How to Download Music from Spotify to Windows & Mac

Q: "I've been using Spotify free for a long time. Recently, I joined a premium subscription, so I could download my liked songs for listening without internet connection. But I found that the downloaded songs can only be listenable through Spotify. I cannot save my songs on the local computer as regular files like MP3s. Is there a way to download Spotify songs locally on the computer? How can you save Spotify music to computer? Please help! Thanks!" – Wendy from Spotify Community.

Spotify is a big player in the music streaming service industry, with millions of songs in various genres. It offers both Free and Premium subscriptions for all music lovers. For free users, you can easily get access to their songs after installing Spotify on the computer and signing up a Free account. If you upgrade to a Premium subscription, you'll be able to enjoy ad-free songs and even download any song for listening anywhere on your device, including the computer.

However, the thing is even paid users are not allowed to listen to those downloaded songs on any non-authorized device or player. All the downloaded Spotify tracks are saved as cache files and will be gone once you can the subscription to Spotify. So, how to download music from Spotify to computer locally? To solve the issue, here a powerful Spotify music downloader is being introduced, along with some other tips. Let's check how to download songs from Spotify to computer now.

Part 1. Download Music from Spotify to Computer as MP3s using Third-Party Tool

To download music and podcasts to your computer as music files, all you need is a powerful third-party tool called ViWizard Music Converter. It's the perfect solution for both Premium and free users to download Spotify music tracks as audio files in popular audio formats from MP3, M4A, M4B, WAV, AAC, and FLAC. You just need to connect your music library with ViWizard and you can download any music tracks that are accessible in the Spotify desktop app - with no Premium subscription required!

Best Spotify Music & Podcast Downloader for Windows & Mac - ViWizard Music Converter

ViWizard Music Converter is available on both Windows PC and Mac computer. With ViWizard, you can save music such as individual songs, playlist songs, albums, podcast episodes and even audiobooks as audio files on your computer. You just need to adjust the output format of those music tracks beforehand in the apps menu and you're officially set up to download and convert them at a super faster speed.

You can even browse for a folder you want to manage your Spotify downloads there by adjusting the output path, then ViWizard will put all the audio files there after the conversion. The best part of it is that each downloaded song is kept with lossless audio quality and full ID3 tags. Even you transfer them to your other devices, they can be played with the most common media player.

Depending on your computer OS, you can download either Windows or Mac version of ViWizard Music Converter. In addition, please also make sure you pre-installed the Spotify desktop app.

How to download Spotify music & podcasts with ViWizard Music Converter?

Here we will show you how to download Spotify songs to your computer via ViWizard Spotify Music Converter and save them as MP3 files forever. No matter whether you are a Free or Premium user, ViWizard Spotify Music Converter could be a nice option.

Step 1Download and Install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter

Click the Download button above to download and install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter on your computer. ViWizard software is available for both Windows and Mac systems. Make sure that you have installed the correct one. Plus, install the Spotify desktop app on your computer and sign into your Spotify account in advance.

Step 2Import Spotify Playlist to the Conversion List

After installing ViWizard software, open it, then the Spotify desktop app will be launched automatically. Sign in your Spotify account and browse to find the playlist you'd like to save to computer. Simply drag and drops songs in the playlist to the converter. Or copy and paste the link of the playlist into the search bar on the converter.

Step 3Set MP3 as the Output Audio Format (Optional)

The output format is set as MP3 by default. If you want to change it, you can go to top menu bar and select the Preferences option. There are 6 output formats you can select, which include MP3, AAC, M4A, M4B, WAV, and FLAC. You are also free to customize the audio parameters like channel, sample rate, and bit rate.

Step 4Download and Save Spotify Playlist to Computer

Now click the Convert button at the bottom right corner. ViWizard Spotify Music Converter will download Spotify music to MP3 and save them to your computer. Wait for the conversion to end, you'll be able to find the downloaded songs by clicking the Converted icon. Then you can keep them forever and enjoy them whenever you want.

