Spotify is a wonderful app, it’s convenient, fast, and can function under 2G or 3G (which is good for traveling as I just discovered). It also offers a premium version with added benefits like offline streaming — you can play it in the air or on a submarine. Sound familiar?
If you’re reading this, you probably use Spotify on your computer–a Windows PC or Apple Mac machine. I love the mobile Spotify app, but I’m by no means a fan of their Desktop app.
Why? Because the desktop app isn’t smooth at all. You face constant playback errors, battery drainage, or other issues.
What do you do when issues like that happen? Uninstall Spotify or reinstall it from scratch. However, it’s easier said than done. I’ve personally encountered several issues during a Spotify update, including the “can’t uninstall Spotify” error. Very annoying!
That’s why I created this guide: to help you uninstall Spotify without wasting time. There are several ways to get the job done. I’m going to show all of them, so if one method doesn’t work you have options.
Note: I use an HP laptop with Windows 10. The Mac tutorial is contributed by JP.
How to Uninstall Spotify in Windows 10
A list of territories and regions where Spotify is available. We love playing music in headphones and speakers around the world. Here's where you can sign up for Spotify. Feb 18, 2020 Question: Q: why can't I find spotify in the App Store for my iMac More Less Apple Footer This site contains user submitted content, comments. Here to help! Find out how to set up and use Spotify. Learn about features, troubleshoot issues, and get answers to questions. Everything you need to stay in tune. Jan 24, 2019 How to Uninstall Spotify on Mac Method 1: Manually Remove Spotify and Its Support Files. Step 1: Quit Spotify if the app is running. Find the app in your Mac Dock, then right-click (or double tap) and select “Quit”. Step 2: Open Finder Applications, locate the Spotify app, select the app. I found a loophole through this. You legit just have to.bleep. the “try again” button. It takes a few seconds, but then it will show you the buffering pop-up (like the three little dots that move.
We recommend you try the first two methods first, as they are straightforward. If they don’t work out, try method 3.
Method 1: Via Windows Settings
Note: This method allows you to uninstall both the Spotify desktop application and the Windows application. Using the Control Panel (Method 2) will allow you to uninstall the Desktop player.
Step 1: Go to the search bar next to the Windows start menu on the left-hand side. Type in “Program Uninstall”. Click “Apps and features” in System Settings.
Step 2: The following window should appear. Go to “Apps & features” if you are not already there. Scroll down to find Spotify, and then click on the app and select “Uninstall”.
Method 2: Via Control Panel
Note: This method only works for uninstalling the desktop app. If you downloaded Spotify from the Microsoft Store, you won’t be able to use it.
Step 1: Type “Control Panel” in Cortana’s search bar.
Step 2: Once the window pops up, select “Uninstall a program” under “Programs”.
Step 3: Scroll down and find Spotify, then click “Uninstall”.
That’s it. Spotify should be removed successfully in a few seconds.
If Windows or the app itself is giving you errors during the uninstallation process and there doesn’t seem to be a solution, try the following method instead.
Method 3: Use Third-party Uninstaller
If you were successful in uninstalling Spotify, hooray! If you’re having trouble uninstalling it, your antivirus software may be preventing the application from running, or Spotify’s own uninstaller may be removed.
Don’t worry, you can use a third party uninstaller to take care of the rest. But beware: Many websites are not trustworthy and you may find yourself downloading malware.
Here are two recommended uninstallers: CleanMyPC and IObit Uninstaller. While they are not freeware, they offer a free trial so you can evaluate the program. For this tutorial, we’ll use CleanMyPC as it’s one of best PC cleaners we’ve reviewed.
Step 1: Download CleanMyPC and install this program on your computer. Once you have it installed, you should see its main screen.
Step 2: Click on “Multi Uninstaller” and scroll down to Spotify. Select the checkbox next to it and hit “Uninstall.”
The paid version will clean up Spotify’s residual files as well.
How to Uninstall Spotify on Mac
Method 1: Manually Remove Spotify and Its Support Files
Step 1: Quit Spotify if the app is running. Find the app in your Mac Dock, then right-click (or double tap) and select “Quit”.
Step 2: Open Finder > Applications, locate the Spotify app, select the app icon, and drag it to Trash.
Step 3: Now it’s time to remove the preference files related to Spotify. Begin by searching “~/Library/Preferences” and clicking the “Preferences” folder.
Step 4: Once the “Preferences” folder is open, do another search to find the .plist files related to Spotify. Select them, then delete.
Step 5: Clean the Application Files related to Spotify (Note: This step is not recommended if you want to keep a copy of your Spotify records). Just search “~/Library/Application Support” to find the “Spotify” folder and drag it to Trash.
That’s it. Manually uninstalling Spotify and cleaning up its associated files is a bit time-consuming. If you prefer a quicker way, we recommend the method below.
Method 2: Use CleanMyMac (Recommended)
First off, it’s worth noting that CleanMyMac X isn’t freeware. However, you can use the trial version to remove Spotify or other apps for free as long as the total file size is less than 500 MB.
Step 1: Download CleanMyMac X (the latest version) and install the app on your Mac. Launch CleanMyMac. Then, select “Uninstaller”, find “Spotify”, and select its associated files for removal.
Step 2: Hit the “Uninstall” button at the bottom. Done! In my case, 315.9 MB files related to Spotify were removed completely.
How to Reinstall Spotify
Once you’ve completely uninstalled Spotify and its associated files from your PC or Mac, it’s quite easy to reinstall the app.
Simply visit the Spotify official website here: https://www.spotify.com/us/
On the top navigation bar, click “Download”.
Jan 17, 2020 If anything happens to your Mac, you can boot directly from the backup clone and carry on working without having first to replace your hard drive and restore your data. As a best practice, you should keep both a file backup and a clone of your Mac. Does My Mac Come with Backup Software? Yes, it does. Time Machine is macOS’ built-in software. Jan 17, 2019 Bombich Software’s Carbon Copy Cloner is a more capable backup app with a more complex interface, though “Simple Mode” is also available, allowing you to back up your drive in three clicks. Significantly, the app allows you to back up your computer in an additional way: by creating an exact clone of your Mac’s hard drive. Best backup for macs. The best backup software for Mac 2020 Looking to keep your data safe? From ChronoSync to Backblaze, and including free as well as paid-for services, here are the best Mac backup software.
The installer file will automatically download on its own. All you have to do next is follow the instructions to install the app on your computer.
If the download doesn’t start, click the “try again” link on the page (see above) to manually download it.
Note: If you are using a Mac computer, you will NOT find Spotify on the Mac App Store. We imagine it’s because Spotify is a direct competitor with Apple Music in the streaming market.
One More Thing
Search Spotify Users
Do you desperately need to save memory and battery on your computer, but enjoy listening to your Spotify playlist while surfing the web? Luckily, the good folks at Spotify created a web player so you can stream music without using unnecessary system resources.
Search Spotify Songs
Final Words
Spotify is an extremely popular platform that allows us to access our favorite songs, artists, and playlists on the go. It has revolutionized the music streaming industry and will continue to be used by people like you and me for a long time. That doesn’t mean technical issues should get in the way of our listening experience.
Search Mac App Store
Hopefully, we’ve helped you addressed those issues, whether you want to completely uninstall the app or give it a fresh installation. Kindly leave a comment with any further questions or issues — or if you simply want to thank us for taking the time to curate this guide, we’d love to hear from you.