How to Fix Spotify Black Screen on Windows/Mac/iOS/Android

Imagine this: you've just opened your Spotify app, eager to dive into your favorite playlist, only to be met with an unresponsive black screen. You've tried closing and reopening the app, reinstalling the app, and even attempting a few tricks, but the black screen remains, ruining your music experience. You're left wondering: how can I fix the Spotify black screen issue?

The causes of Spotify's black screen are more complex than just an outdated app version. While there's no official quick fix, don't worry. This article will provide customized solutions for you to fix Spotify black screen on Windows/Mac/iOS/Android.

How to Fix Spotify Black Screen on Mac/Windows

Now, we're going to dive into the various ways to fix Spotify black screen on Mac and Windows platforms. You can try them one by one by following the detailed steps below.

Solution 1. Check Network Connection and Reopen Spotify

Network connection issues are one of the common possible reasons for Spotify's black screen problem. If your network is in bad shape or disconnected, Spotify will just black screen without giving alerts. Here's how to fix this issue on Mac and Windows:

On Windows

Step 1. Click the Start button and go to Settings > Network & Internet Status.

Step 2. Check your network status to make sure your network is connected.

Step 3. Reopen Spotify on your Windows 10 to see if the black screen issue has been resolved.

On Mac

Step 1. Go to Menu > System Preferences > Network.

Step 2. Make sure the status indicator next to the network connection shows green.

Step 3. Restart Spotify on your Mac and check if the black screen problem is solved.

Solution 2. Delete Spotify AppData Folder

One reason behind Spotify's black screen problem lies in the AppData folder. This folder holds files like group policies and temporary data, which can disrupt Spotify's loading process, causing the black screen issue. To address this, we'll explore how to effectively delete the Spotify AppData folder and resolve the problem.

On Windows

Step 1. Quit Spotify completely on your Windows computer.

Step 2. Click the Start button, then type "%appdata%" and press Enter to open the roaming directory.

Step 3. Locate and delete the Spotify folder from it.

Step 4. Restart Spotify to check if it takes effect.

On Mac

Step 1. Quit Spotify on your Mac computer.

Step 2. Open Finder > click "Go To" > select "Go to Folder".

Step 3. Type in "~/Library/Application/Application Support/Spotify/prefs" and click the "Go" button.

Step 4. Find and delete the Spotify folder.

Solution 3. Disable Hardware Acceleration

Many users have fed back that Spotify's hardware acceleration option causes many issues. Spotify black screen on Mac/Windows is one of them. Therefore, you can take the approach of disabling this option as this will resolve the issues related to GPU compatibility. Here are the steps to do so.

Step 1. Launch the Spotify app on your Mac/Windows computer.

Step 2. Click on your profile picture to get the drop-down menu and go to Settings.

Step 3. Scroll down to the "Compatibility" section, then toggle off the switch next to "Enable hardware acceleration".

Step 4. Close and restart the Spotify app to apply the changes.​ ​ ​

Solution 4. Remove the Redundant Process of Spotify

One possible cause of the black screen issue is redundancy or conflicts in the Spotify processes. This can occur when a user inadvertently launches multiple instances of the Spotify application at the same time. Here's how to fix Spotify black screen on Mac and Windows:

On Windows

Step 1. Open the Task Manager window by pressing "Alt-Ctrl-Delete" or "Ctrl-Shift-Esc" on your Windows computer.

Step 2. Click on the Processes tab. Locate and select Spotify.

Step 3. Click the "End Process" button to close the Spotify application.

On Mac

Step 1. Press Command + Spacebar or click Spotlight to search for "Activity Monitor" on your Mac.

Step 2. In the Activity Monitor app on your Mac, select Spotify under the "Process Name" list.

Step 3. Click the Stop button in the upper left corner of the Activity Monitor window and select Quit.

Solution 5. Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify

If none of the above methods are effective in resolving the persistent black screen, it may be time to consider uninstalling and reinstalling Spotify. It removes any corrupted utility files that may be causing the black screen and allows you to reinstall in a clean initial state. Remember to always back up before uninstalling or you could lose your personal data.

On Windows

Step 1. Open the Control Panel on your computer by searching for it.

Step 2. Click "Programs" and then click "Uninstall a program" under "Programs and Features".

Step 3. Find Spotify, right-click, and select 'Uninstall'.

Step 4. Visit the Microsoft Store to reinstall Spotify.

On Mac

Step 1. Find the Spotify app in Applications (use Spotlight if needed). Press and hold Command, then double-click the app to open.

Step 2. Drag Spotify to the trash or select it and choose File > Move to Trash.

Step 3. Empty the trash by selecting Finder > Empty Trash.

Step 4. Visit Spotify's official website to reinstall the app.

