What to do if Spotify won't play songs or keeps skipping

Updated in 2026 · 4 min read

If Spotify gets stuck loading a song, skips it on its own, or simply won't play anything, it's not always a serious problem. Most of the time it has a specific cause and can be fixed in a few minutes without touching anything in your account. Let's go over why it happens and how to fix it, from the simplest to the most drastic.

1. Why Spotify won't play properly or skips songs

Before applying any fix, it's worth understanding what usually causes this problem. In most cases it comes down to one of these causes: an unstable internet connection that cuts playback halfway through a song, the app's cache being full or corrupted after months of accumulated data, the account being logged in on too many devices at once competing for the same session, data saver mode turned on limiting quality and loading speed, or simply a temporary glitch in the service that has nothing to do with you or your phone.

2. Restart the app, check your connection and review your devices

Always start with the simplest thing. Fully close Spotify (minimizing it isn't enough) from the recent apps menu and open it again; this clears stuck processes and usually fixes occasional glitches. Then check your connection: try switching from wifi to mobile data or vice versa to rule out a network issue. Finally, check which devices your session is open on from Settings → Account → Devices using Spotify and log out of the ones you don't use; having the account active on several phones, speakers or computers at once can cause cuts and skips.

3. Clear the cache or reinstall the app as a last resort

If the previous steps haven't worked, go to Settings → Apps → Spotify → Storage and tap "Clear cache" (on iPhone, do it from the app's own settings: Settings → Storage → Delete cache). This doesn't delete your playlists or downloaded music, only temporary files that get regenerated. If the problem continues, uninstall the app completely and reinstall it from the official store; it's a more drastic step, but it fixes issues that neither a restart nor clearing the cache can solve.

4. How to tell if the issue is Spotify's and not yours

If you've tried everything above and the problem continues, it might not be on your end. Check whether other apps that use the internet are working normally; if they are and only Spotify is failing, go to an online service status monitoring website and search "Spotify" to see if there's a widespread outage at that moment. In those cases, all that's left is to wait for the service itself to fix it.

✔ Following these steps in order, the vast majority of playback cuts and skips get fixed without losing a single bit of your account data.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Spotify skip songs even with a good connection?

Even with a good connection, the app's cache might be full or corrupted, or the account might be open on several devices at once competing for the same session. Clearing the cache and logging out of devices you don't use usually fixes it.

Does clearing Spotify's cache delete my playlists or downloaded music?

No. The cache is temporary files that the app can regenerate without any problem. Your playlists, followers and downloaded songs are tied to your account and aren't affected when you clear it.

How do I know if the problem is Spotify's fault and not my phone's?

If other apps that also use the internet work fine and the problem only happens with Spotify, it's likely a temporary issue with the service. You can check this on a service status monitoring website or on Spotify's social media.