How to Download Spotify Music for Offline Listening [Premium & Free]

By Adam Gorden Updated on August 31, 2026

download music from spotify

Spotify makes it easy to listen to music and podcasts wherever you go, whether you are commuting, working out, traveling, or simply relaxing at home. However, many users quickly notice that downloading Spotify music for offline listening is mainly a Spotify Premium feature, while Spotify Free does not offer offline music downloads.

So, does that mean Spotify Premium is the only way to download Spotify music offline? Not quite. In this guide, you will learn how to download Spotify music with Premium, including saving individual songs, playlists, and albums on desktop and mobile devices. You will also discover alternative ways to download Spotify music without Premium using a Spotify music converter or recording tool.

Part 1. Can You Download Spotify Music for Offline Listening?

Yes, but it depends on whether you have a Spotify Premium subscription. Spotify allows users to download content for offline listening, but the available downloads vary by plan. With Spotify Premium, users can download albums, playlists, and podcasts, while Spotify Free users can only download podcasts.

However, Spotify offline downloads do not create permanent local music files. Users who want to save Spotify songs as MP3 or other common audio formats need alternative solutions, such as third-party tools like ViWizard Spotify Music Converter.

How Does Spotify Offline Listening Work?

Spotify offline listening works by downloading content while users are connected to the internet and storing it inside the Spotify app. After the download is complete, users can play the content without Wi-Fi or mobile data. Users can also enable Offline Mode to play only downloaded content when offline.

To download content, open an album, playlist, or podcast, then select the Download button. Spotify does not provide a direct download option for individual songs; instead, users need to add songs to a playlist, such as Liked Songs, and download that playlist.

What Can You Download with Spotify Offline Listening?

Spotify Premium users can download albums, playlists, and podcasts for offline playback. Individual songs can also be available offline after being added to a playlist and downloaded. This feature is useful for listening during flights, subway rides, travel, or other situations where internet access is limited.

What Are the Limitations of Spotify Offline Listening?

Spotify downloads are only available within the Spotify app. Downloaded content is not saved as regular MP3, WAV, or other audio files, and users cannot transfer songs to other music players or devices.

Spotify Premium is required for music downloads, and users need to connect to the internet at least once every 30 days to keep downloads available. Spotify supports offline downloads on up to 5 devices, with up to 10,000 tracks per device.

Part 2. How to Download Individual Spotify Songs for Offline Listening

If you only want to save a few favorite Spotify tracks, you need to add them to Your Liked Songs or another playlist first because Spotify does not provide a direct download option for a single standalone song. The process is simple: find a song, add it to Your Liked Songs or a playlist, then enable the Download option for that playlist. Once the download icon appears, the song becomes available for offline playback through Spotify.

You can also enable Offline Mode to prevent Spotify from using an internet connection, which makes this method useful for travel, commuting, workouts, or areas with poor connectivity. However, these downloads remain stored inside Spotify and cannot be exported as MP3 files, copied to a USB drive, or played through other media players. This method is best for users who only need a small collection of favorite songs available offline.

Requirements
  • A Spotify Premium account
  • The Spotify app installed on a supported device, such as Windows, Mac, Android, or iPhone
  • A stable internet connection for downloading songs initially
  • Enough storage space on the device for offline downloads
  • Songs added to Your Liked Songs or a playlist before enabling downloads
  • Regularly reconnecting to Spotify to keep offline downloads available

How to Download Spotify Liked Songs on the Spotify Desktop App

01Open the Spotify desktop app on your Windows or Mac computer.

02Search for the song you want to download for offline listening.

03Click the heart icon next to the song to add it to Liked Songs.

spotify desktop save to your liked songs

04Click Your Library from the left-side menu.

05Select Liked Songs under Playlists.

06Click the Download button at the top of the Liked Songs playlist.

07Wait until the download icon appears to confirm that the songs are available offline.

08Turn on Offline Mode if you only want to play downloaded content by going to File → Offline Mode on Windows or Spotify → Offline Mode on Mac.

How to Download Spotify Liked Songs on the Spotify Mobile App

01Open the Spotify app on your iPhone or Android device.

02Search for the song you want to save for offline listening.

03Tap the heart icon or Add to Liked Songs to save the song.

04Tap Your Library at the bottom of the screen.

05Select Liked Songs from your playlists.

06Tap the Download button.

07Wait until the download icon appears to confirm that your Liked Songs playlist is available offline.

08Turn on Offline Mode by going to Profile picture → Settings and privacy → Data-saving and offline → Offline mode if needed.

Part 3. How to Download Spotify Playlists and Albums for Offline Listening with Premium

Spotify Premium allows users to download entire playlists and albums for offline listening. To download a playlist or album, open Spotify, select the content you want, and click or tap the Download button. Spotify will save available songs to your device, allowing you to play them offline after the download is complete.

