Spotify is perfect for streaming music, but what if you want to listen offline or store your favorite tracks on a USB drive?
Can I Download Music from Spotify to USB?
It might sound like an easy thing to do, but the process isn’t as simple as it seems. Since Spotify is a streaming service, it doesn’t let you download music directly to a USB drive.
So, does that mean you’re stuck streaming from the app and can’t play your music without internet—or simply through a USB drive?
Luckily, that’s not the case. You can move Spotify music to a USB, but the steps are a bit different depending on whether you use a Free or Premium account. If you have Premium, it’s relatively easy—but there are still limits for both account types, and a few extra steps are needed to make it work as expected. If you want to save music to a USB as regular files like MP3, that’s possible too—as long as you use a tool called ViWizard.
Below, I’ll show you exactly how it works and what you need to get started.
Download Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks as MP3 and more. Keep full sound and listen offline anytime.
Part 1. How to Download and Transfer Spotify Songs to USB (Premium Users)
Make use of the Premium version on desktop: You can set your USB drive as a storage option for offline downloads. This feature is only available to Premium users using the desktop app. It allows you to save your downloads to a USB drive, helping free up space on your computer.
However, finding, managing, and using those files isn’t as simple as browsing folders—they're heavily encrypted. This method is meant for saving storage only. It doesn't support playback through a USB media player in your car or work as a simple backup that you can easily access outside of Spotify.
If this limitation is a problem, you can skip ahead to Part 2 to learn about a tool called ViWizard, which helps download, convert, and save your favorite songs in a more USB-friendly format.
What You'll Need:
- Eligible subscription: Ensure you have a subscription account for offline downloads.
- USB Drive: If necessary, prepare a USB drive formatted and ready for use.
- Computer with the Spotify app: Most popular computers like Windows and Mac are compatible with Spotify.
- Plug your USB drive into your computer. If it’s not formatted correctly, follow the on-screen instructions to format it as needed.
- Open the Spotify app on your desktop.
- Go to Settings > Storage.
- Scroll down to Offline storage location.
- Click Change location and select your USB drive as the new storage location. This will make things easier, and Spotify will save all future offline music downloads there. Unfortunately, previous downloads will remain where they are. You may consider deleting them and starting fresh.
- Find the music, podcasts, or audiobooks you want to download.
- Click the download button next to each item to save them to your USB drive.
Once downloaded, your content will be stored on the USB drive and available offline. These files act like cached files protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management), so they won’t work outside the Spotify app. Additional tools may be needed to convert or transfer the files for broader use.
Part 2. How to Download and Transfer Music from Spotify to USB Without Premium
Take advantage of ViWizard on desktop: While this isn't exactly the same method as for Premium subscribers in Part 1, it's also a great option we recommend for both Premium and free users, as it helps achieve the core goal of using a USB drive for Spotify music storage. The downloaded music files are encrypted and cached within the app due to DRM (Digital Rights Management), meaning they're not accessible outside of Spotify. Plus, they won't be in a flexible format like MP3.
To make these files usable on other devices, you'll need a tool like ViWizard Spotify Music Converter. This software allows both Premium and free users to convert Spotify songs into MP3 format. Once converted, you can transfer the MP3 files to your USB drive and use them on any device that supports MP3 playback. The ability to convert Spotify music easily makes this one of the best solutions for music storage. You should definitely give it a try!
The converted tracks should be used strictly for personal enjoyment and in accordance with Spotify's terms of service.
Key Features of ViWizard Spotify Music Converter
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- Download Spotify songs, playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks extremely fast at up to 15x speed
- Convert Spotify into MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B losslessly
- Lets you play Spotify tracks offline on any device without restrictions
- Works seamlessly on Windows and macOS, supporting the built-in Spotify Web Player
Step 1Download and Install ViWizard Spotify Music Converter
To get started, first download ViWizard Spotify Music Converter to your computer. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the prompts to set up the software. After installation, open the ViWizard program, and log in to your Spotify account. Whether you're using a free or Premium account, you can access Spotify's Web Player directly within ViWizard.
Step 2Add Spotify Music to ViWizard
Once logged in, you can easily add music to ViWizard. You can either drag and drop individual songs, albums, or playlists from Spotify directly into ViWizard, or simply paste the URL of the content you want to convert into the search bar. The tracks you select will automatically populate in the conversion list, ready for the next step.
Step 3Customize Output Audio Settings
Before starting the conversion, you'll want to adjust the output settings to match the format that works best for your USB drive. Click the Menu icon in the top-right corner of ViWizard and choose Preferences. Here, you can select from various audio formats like MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, or M4B. Additionally, you can tweak the bitrate and sample rate to control the quality of your music. After making your choices, click OK to save the settings.
Step 4Select Music for Conversion
Now that your settings are ready, it's time to choose the music you want to convert. Whether you've selected individual tracks, albums, or playlists, click on the items in your list. ViWizard also lets you convert podcasts or audiobooks, and you can organize your music by title, artist, or album to make it easier to navigate.