Part 2. Download Music from Spotify to Computer as MP3s using Third-Party Websites

If you prefer to use a third-party website to download music from Spotify to your computer, we've also set out to find the most popular ones on the market. While Spotify does not offer an official option to download music directly from the Spotify Web Player, these third-party websites claim to allow you to download music from Spotify. All you need is the URL of the music track you want to download.

Even you can get the MP3s from these third-party websites, it's important to note that this is generally considered to be a violation of Spotify's terms of service, and could potentially result in legal action. Additionally, these websites may contain malware or other harmful software, so you should proceed with caution when downloading music from these unofficial sources.

How to download Spotify music tracks from online download websites:

Step 1. For starters, a user typically needs to find the URL of the Spotify track you want to download to your computer.

Step 2. To find the URL of the Spotify music track on web: Use a compatible web browser to visit: https://open.spotify.com/, then right-click on the music track > Copy Link to song/playlist/album.

Step 3. Once you got the URL, head to any of the download websites that require a URL, and paste it into the search bar.

Step 4. The web site will then extract the audio from the track and save it as an MP3 file.

Step 5. Now you can download the MP3 file to your computer and listen to it offline.

1. ApowerSoft Free Online Audio Recorder

To save songs from Spotify to your computer, you can use an online audio recorder to record those songs you're playing from Spotify Web Player or Spotify desktop app. Here we will take ApowerSoft Free Online Audio Recorder as an example.

Step 1. Go to the official website of ApowerSoft Free Online Audio Recorder and then install a launcher.

Step 2. After that, click the Start Recording button on the website and and select System Sound as the audio source.

Step 3. Now select any song, album, or playlist you want to save and play it from the Spotify desktop app or Spotify Web Player then click the Start button.

Step 4. Click the Pause or Stop button to end the recording of Spotify music.

2. Soundloaders Spotify Downloader

Soundloaders offers free services to users for downloading music from different streaming platforms like Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube, and SoundCloud. Here's how to download music from Spotify by using a music link.

Step 1. Open Spotify Web Player in a browser or Spotify app on the computer.

Step 2. In your music library, find any music you want to download and copy the music link.

Step 3. Go to the website of Soundloaders and paste the link into the text input.

Step 4. Click the Search button to load the music and then click the Download song button.

3. Online Spotify Downloader

Spotify Downloader is a free online music downloader, aiming to help all Spotify users to download songs from Spotify. With the assistance of this tool, you can extract MP3 from Spotify and save them to your computer.

Step 1. Find the track, album, or playlist you want to download in Spotify Web Player or Spotify app.

Step 2. Click the three-dot button to access the music link and then go to Spotify Downloader.

Step 3. Paste the link into the search bar and click the Submit button.

Step 4. Wait for a while, and click the Download button to save Spotify songs to your computer.

Part 3. Download Music from Spotify using Spotify Desktop App

If you prefer to download Spotify music for offline listening only, you can try to download Spotify music by using the Spotify desktop app with your Premium account. But you can't download individual songs on Spotify. If you wish to download a selection of Spotify songs, you have to create a Spotify playlist for them on the desktop app. Once you have playlists in your music library, you're officially ready to download them on your computer.

How to download Spotify playlists/albums on Spotify desktop app?

Step 1. On your Windows or Mac, open the Spotify desktop app. If you haven't, please download the correct version of it for Windows or Mac.

Step 2. Log in with your Premium account.

Step 3. Go to the music tracks you want to download from Spotify such as playlists, albums and more.

Step 4. When you're viewing the content's profile, click the Download button and wait until the download process is ended. If the Download process is successful, the Download button should turn green.

Step 5. To find the downloaded music on your computer, you can manage to do this by going to the exact location displayed under Offline storage location on your computer.

However, as stated you will get the encrypted files instead of the desired MP3s. Those encrypted files can be only read by Spotify app and playable in it. If you wish to download music from Spotify locally on your computer so that you can transfer them to your other devices, you'll need a third party to download the Spotify music files. Go ahead. You'll benefit from some third-party tools or websites to get some MP3s for free!