This method is useful for preparing music before flights, road trips, vacations, or other situations with limited internet access. It can also reduce mobile data usage because Spotify plays downloaded tracks instead of streaming them.

However, Spotify downloads remain limited to the Spotify app. Users cannot access the files directly, transfer them to other devices, or play them through other media players. Offline downloads also require an active Premium subscription and regular account activity.

Requirements
  • A Spotify Premium subscription
  • The Spotify app installed on a supported device
  • A stable internet connection for downloading playlists and albums
  • Enough storage space for saving larger music collections
  • Available Spotify playlists or albums that can be downloaded in your region
  • Regular account activity to maintain offline downloads

How to Download a Spotify Playlist or Album on the Spotify Desktop App

spotify desktop playlist downloaded

01Open the Spotify desktop app on your Windows or Mac computer.

02Search for the playlist or album you want to download.

03Open the playlist or album page.

04Click the Download button below the playlist or album title.

05Wait until the download icon appears to confirm that the content is available offline.

06Turn on Offline Mode by going to File → Offline Mode on Windows or Spotify → Offline Mode on Mac.

How to Download a Spotify Playlist or Album on the Spotify Mobile App

spotify mobile download offline

01Open the Spotify app on your iPhone or Android device.

02Search for the playlist or album you want to download.

03Tap the playlist or album to open its page.

04Tap the Download button.

05Wait until the download icon appears to confirm that the playlist or album is available offline.

06Turn on Offline Mode by going to Profile picture → Settings and privacy → Data-saving and offline → Offline mode if needed.

Part 4. How to Convert Spotify Songs, Playlists, and Albums to MP3 Without Premium (ViWizard Spotify Music Converter)

A Spotify music converter provides an alternative way to save Spotify content as local audio files instead of Spotify's encrypted downloads. Tools such as ViWizard Spotify Music Converter allow users to convert Spotify songs, playlists, and albums into formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC for flexible playback across devices and media players.

The process starts by opening ViWizard Spotify Music Converter on a Windows or Mac computer and connecting your Spotify library by signing in with an active Spotify account, whether Free or Premium. You can then search for music through the built-in Spotify Web Player and select songs, playlists, albums, or artists to convert. ViWizard also supports other audio content, such as podcasts and audiobooks, when the content is available in your Spotify account. After choosing the output format and settings, the tool processes the music and saves the converted files to a local folder.

This method is suitable for users who want more control over their music library, such as keeping local copies, organizing files, or playing music on devices without Spotify support. Unlike Spotify's official downloads, converted files can be accessed through standard media players. However, converted music should only be used for personal listening, and users should consider applicable copyright requirements before using this approach.

Requirements
  • A Windows or Mac computer with ViWizard Spotify Music Converter installed
  • A Spotify account, including both Free and Premium accounts
  • A stable internet connection for loading and converting Spotify content
  • Enough storage space for saving converted audio files
  • Available Spotify songs, playlists, albums, or artists to import into the converter
  • Supported output formats such as MP3, WAV, or FLAC selected before conversion
spotify music converter

Key Features of ViWizard Spotify Music Converter

Free Trial Free Trial

* Security verified. 5, 481,347 people have downloaded it.

  • Convert Spotify songs, playlists, albums, podcasts, and audiobooks
  • Export Spotify music in 6 formats for different devices and players
  • Support Spotify Premium and free accounts for music conversion
  • Preserve music metadata when organizing converted collections
  • Batch download Spotify playlists and large music libraries
connect spotify account Step 1: Install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter and Connect Spotify Account

Download and install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter on your Windows or Mac computer. Open the program and access the built-in Spotify web player. Sign in with your Spotify account to browse, search, and preview songs, albums, or playlists directly inside ViWizard. Both Spotify Free and Premium accounts can be used to load music for conversion.

add spotify songs to conversion list Step 2: Add Spotify Songs, Albums, or Playlists to the Conversion List

Search for the Spotify music you want to save locally using the built-in Spotify interface. Open a track, album, or playlist, then click the + button to add the selected content to the conversion list. You can choose individual songs, complete albums, or entire playlists depending on your needs. Before converting a large collection, you can start with a few tracks to check the output quality and settings.

select spotify output format and settings Step 3: Select MP3 as the Output Format and Customize Audio Settings

Click the Settings icon or go to Preferences > Conversion. Select MP3 from the output format options for wider compatibility with computers, phones, MP3 players, and other devices. You can also adjust the audio quality, bitrate, and output folder location. To keep your local music library organized, choose a file naming method and sorting structure based on artist, album, or playlist.

convert spotify music to mp3 files Step 4: Convert Spotify Music and Save MP3 Files Locally

Click the Convert button to start converting Spotify songs into MP3 files. ViWizard will process the selected tracks and save the converted audio files to your chosen output folder. Once the conversion is complete, click the Converted tab or open the output folder to find your saved MP3 files. You can then transfer the local music files to other devices and listen offline without opening the Spotify app.

