How to Make Spotify Default Music Player on iPhone/Android/Mac/Windows

Part 1. How to Set Spotify as the Default Music Player on Windows and Mac

By default, Spotify is mainly built for streaming music from its catalog, and it doesn't automatically become the default music player on Windows or Mac. Unlike apps like VLC or WMP, Spotify isn't set to open every music file on your computer. Apple Music (or iTunes) works differently, but Spotify is designed primarily as a streaming service rather than a general music player.

Workaround 1: Upload and Play Local Music Files in Spotify

If you want to play your own music files in Spotify, you can upload them to the Spotify desktop app. Once added, your files appear alongside Spotify's streaming library, making them easy to access. You don't need a Premium subscription to do this on desktop, and the uploaded files stay in your library for convenient playback.

1. Open the Spotify desktop app on your Windows or Mac computer and log in to your account.
2. Go to Settings by clicking your profile icon, then scroll down to Local Files and toggle it on.
3. Click "Add a Source" and select the folder where your personal music files are stored. Spotify will scan the folder and add your songs to the Local Files library.
4. Create a new playlist and drag your uploaded songs into it for easy access.
5. Open the playlist and click Play. Your local files will now play inside Spotify alongside streaming tracks.

Workaround 2: Download and Play Spotify Music on Other Media Players

Another option is to play Spotify music outside the app. You don't have to stick to Spotify for your curated playlists. You can use popular media players like VLC, WMP, iTunes, or any built-in player on your device. All you need is a Spotify music downloader, such as ViWizard Spotify Music Converter, which allows you to download Spotify content as transferable and playable music files. Once downloaded, it's easy to move your music to the desired device and play it on any media player.

Step 1: Download and Convert Spotify Music

1. Download ViWizard Spotify Music Converter for Windows or Mac and run the installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation.
2. Open ViWizard and log in to your Spotify account. Browse your playlists, albums, or favorite tracks.



3. Click the "+" button to load the songs you want to convert into ViWizard.
4. Click the menu icon > Preferences > Conversion. Choose your preferred output format like MP3, set the bitrate to 320kbps, and adjust sample rate or channels if needed.



5. Click Convert to start converting your music. You can track the progress for each track as ViWizard works.



6. After conversion, open the output folder to find your newly converted tracks.
7. Now your newly converted tracks can be transferred to a media player that can be set as default. You can make that player your default for all compatible music files.

Step 2: Set Default Music Player on Desktop to Play Spotify Music

For Windows:

1. Go to Settings (Gear icon) from Start, or search for "Settings" in the Windows Search box.
2. Click Apps, then select Default apps in the left sidebar.
3. Scroll to Music player, click the current option, and choose a player where you uploaded your Spotify music.



4. To set default apps by file type, scroll down to Default apps > Choose default apps by file type and select your preferred player for each music format.

For Mac:

1. Open a Finder window and locate any music file you downloaded (e.g., MP3 or M4A).
2. Right-click (or Control-click) the file and select Open With, then choose a media player you want to use.
3. Alternatively, select Get Info from the context menu, go to Open With, and select your desired player.



4. Click Change All below the dropdown menu to apply this choice to all files of that type.
5. From now on, double-clicking a music file of that type will automatically open it with your chosen media player.

Part 2. How to Set Spotify as the Default Music Player on Smart Speakers

It's easy to play your favorite songs from smart speakers. But by default, they usually choose which service to use if you don't specify one, like Spotify. Playback will start on the service the device decides, such as Apple Music for HomePod or Amazon Music for Google Home or Nest.

However, if you prefer Spotify, you can set it as the default music player so your songs play there instead. Some devices, like Apple HomePod, make it a bit trickier because they stick to Apple Music and lack full Spotify integration. But most of the time, you don't have to say "on Spotify" every time you play music. Set it once, and it will remember your preference going forward.

Option 1: Google Nest / Google Home (Google Assistant)

Many Google Home users don't want to say "on Spotify" every time they play music. You can set Spotify as the default, so playlists, albums, or favorite songs start automatically. This is especially useful for routines or multi-user households. Once set, Google Home remembers your preference.

1. Open the Google Home app on your phone and log in with your Google account.
2. Tap on Add + at the top left then tap Music to choose Spotify.



3. A prompt will show up asking you to link your Spotify account with your Google account. Then tap Link account.



4. Under Your Music Services, select Spotify as the default music player on your Google Home.

Option 2: Amazon Echo (Alexa)

Setting Spotify as the default on Alexa means voice requests play from Spotify without extra steps. It's convenient for car trips, workouts, or cooking, where saying "on Spotify" each time can be annoying. Once configured, Alexa will automatically use Spotify for all music commands.

1. Open the Alexa app on your phone.
2. Tap on the three-lined menu at the top left corner and select Settings.
3. Under Alexa Preferences, tap Music & Podcasts > Default Services.
4. Tap Change and select Spotify then hit Done.

Option 3: Apple HomePod (Siri)

HomePod doesn't let Spotify be a full default, but you can still play it using Siri by saying, "Hey Siri, play [song or playlist] on Spotify." You can also stream via AirPlay from your iPhone. This is a popular workaround for HomePod users who prefer Spotify.

Option 4: Sonos Speakers

Setting Spotify as the default on Sonos lets all voice requests play directly from Spotify. Many users rely on this for multi-speaker setups or daily listening, so asking the speaker to play a song or playlist always uses Spotify.

1. Open the Sonos app on your phone and go to the Settings tab.
2. Tap on Services & Voice, then press Sonos Voice Control.
3. Press Default Service.
4. Select Spotify from the list and set it as your default service.

Part 3. How to Make Spotify the Default Music Player on Android Devices

1. On your Android device, open the Settings app.
2. Select Applications Manager > Apps.
3. Select Default apps/applications.
4. From there you can change the default music player to Spotify for various actions like opening music links or playing music files.

Part 4. How to Make Spotify the Default Music Player on iPhone and iPad

If you want to use Spotify as the default music player on your iPhone or Android device, then you can carefully read this part. In this part, we've listed the ways to help you set Spotify as the default player on your iPhone or Android phone.

How to set a default music player on iOS:

1. On your iOS device, open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down and tap on "Siri & Search".
3. Scroll through the list of apps here and select the Spotify app.
4. Look for the option called "Use with Ask Siri" and enable it.
5. Once you set Spotify as the default music player on your device, you should be able to ask Siri to play music using Spotify by saying "Hey Siri, play 'song name' on Spotify".

If you couldn't find the "Use with Ask Siri" option, you may has already set another music service on your iOS device as the default music player, such as Apple Music.

If so, you can try turning off "Show Apple Music" under the Music settings and uninstalling that music service from your iOS device. Then, try to use Spotify with Siri instead by saying "Hey Siri, play music." and see if you're promoted to change your default music player. If you're out of luck, you can also try offloading the Music app and try to force Siri to use Spotify instead when asking for music.

Conclusion

Whatever you want to set Spotify as the default music player on your smartphone, computer, or smart speaker, you can find the answer in this article. By the way, you can use ViWizard Spotify Music Converter for downloading your desired Spotify songs. Then you can play Spotify music with the default music player on your device without limits.