How to Fix Error Code 18 on Spotify

Having trouble trying to fix error code 18 on Spotify?

Spotify can be a lifesaver when commuting or going out to travel. With the music-streaming app, you can take your music anywhere online and offline. Yet even with that, Spotify also offers a desktop application for computer users.

Installing the program can be extremely rewarding, especially if you’ve been using the slow web player all this time. However, your installation is being hindered by an error code 18. What does this mean, and how can you fix it?

Well, there are a couple of reasons for this issue, but in this guide, we’ll guide you through several methods to try and resolve this problem. Here’s how you can fix error code 18 on Spotify.

Let’s get started!

 

1. Close Steam And Reinstall.

First off, let’s cross out a common error that’s easy to resolve. Sometimes the gaming-platform Steam can access other files in your computer, which in this case is probably Spotify.

Close the Steam program and reopen Spotify to see if that works.

 

2. Restart Your Computer.

Here’s another quick method that you can try. Restarting your computer will close any applications related to Spotify that can cause complications during the installation. Additionally, it’s also a good habit to restart your computer every so often to flush out any buildup of software problems.

You can easily do this by clicking on the Windows icon at the bottom-left corner of your screen. Click on the Power button and select Restart. Once that’s done, feel free to run the installer like normal to check if it works.

 

3. Completely Uninstall Spotify.

Don’t make the mistake of just pressing the ‘Delete’ key on your keyboard as an attempt to delete Spotify from your computer. This malpractice can result in residual files, which might make your computer think that Spotify is still installed.

Properly uninstalling all your applications is a great habit to have, to avoid any inconveniences like this in the future. Before you proceed, try to make sure that all Spotify processes have been completely terminated through the Task Manager.

Here’s how you can uninstall Spotify:

  1. First, open up the Start menu by pressing on the Windows key.
  2. From there, search for ‘Add or remove programs’ and click on the first program in your search query.
  3. A window with a list of all your installed programs should be displayed on your screen. Search for ‘Spotify’ by utilizing the search bar provided to see if your computer still considers Spotify as installed.

  1. Finally, click on Spotify if there is an entry. Select Uninstall and go through all the prompts to completely uninstall the program.

When you’ve finally uninstalled Spotify, go ahead and reinstall the music-streaming program. We suggest that you download their official installer here. Additionally, try reinstalling the program in administrator mode.

 

4. Install Spotify With All Services Off.

While Spotify should be able to install without any hindrances, some of your running programs might be intervening with the installation. In this method, we’ll be turning off all your programs’ services to try and avoid any interference.

Once your computer boots up with your services off, we’ll turn these services back on to refresh their permissions. Doing so will iron out any services that have possibly been corrupted or compromised by software problems.

Here’s how you can install Spotify after restarting services:

  1. We’ll need to bring out the Run dialog box, do so by pressing Windows key + R keys.
  2. From there, search for ‘msconfig’ and press Enter.

  1. Now, navigate to the Services tab and click on Disable all at the bottom-right corner of your screen. Click on OK to save and exit the window.
  2. Restart your computer to implement the changes. Once your PC or laptop has rebooted, repeat Steps 1 to 3 except click on Enable all. Perform another restart on your computer to reboot with all your services back on.

When you’re done with all that, open up the installer and install Spotify on your computer. You can do this in administrative mode, follow the steps here.

 

5. Reinstall Spotify Through The Microsoft Store.

While we do recommend installing Spotify through their official installer, if you’ve been doing this from the start, then you can try the alternative. Installing Spotify through the Microsoft Store is a great way to install the music-streaming program through another official source.

The official Spotify app does have a better track record than other installers, but this user had his problem solved by using this method. Hopefully, using this alternative will fix your problem as well!

Before you proceed, having two installations of Spotify—the official installer and Microsoft Store—can cause even more problems in the future. Try to avoid that by making sure that Spotify has been properly uninstalled before you proceed.

Here’s how you can reinstall Spotify through the Microsoft Store:

  1. Start by opening up the Microsoft Store. You can easily do this by searching for the store in the Start menu. Click on the Windows icon at the bottom-left corner of your screen and search for ‘Microsoft Store’.

fix error code 18 on spotify

  1. Once the store is open, click on the Search button and look for ‘Spotify’. This should be at the top-right corner of your screen.
  2. After that, on the Spotify page, scroll down and click on Get to begin installing the program.

Hopefully, by installing Spotify through the store, the installation should complete with full functionality. Open up the Spotify app and see if the installation was a success by logging into your account.

 

6. Delete AppData Files.

Although we’ve gone over the proper steps of uninstalling Spotify, residual files can still be left behind. In this method, we’ll be going over the usual folders that Spotify installs in and making sure that all Spotify-related files are deleted.

Clearing these residual files can make a huge difference when you reinstall the program. Even if Spotify was deleted through the App & Features window, residual Spotify folders could still make your computer think that it’s already been installed.

Here’s how you can delete AppData Spotify files:

  1. First, we’ll need to open the Run dialog box. Do that by pressing on Windows key + R.
  2. From there, type in ‘%appdata%’ and press Enter.

fix error code 18 on spotify

  1. That should open up a window with a list of folders. Look for Spotify and delete the folder by pressing on the Delete key.

While that should be more than enough, depending on your computer, Spotify may have installed elsewhere. Check this guide out so you can make sure that all Spotify files are completely cleared from your computer.

 

7. Change Your DNS Server.

A very underrated functionality that comes with all your internet devices is the usage of DNS servers. These servers automatically translate domain names and URLs, like saintlad.com, into their respective IP addresses and vice versa.

This is extremely useful since we users will no longer have to connect to a server by typing in their IP address. Unfortunately, some DNS servers can cause errors or problems, like the error code 18 on Spotify. We’ll connect you to a different DNS server to try and alleviate this problem.

fix error code 18 on spotify

You can refer to our official guide on how to do that, as it will be more in-depth and precise. There are a lot of DNS servers out there, but we recommend the 1.1.1.1 server because of its reputation for speed and consistently good service.

Feel free to search through the internet for another DNS server or do some further research into the 1.1.1.1 server at your own discretion. Once you’ve changed your DNS settings, try installing Spotify and see if the error is finally fixed.

That about wraps up this entire article! We hope to have helped you fix error code 18 on Spotify. If you have any questions or clarifications, feel free to leave a comment down below.

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • Mako Young

    Mako is a staff writer at Saint. He's been writing about tech for more than a decade. When he isn't reading about the latest news on Apple, he's busy studying cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, cloud computing, and other IT-related sectors. His exceptional work graces technology and Apple-related blogs like How-To Geek, VEED.io, Macgasm, onMac, PhotoWorkout, GameRant, and many more. He also has a Bachelors in Computer Science and has been writing since 2018, with over 400 posts published. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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