How to Fix Spotify Not Working on Windows 11

Want to fix Spotify not working on Windows 11?

With the music industry ever-growing, we need a different playlist to play in the background during our tasks, and at times, in the foreground as well. And what better app to stream unlimited music and explore new genres, artists, and albums,. than Spotify?

With such an extensive library of songs and podcasts, you can hardly exit the app after launching it. The great part is that Spotify is available both on smartphones and computers. Unfortunately, many Windows 11 users have reported the app doesn’t respond occasionally. 

Since the matter has not been officially dealt with, you’re on your own in figuring out the fix for Spotify not working on Windows 11. Lucky for you, we’re here to provide guidance on the issue. Below, we’ve uncovered a few easy fixes, so let’s get going!

1. Add the Media Feature Pack.

As the name suggests, the Media Feature pack provides support to the features of the media on your Windows 11 computer. Usually, this is installed by default on the regular systems, but it wouldn’t hurt to recheck. On the other hand, if you’re using an educational or organizational account, you’ll have to add this utility manually.

To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Head off to the Start menu and select Settings or press Windows + i shortcut keys to open the Settings app.
  2. From the left sidebar, click on Apps.
  3. Then, look for the file named Optional features and click on it.
optional features windows 11
  1. From there, click on the View features button next to Add an optional feature.
add an optional feature
  1. A new window will appear. In it, search for ‘media’ and click on the checkbox for Media Feature Pack.
  2. Then, click on the Next button.
Spotify Not Working on Windows 11
  1. After that, Click on Install.
install media feature pack
  1. Once the feature is installed, restart your computer and check the Spotify app to see if the issue is fixed.

2. Force Stop Spotify from Task Manager. 

Your system may occasionally stop any third-party software from properly operating if it is discovered to be utilizing too many resources. If you believe this is the cause of Spotify not working on Windows 11, force quit the app from the Task Manager and restart it. Your Spotify app will most likely resume functioning after this method.

Here’s how to go about it:

  1. First, press the Windows + Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys from your keyboard simultaneously. This will open the Task Manager.
  2. Look for Spotify and click on it. Then click on End task. Make sure to select all the entries reading Spotify.
Spotify Not Working on Windows 11
  1. Open the Spotify app to see if the problem has been fixed or still resides.

3. Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify. 

Sometimes, another third-party program installed on your system might be interfering with Spotify, causing the app to behave strangely and unexpectedly. Other times, the application itself might be glitched or infected with a bug. Fortunately, you can fix all these problems by a simple reinstall.

Uninstalling programs deletes all the related settings and temp files from the system, which also means getting rid of the bugs. Reinstalling would mean a fresh start, ensuring a smooth streaming experience for users.

Here’s how to uninstall and reinstall Spotify on Windows 11:

  1. Start by pressing the Windows + R shortcut keys from your keyboard.
  2. In the run box, type appwiz.cpl. Then press the Enter key.
run dialog
  1. A list of installed applications will appear on your screen. From there, right-click on Spotify.
  2. Then, select Uninstall and wait for the process to complete.
uninstall spotify windows 11
  1. Once the app has been uninstalled, download its latest version again and launch it to see if the issue has been solved.

4. Download Spotify from Windows Store.

There are generally two methods that you can use to download and install Spotify on your computer. Many users tend to download it from the official Spotify website, neglecting the Microsoft Store version of the app. 

So, if you find that the website-downloaded Spotify app is not responding, go ahead and uninstall it using the method mentioned above. Afterward, follow these steps below to install the Spotify app from the Windows Store:

  1. Launch the Windows Store.
  2. In the search bar, type Spotify.
  3. Once you’ve found the app, click on Install to download and install this version of Spotify.
Spotify Not Working on Windows 11

Open the Spotify app after installation and sign in to your account. Now, see if it’s working. If not, move on to the next solution.

5. Update Audio Drivers. 

If you’re having trouble with the sound while playing music on the Spotify app, the problem may lie within the audio drivers. An outdated or corrupted audio driver can cause such problems. Hence, it’s necessary to check for their updates once in a while. 

Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Start by opening the Start menu and search for Device Manager.
  2. From the results, click on Device Manager to open it.
  3. After that, locate Sound, video, and game controllers and double-click on the tile.
  4. Once it expands and you’re shown the system audio devices, right-click on an audio driver and select Update driver.
update sound driver windows 11
  1. Another window will appear, asking you to search for your drivers. You may either select Search automatically for drivers, which will allow Windows to search for a driver, or select a driver manually by clicking on Browse my computers for drivers.
Spotify Not Working on Windows 11
  1. After the drivers have been updated, you can check and see if the issue is gone.

6.  Temporarily Use the Web Player.

If the Spotify app still doesn’t work even after trying all the troubleshooting methods mentioned in this guide, your last option is to use the website version temporarily. If the issue is widespread, the Spotify app will release a fix for it soon. In the meantime, you can head to open.spotify.com, log in to your account, and you’re good to go. 

spotify web

This is the end of our guide on how to fix Spotify not working on Windows 11. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to use the comments section below. We’ll be happy to provide further assistance. 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 😊

Author

  • Aimen Choudhry

    Aimen Choudhry is an architecture student who has always been fascinated by science. She now finds her therapy researching and writing about the latest technology and the issues that come alongside. Otherwise, you’ll find her playing video games, listening to music, or watching fantasy/sci-fi movies.

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