Spotify Local Files: 10 Tricks to View Them Now 🎵🔥

The desktop application of Spotify It generally works well and has few bugs. However, it can occasionally encounter some issues. Recently, many Spotify users have experienced difficulties playing local music files. According to users, local Spotify files are not showing up on Windows 11. 🎶

Spotify not showing local files on Windows 11 can be caused by a variety of reasons. It may be due to incorrect settings, corrupted cache data, or a corrupted app installation, among others. Whatever the reason, if you're facing the same issue, follow these methods to fix it. 👍

1. Restart your Windows 11 PC

Before proceeding with the following methods, it is recommended Restart your Windows 11 computerRestarting is often the first option to resolve errors and glitches that prevent the application from working properly.

If the application of Spotify doesn't show the files local music files due to an error, a restart may fix it. To restart Windows 11, navigate to the Windows 11 Start button > Power menu > Restart.

2. Make sure Local Files is Enabled

Spotify doesn't show local files by default; there's a setting in the app that needs to be changed to display them. Here's how to enable local files in the Spotify desktop app. 🗂️

1. Click on Windows 11 search and type Spotify. Open the Spotify app from the list of results that appear.

2. When you open the Spotify app, click on the profile icon at the top right.

3. Select Settings in the list of menu options that appears.

4. In Spotify settings, scroll down until you find the Music section. Library. Turn on the switch next to Show Local Files.

3. Add Music Folders to Spotify Manually

After enabling the Show Local Files option, you'll need to manually add the source folder. Here, you'll need to select the folders where you've saved the music files on your PC. Here's how to do it. 🎵

1. Click on Windows 11 search and type Spotify. Open the Spotify app from the list of results.

2. When the Spotify app opens, click on the profile icon at the top right.

3. Select Settings in the list of menu options that appears.

4. Under the Show Songs From section, click Add source.

5. Select the folder where your local music files were saved and click Ok.

After making the changes, restart the Spotify desktop app. After the restart, your local music files should appear in the Spotify desktop app.

4. Delete the Index.bat in the Spotify Storage Folder

The Spotify app creates an index.bat file during installation, which is responsible for locating and playing music, both online and locally. If this file is corrupted, local music files won't display, or you may experience playback issues. Therefore, it's best to delete the index.bat file from your Spotify storage folder to force the app to rebuild it. 🔄

1. Open the Spotify app and navigate to Profile > Settings > Storage > Offline Storage Location.

2. Make a note of the offline storage location and navigate to it from your PC’s File Explorer.

3. Find the file index.dat, right click and select Eliminate.

Now restart the Spotify app and check if the local files are showing.

5. Allow Spotify through Windows Firewall

Firewall or anti-malware programs can sometimes block the Spotify app from accessing local files. If this happens, you'll need to allow Spotify through your Windows Defender Firewall. Here are the steps to follow. 🔒

1. Type Control Panel in the Windows search. Open the application. Control Panel from the list of results that appear.

2. In the Control Panel, select System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall.

3. On the right side, click the link Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.

4. Now click on the button Change Settings.

5. Search and brand Spotify music and click on Ok to save the changes.

After making the changes, be sure to restart your computer. The change will only take effect after restarting your computer. 🔄

6. Make sure the music file formats are supported

Spotify only supports a few music file formats. Currently, it supports audio formats such as MP3, MP4, M4A, so if the music files are saved to your local storage in another format, they won't appear. 🎧

You'll need to make sure your files are in a format compatible with Spotify. You can use video conversion apps for PC to convert those audio files to MP3, MP4, or M4A.

Once converted to a compatible format, they should appear in the Spotify app.

7. Clear the Spotify App Cache

Like any desktop and mobile app, the Spotify app also generates and stores cache data to improve the user experience. If this cache data is corrupted, the desktop app may behave strangely. 🤔

This can lead to playback issues, connectivity problems, and more. Spotify not showing local files on Windows 11 is likely due to corrupted cache data. Therefore, it's best to clear Spotify's cache data to fix the issue.

1. Launch the Spotify app and click on your profile icon at the top right.

2. In the menu that appears, select Settings.

3. In Spotify Settings, scroll down to the Storage section.

4. Click the button Clear cache next to Caché.

5. In the Clear Cache? confirmation window, click Clear Cache.

This will delete all cache files stored on Spotify. Make sure to restart the Spotify app after clearing the cache.

8. Repair and Reset the Spotify App

Many users on the Microsoft and Spotify forums have reported resolving the issue of local files not appearing in Spotify by resetting the app. You can do the same if the problem still persists. Here's how to repair and reset the Spotify desktop app. 🔧

1. Press the Windows + 1 keys on your keyboard to open Windows 11 Settings.

2. In Settings, navigate to Applications > Installed Applications.

3. Find Spotify Music; click on the three points next to it. In the menu that appears, select Advanced options.

4. Scroll down to the Reset section and click the button Fix.

5. If repair didn't work, click the button Restore.

This is the easiest way to repair and reset the Spotify app on a Windows 11 computer.

9. Update the Spotify App

If Spotify still can't find your local files, downloading any pending Spotify app updates is the next best option. Here's how to update the Spotify desktop app. ⬆️

1. Launch the Spotify app, click on the profile icon.

2. In the menu that appears, check if there are any pending updates. If an update is available, you'll see the option Update available. Restart now..

That's it! This will update the Spotify desktop app to the latest version and fix the issue where local files aren't showing.

10. Reinstall the Spotify app

If you've followed all the methods shared so far, your local Spotify files are likely already showing up. 📥

However, if the Spotify app still doesn't show local files, there are few options other than reinstalling the Spotify app or contacting the support team.

You can uninstall Spotify from the Dashboard and reinstall it. You can also try contacting Spotify Support for further assistance.

These are the best methods to resolve the issue of Spotify not showing local files on Windows 11. These are general troubleshooting tips that can resolve many Spotify issues. Let us know which method worked for you to fix local files not showing up in Spotify. 🎉