Whether it’s your laptop beginning to hang or your phone needs a little more space, clearing your Spotify cache is a task that many of us have to do. But what exactly is the Spotify cache, and should you be deleting it?
What Is the Spotify Cache?
The Spotify cache is where your listening history lives. For Spotify Premium users, the cache stores songs that you have downloaded to play offline are stored. The Spotify cache is what enables tracks to play without needing to buffer first.
When the Spotify cache reaches capacity, the tracks you don’t listen to often are replaced with songs that you listen to more frequently. In some cases, a large Spotify cache prevents mobile phones from loading Spotify properly.
How to Clear the Spotify Cache
In general, most users don’t need to touch their Spotify cache settings. The Spotify cache is set up in a way that helps, more than hurts, your listening experience. However, now and then, broken tracks or bad downloads call for it.
If you are determined to clean yours up, here’s how you can clear the Spotify cache.
How to Clear the Spotify Cache on iOS
To clear your Spotify Cache on iOS, open your Spotify App. Then, select Settings > Storage and tap Delete Cache.
How to Clear the Spotify Cache on Android
For Android users, you can delete your Spotify cache by going to Settings. Then, under Storage, select Delete cache. A pop-up will appear for you to confirm your decision before proceeding.
How to Clear the Spotify Cache on Desktop
Unlike the Spotify app versions, navigating Spotify Desktop to delete your cache isn't so straightforward. First, you have to find the folder wherein your Spotify client saves your cache.
To do so, go to your Spotify app and click Settings > Show Advanced Settings. Under Offline storage location, take note of the folder name. Then, navigate to this folder and delete its contents.
Get to Know Your Spotify Cache
Once you have deleted your cache, Spotify will have to download data from its servers again. Bear in mind that deleting your Spotify cache might increase bandwidth or data usage for a while.
If you erased your Spotify cache to retrieve unplayable songs but still can’t find them, don’t worry. There are plenty of other methods you can try to get your favorite tracks back on Spotify.