How to Upload Music to Spotify Using Local Files: The Ideal Guide

When you know how to navigate Spotify's local files feature, it can literally transform how you share your music and listen to it on the audio streaming platform.

Spotify is the biggest audio streaming platform on the internet, which has more than 230 million active monthly users. This makes the platform grab the biggest market share as well. Since its inception, the platform has been helping artists to reach audiences globally, providing them with a way to connect to listeners in any corner of the world.

Despite being the best streaming platform on the internet and offering such easy assistance to artists, there is an ever-lingering question, how do you actually get your music on the platform? It is a bit of a shocker but independent artists cannot upload their songs on the platform by themselves. The process of uploading tracks on Spotify includes affiliating with a distributor handling the getaway between the platform and the artists. As an independent artist, the first step involves choosing a reliable distribution service that would be your liaison.

Now that we have established how uploading your music to Spotify might be a game-changer for your discography, let’s learn how you can actually do that.

How to upload music to Spotify locally? (Android and iOS)

Uploading your music to the platform locally using Android and iOS is easy once you have understood the steps clearly.

    • To start, open the Spotify app on your mobile phone. The next step would be to find and tap on the gear icon, which would typically be in the upper-left corner of your screen. Now go into your Spotify settings.

    • With settings, find the category labeled as ‘Import’. Now, tap on it and you will find the option to ‘Show local audio files’. If you are using Android devices, tap on the option ‘Other Files’ if you find that your music files are not being imported from common music file directories. In the case of an iOS user, you have to add songs via iTunes.

    • The next would be the enable ‘Show local audio files’. This would allow Spotify to have access to your tracks or any tune you want to upload on the platform. 

How to upload music to Spotify locally? (Desktop)

Spotify has a vast library that exceeds 70 million tracks. However, there still might be times when you cannot find certain tracks. This is why you have the option to upload tracks on the platform locally. Here is how you can do it on your desktop -

    • Launch the Spotify desktop app and if you are not logged in to the platform, put your credentials and log in as the first step. 

    • Now find the arrow next to your display name and click on it. You will find the arrow at the top-right corner of the app interface. Now from the dropdown menu, select ‘Settings’. 

    • Through the settings, scroll down until you see a section for ‘Local Files’. 

    • Now, check the box next to ‘Show Local Files’. When you do this, it configures the platform to display music files that are stored on your desktop. 

    • To select the folder containing the local songs you want to upload on Spotify, select the option for ‘ADD A SOURCE’. 

    • The next step would be to navigate to the folder that contains your local files. Once you find the file, select it then click ‘OK’ or ‘Open’. This action would depend on the dialog box commands of your desktop. 

    • Now after selecting, navigate back to the Spotify app. Here, you will see a section called ‘Local Files’ in the left-hand sidebar. Click on the section to view the music files that you have just added.

You have finally successfully uploaded local files on Spotify from your desktop.

Troubleshooting some common issues:

If you are having problems when you are attempting to upload local files to Spotify, this quick list of solutions might help you out.

    • Make sure the local files are in supported format. The audio streaming platforms only support .mp3, .m4p (unless it contains any video), and .mp4 tracks. .mp4 is also only supported if ‘QuickTime’ is installed on your computer or desktop. 

    • Ensure that the playlist that contains all the local files is set for only Offline use. This would work if you want to listen to the files on your mobile phone. 

    • Make sure to disable any firewall. It might be preventing the audio streaming platform from reaching your local files.

You can now listen to them whenever you want!