After Windows boots, try to open the Spotify app

18. Contact Spotify support

If all the previous solutions on this list failed to fix your Spotify functionality issues, it’s time to get your hands dirty and contact Spotify support to ask for assistance. It could very well be an issue on their side that can’t be resolved on your computer.

Spotify Not Opening, Still?

To review, if the Spotify app won’t open on your Windows 10 or Mac computer, there’s no need to panic. You can restart your device, launch the application with administrator rights, restart Spotify, run it in compatibility mode, or update the app to the latest version.

You should also update your operating system to the latest version, repair the Spotify app with a simple command, reset it or perform a clean reinstall, allow background apps on Windows 10, as well as disable hardware acceleration.

Furthermore, it’s a good idea to update your graphics driver, prevent Spotify from automatically running at every system startup, check your firewall settings, disable your antivirus, run the Microsoft Store troubleshooter, and start Windows 10 in safe mode.

If everything fails, it’s time to get in touch with the Spotify support team and ask for guidance. Until you get a response, you can fire up your web browser and stick to the Spotify Web Player.

How did you manage to get the Spotify app working again on your Windows 10 PC or Mac? Tell us about your experience in the comment area below.