Step 5Convert and Save to USB
Once your music is selected, click the Convert button to begin the conversion process. ViWizard will convert the tracks to the format you've selected. Once completed, the converted music files will be saved in the output folder you chose earlier. To find your newly converted music, simply click the Open Folder icon. Now, you can transfer these MP3 (or other formats) files to your USB drive, ready to be used on any device that supports MP3 playback.
Part 3. How to Copy Spotify Songs to USB Without Premium
Use your USB stick as a backup for your songs: This relates to what happens after converting Spotify songs (see Part 2) using ViWizard and before using them on other devices. Once converted to MP3 format, the files can be transferred to a USB drive just like any other audio files. This process is simple and reliable.
For Windows PC Users:
- Insert your USB drive into your PC's USB port. It should be recognized automatically.
- Click the folder icon on your taskbar or press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
- Look for your USB drive under "This PC" in the left sidebar of File Explorer.
- Navigate to where you saved your MP3 music files on your PC.
- Select the files and folders you want to copy (Ctrl+A to select all). Right-click, choose "Copy," or press Ctrl+C.
- Return to your USB drive in File Explorer. Right-click in the USB drive window and choose "Paste" (Ctrl+V).
- Wait for the copying to finish. Right-click on your USB drive in File Explorer and select "Eject." You can now safely remove your USB drive.
For Mac Users:
- Insert your USB drive into a USB port on your Mac.
- Click the smiley face icon in your dock to open Finder.
- In the left sidebar, find your USB drive listed under "Devices."
- Navigate to where your MP3 files are stored on your Mac.
- Select the music files and folders you want to copy. Drag them over to your USB drive in the Finder sidebar.
- In the Finder sidebar, right-click on your USB drive and select "Eject." You can now safely remove your USB drive.
Part 4. How to Play Spotify Music from a USB Drive
Format your USB stick for best playback: This also relates to a common real-world issue—playing music from a USB stick in a car stereo or other device like a TV or media player. In most cases, playback problems come down to how the USB drive is formatted. For the best results, format your USB as FAT32 or exFAT, which are widely supported.
In Your Car (Example: Tesla Model 3)
- Plug your USB drive into a USB port in your car. It’s usually in the center console or glove box.
- On the car’s touchscreen, tap the Media button to open music options.
- Find and select your USB drive from the list of music sources.
- Browse the folders or playlists on the USB drive using the screen.
- Tap a song or playlist to play it.
- Use the touchscreen or steering wheel buttons to control volume and change songs.
This post provides the 6 most popular and easiest ways for you to play Spotify music songs in your car via a cable, Bluetooth, Android Auto, CarPlay, or external drive/CD.
On a Smart TV
- Insert your USB drive into a USB port on your TV (usually on the side or back).
- Use your TV remote to open the Media Player or USB Player app.
- Select your USB drive from the list of devices.
- Find your music folder and pick a song or playlist to play.
- Control playback and volume with your TV remote.
On a Media Player or Home Stereo
- Plug your USB drive into the USB port on your stereo or media player.
- Turn on the device and select USB as the source.
- Use the buttons or remote to browse music on the USB.
- Pick a song or playlist to start playing.
- Adjust volume and playback with the remote or device buttons.
Part 5. FAQs about Downloading Spotify Music to USB
Can I download Spotify music directly to a USB drive?
Spotify allows Premium users to download music for offline listening, but the files are encrypted and can only be played in the Spotify app. You can't save them directly to a USB drive for use on other devices.
Can I convert Spotify music to MP3 and transfer it to a USB drive?
Yes, you can. With a tool like ViWizard Spotify Music Converter, you can convert Spotify music to MP3 files and transfer them to a USB drive. You can then use those MP3 files on any device that supports MP3 playback. But these converted files are for personal use only, as per Spotify's terms of service.
Can I play Spotify music on my car's USB port?
Spotify's encrypted music files won't work on a USB port in your car. However, you can still play Spotify in your car by connecting through Bluetooth, using an aux cable, or by transferring MP3 files (converted from Spotify) to a USB drive.
How do I back up my Spotify playlists to a USB drive?
You can't back up Spotify playlists directly to a USB drive due to encryption. However, you can convert your playlists into MP3 files and then transfer them to the USB drive so as to keep a backup for offline use.
Are there any legal issues when transferring Spotify music to a USB drive?
Yes, it's important to follow Spotify's terms of service. Converting and transferring Spotify music should be for personal use only. Sharing or distributing the files is against Spotify's rules.
Conclusion
Now you have successfully transferred your Spotify songs to a USB drive. You can then insert it into any device with a USB port for playing. In fact, ViWizard Spotify Music Converter is the best Spotify solution to download music from Spotify to MP3, AAC, and other formats. You can then listen to Spotify music on any player or device anytime. It's a perfect tool, so why not give a try?
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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