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To show local files in Spotify, turn on the local-file setting for your platform, make sure Spotify can access the audio, then open Your Library and select Local Files. Desktop uses Show Local Files; iPhone and Android use Local audio files.

Show local files in Spotify on desktop

  1. Click your profile picture and choose Settings.
  2. Scroll to Library and switch on Show Local Files.
  3. Under Show songs from, turn on the folders Spotify should scan. To include audio in another folder, add that folder as a source.
  4. Open Your Library and select Local Files.

If the folder containing your audio is not enabled or added as a source, Spotify may not show those files.

Show local files in Spotify on iPhone or iPad

  1. Tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy.
  2. Open Apps and devices and turn on Local audio files.
  3. Open Your Library and select Local Files.

Move audio onto an iPhone or iPad

Turning on the setting does not transfer audio that is elsewhere. Spotify’s Local files instructions describe copying or moving audio from a browser or storage app into the Spotify folder under On My iPhone. They also describe transferring from a computer: use Finder on a Mac or iTunes on Windows, and drag the file to the Spotify folder.

Show local files in Spotify on Android

  1. Tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy.
  2. Open Apps and devices and turn on Local audio files.
  3. Open Your Library and select Local Files.

Move audio onto an Android device

If the audio is in another Android app, download it to your device so Spotify can access it. Spotify also documents transferring files from Windows over USB; its instructions say a USB cable may be needed for computer transfer on Mac. USB is a transfer option, not a requirement for enabling Local Files.

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Why aren’t local files showing in Spotify?

  • Check the file location. On a phone, make sure the audio is stored on the device or in the Spotify folder using a transfer method supported for that platform.
  • Check access permissions. Your device settings may need to grant Spotify access to audio files.
  • Check desktop sources. Confirm the folder containing the audio is switched on under Show songs from or added as a source.
  • Update Spotify and your device. Spotify recommends updating both if Local Files still do not work.
  • Repeat setup for playlist files. Spotify recommends removing local files from playlists and repeating the setup if they remain unavailable.
  • Try a clean reinstall as a last resort. Follow Spotify’s clean reinstall instructions. A reinstall removes downloaded music and podcasts from the device, so you will need to download them again.

What Local Files does—and does not do

Spotify describes Local Files as a way to play audio files legally stored on your device, in addition to tracks available through Spotify. The Local Files setting makes accessible files visible in the app; it does not fetch audio from elsewhere. Spotify’s support page does not provide a complete audio-format compatibility list, so it does not establish that every file type will play.

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