Part 5. How to Record Spotify Music for Offline Listening Without Premium (Audacity)

Audio recording is another way to save Spotify music for offline use without a Premium subscription. Instead of downloading tracks directly, this method captures Spotify playback and saves it as a new audio file. Audacity, a free open-source audio recorder and editor, can be used for this workflow. The process involves configuring Audacity to record system audio, playing Spotify music, and capturing the playback in real time. After recording, users can edit the file and export it as MP3 or WAV.

This method works well for users who want to create offline recordings from Spotify or other audio sources without using Spotify's download feature. However, recording takes the same amount of time as playing the music, and the final quality depends on recording settings and system configuration. Users should also ensure their recordings comply with applicable copyright requirements and are used only for permitted purposes.

Requirements
  • A Windows, Mac, or Linux computer with Audacity installed
  • A Spotify account to play the music you want to record
  • A stable internet connection during playback and recording
  • Proper system audio settings to capture Spotify playback
  • Enough storage space for saving recorded audio files
  • Supported export formats such as MP3 or WAV for saved recordings

How to Use Audacity to Record Spotify Music for Offline Listening

01Download and install Audacity on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.

02Open Audacity and select the audio input device or recording source you want to use.

audacity audio settings

03Adjust the recording settings in Audacity, including the audio input and recording level.

04Open Spotify and find the song, playlist, or album you want to record.

05Return to Audacity and click the Record button.

06Play the Spotify music you want to record.

07Let Audacity capture the Spotify audio while the song is playing.

disk space remaining for recording audacity

08Click the Stop button in Audacity when the recording is finished.

09Edit the recording by trimming unwanted parts or adjusting the audio if needed.

10Click File > Export Audio to save the recording.

11Select an output format such as MP3 or WAV, then click Export to save the recorded Spotify music.

Read More: How to Record Spotify Music with Audacity (With Pictures)

Part 6. Spotify Premium Offline Downloads vs. Spotify Music Converters

Feature Spotify Premium Offline Downloads Spotify Music Converters
How it works Downloads content inside the Spotify app for offline playback Converts Spotify songs, playlists, and albums into local audio files
Official support Fully supported by Spotify Provided by third-party software
Required subscription Requires Spotify Premium for music downloads Depends on the specific converter
Supported content Albums, playlists, and podcasts Songs, playlists, and albums
File type Spotify app data only MP3 and other common audio formats depending on the tool
Individual song downloads No direct option. Songs must be added to a playlist first Supports converting selected songs directly in many cases
Batch processing Available for playlists and albums in Spotify Designed for processing multiple songs, playlists, and albums
Playback access Limited to the Spotify app Local files can be played with compatible media players
Device flexibility Requires Spotify app access on supported devices Files can be moved to compatible devices
Internet requirement Requires periodic internet connection to keep downloads available Converted files can be played offline after saving
Best for Users who only need offline listening within Spotify Users who want local files and more flexible music management

Spotify Premium offline downloads are Spotify's official way to listen to music without an internet connection. Premium users can download albums, playlists, and podcasts directly in the Spotify app, but the downloaded content stays within Spotify and cannot be accessed as regular audio files.

Spotify music converters offer a different approach by converting Spotify songs, playlists, and albums into formats such as MP3. This provides more flexibility for local playback, individual song conversion, and batch processing, which are not available through Spotify's built-in downloads.

In practice, the choice depends on how you plan to use your downloaded music. Spotify Premium is the better option if you only need convenient offline playback within the Spotify app. For users who want to build a more flexible offline music library with local audio files, tools like ViWizard Spotify Music Converter provide a practical solution for converting Spotify content into popular audio formats and processing larger music collections efficiently.

Part 7. What Is the Best Way to Download Spotify Music Offline?

The best way to download Spotify music offline depends on whether you only need playback within Spotify or want local music files.

Spotify Premium offline downloads are the simplest choice for users who want official offline playback without leaving the Spotify ecosystem. However, they do not provide MP3 files or allow playback outside the Spotify app.

If you need more control over your Spotify music, ViWizard Spotify Music Converter offers a more flexible approach by converting Spotify songs, playlists, and albums into common audio formats for offline playback across more devices. Try ViWizard Spotify Music Converter to save your favorite Spotify music, process larger collections in batches, and create a more flexible offline music library.

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