With Spotify Premium, users can work offline by directly downloading songs, albums, or playlists to their device. This feature is unique to the Premium subscription package and supports up to 10,000 downloaded songs across five devices per account. Generally, this is used when users travel or are in countries or locations with poor connectivity to the internet. In one 2023 survey by Spotify, 45% of its users noted offline playback as one of their key premium features.
First, to enable offline mode, users have to download their desired content through the Spotify app. The process of downloading involves selecting a playlist, album, or podcast and toggling the “Download” button. Download speed is determined by the quality of the internet connection, but generally, a strong Wi-Fi network will take less than a minute for an average 50-song playlist. Each file is stored locally, so there is instant playback without buffering, even in airplane mode.
First, the offline functionality is optimized with the use of industry-standard codecs such as Ogg Vorbis, at up to 320 kbps, which produces high-quality sound. The compression format keeps the balance between storage efficiency and the actual audio fidelity. For example, a three-minute song downloaded at the highest quality occupies approximately 7 MB in space, so a 100-song playlist would need about 700 MB of storage.
Spotify’s offline mode is ideal for commuters. In a 2022 case study, one London-based user described using Premium offline playback daily during his 45-minute underground commute where no mobile signal was available. This functionality also benefits international travelers as it negates the need for costly roaming charges associated with streaming over cellular networks.
Offline playback, however, has its limits. For instance, it requires users to reconnect to the internet at least once every 30 days in order for Spotify to check their Premium subscription. Failure to do this renders downloaded files temporarily inactive as a preventive measure by Spotify against unauthorized access. Additionally, podcasts and audiobooks available for offline use are also licensed, so they might not be available in every region.
Spotify Premium offline capabilities are unequaled in convenience and reliability. For those wanting to leverage such features from Spotify, the premium subscription starts at $9.99 in the U.S., while cheaper alternatives exist for students and families. Learn more about offline playback and other benefits of spotify premium.