Part.4 Transfer Downloaded Spotify Music from Computer for Multiple Devices

Now you can transfer your downloads to all your devices directly. Here's how you can transfer the downloaded Spotify music files from Windows PC and Mac to your iOS and Android devices.

How to transfer downloaded Spotify music files to iOS devices?

Step 1. Connect an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch to your computer by using a USB cable.

Step 2. After you add these Spotify music files to the iTunes or Music app, you can start to do the syncing of your music library. To add music files, use File > Add File/Folder to Library (iTunes) or Import/Import Music (Music).

Step 3. Select your device next to Apple Music contents menu (iTunes) or in the Finder sider bar (Mac).

Step 4. Select Music on the side bar of iTunes or button bar in the Finder.

Step 5. Check "Music" > "Entire music library" in iTunes or "Sync music onto [device name]" > "Entire music library" in the Finder.

Step 6. When you're ready to sync, click Apply.

Step 7. When the syncing of your music is done, click Done.

Step 8. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can open the Files or Music app to find your Spotify downloads.

How to transfer downloaded Spotify music files to Android devices?

Step 1. Connect the Android phone to your computer by using a USB cable.

Step 2. Mac users should use Android File Transfer to transfer files from the Mac computer. If you haven't, head to https://www.android.com/filetransfer/ to download the app.

Step 3. On Windows, copy the downloaded Spotify music files or folders you want and paste them to your device's storage. On Mac, select and open your device's storage under "Use USB for" in the Android File Transfer app, then drag the music files to the Files app.

Step 4. Disconnect your Android device from your computer and open the Files app to check for these transferred music files.

Part 5. FAQs about Downloading Music from Spotify to Your Computer

#1. Can I download music from Spotify to my computer?

Yes, you can download music from Spotify to your computer using the Spotify desktop app for both Windows PC and Mac.

#2. Can I download music from Spotify to my computer for free?

Officially you need a Spotify Premium account to download music from Spotify to your computer. But you can download podcasts only for free with your Spotify free account. However, there're third-party websites or tools that can download your selected Spotify music tracks to your computer. We'll introduces both of them in the parts that follow.

#3. How many songs can I Download from Spotify to my computer?

With a Spotify Premium account, you can download up to 10,000 tracks on up to 5 devices.

#4. How much the downloaded music from Spotify takes up on my computer?

It depends on the audio quality. If the sound quality you choose is higher, the more data the streaming service will burn through. Generally, Spotify offers three sound quality settings: Normal (96kbps), High (160kbps), Very high (320kbps). The following table clearly shows you how much data does Spotify use.

	Per minute	Per hour	How long until you reach 1GB
Normal (96kbps)	0.72MB	43.2MB	23.1 hours
High (160kbps)	1.2MB	72MB	13.8 hours
Very high (320kbps)	2.4MB	144MB	6.9 hours

#5. Can I find the downloaded music from Spotify on my computer?

Yes, you can find the downloaded music from Spotify on your computer. But your downloads are stored as cache files on your computer. The downloaded music is only available within the Spotify desktop app and cannot be transferred to other devices.

#6. Can I download music from Spotify to my computer as MP3 files?

Officially you cannot download music from the Spotify desktop app as MP3 files on your computer. But third-party websites or tools can help download the MPS files to your computer.

#7. Can I keep downloaded music from Spotify on my computer forever?

Officially you need to go online every 30 days to keep the downloaded music from Spotify on your computer so that Spotify is able to collect the data. However, the downloaded music will disappear once you lose your Premium subscription. To keep the downloaded music from Spotify on your computer or other devices, you're highly recommended to try to download your favorites as local files by using a third-party websites or tools, such as ViWizard Music Converter.

Conclusion

By using ViWizard Spotify Music Converter, you can download songs, albums, playlists, audiobook, and podcasts from Spotify to MP3 and other format files to your computer. Then you are able to play them on any device, such as smartwatches, MP3 player, or add them into video as the background music. The trial version can be downloaded for free, and thus you can save Spotify songs to computer free for one minute. If you want to unlock all the features, you can buy the full version. Just download it, and have a try first.