Solution 6. Check Your Firewall or Anti-Virus Software

The firewall or anti-virus software on your PC or Mac might be blocking Spotify-related URLs, causing the Spotify black screen issue. To resolve this, simply add Spotify to the whitelist. Here's how:

Step 1. Go to the settings of your firewall or anti-virus software on your computer.

Step 2. Make sure the address http://spclient.wg.spotify.com is added as an exception.

Solution 7. Run Spotify as Administrator on Windows Computer

Sometimes Spotify displays a black screen due to software conflicts. Running Spotify as an administrator can resolve the issue. This is because running Spotify with elevated privileges allows it to bypass certain restrictions and access necessary system resources. Here are the steps to run Spotify as an administrator:

Step 1. Find the Spotify icon on your desktop or in the Start menu.

Step 2. Right-click on the Spotify icon. From the context menu, click on "Run as administrator."

Step 3. If prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) dialog, click "Yes" to allow Spotify to run with administrative privileges.

Solution 8. Launch Spotify in Safe Mode on Mac

One effective troubleshooting step to fix Spotify black screen on Mac is to launch Spotify in Safe Mode. This mode allows the application to run with minimal settings and without third-party extensions, helping to identify if the issue is related to software conflicts. To launch Spotify in Safe Mode on your Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1. Close Spotify if it's running.

Step 2. Then hold down the Shift key and click on the Spotify icon in your Applications folder or Dock. Continue holding the Shift key until Spotify fully opens.

This simple step can often resolve Spotify black screen on Mac and get your music streaming back on track.

How to Troubleshoot Spotify Black Screen on Android/iOS

In this section, we will focus on solving Spotify black screen issues on mobile devices, including Android and iOS devices.

Solution 1. Log out and Log in on Spotify

When you run into Spotify black screen issues on Android and iOS devices, the first thing you can try is to log out and then log back into your Spotify account.

Step 1. Launch the Spotify app on your iOS or Android device.

Step 2. On iOS, go to the Home screen on Spotify, and tap on the gear icon at the top-right corner to access Settings. While on Android, click the "Home" icon and then tap on the "Settings" button.

Step 3. Scroll down and tap on "Log out" to sign out of your Spotify account.

Step 4. After logging out, tap on "Log in" to sign back into your account.

Solution 2. Clear Cache on Spotify

You can also try clearing the cache in the Spotify app, which is a potential contributor to the black screen issue. This action is designed to eliminate temporary files or corrupted data that may be causing the issue. Follow the steps below to clear the cache on both Android and iOS devices.

Step 1. Launch the Spotify app on your iOS or Android device.

Step 2. Tap on the Home icon, and select Settings > Storage.

Step 3. Tap on "Delete Cache" to clear cached data.

Solution 3. Update the Spotify App

Ensuring that you are using the latest version of the Spotify app will help resolve the bug that is causing black screen issues. Here's how to update the Spotify app on Android and iOS devices.

Step 1. On Android, open the Play Store. On iPhone, access the App Store.

Step 2. Search for Spotify and open the app's page.

Step 3. If an update is available, you'll see an "Update" button on the right.

Step 4. Tap "Update" to download and install the newest Spotify version.

Solution 4. Free up Space on Your Device

Insufficient memory on mobile devices can lead to problems such as lagging, crashing, slow loading, and even black screens. To solve these problems, consider optimizing your Android or iOS device's storage space. Clearing up space by identifying the apps that consume the most memory, deleting unused apps, and backing up chats, photos, and videos can help resolve issues such as black screens.

Solution 5. Uninstall and Reinstall Spotify

Uninstalling and then reinstalling the Spotify app can be a solution to the Spotify black screen issue on your phone. Here are the steps to do it on iOS and Android devices respectively.

On iOS

Step 1. Long press the Spotify app icon on the Home screen.

Step 2. Tap "Remove App" or the "X" button that appears in the upper left corner of the app icon.

Step 3. If prompted, confirm that you want to remove the Spotify app.

Step 4. After successful uninstallation, visit the App Store, search for Spotify, and reinstall the app.

On Android

Step 1. Long press the Spotify app icon on the Home screen or in the app drawer.

Step 2. Drag the app icon to the "Uninstall" or "Remove" button that pops up on the screen.

Step 3. If prompted, confirm that you want to uninstall the Spotify app.

Step 4. Once done, visit the Google Play Store, search for Spotify, and reinstall the app.

How to Get Rid of Black Screen on Spotify Web Player

Now, we're going to explore how to fix the black screen issue with the web browser version of Spotify. There are several ways to do this as follows.

Solution 1. Reopen Browser

If you are experiencing black screen issues while using the Spotify web player, one of the easiest and most effective steps to take is to reopen your browser. Sometimes, a simple refresh can fix the temporary glitch that is causing the black screen issue. This doesn't just work for the Spotify web player, but also for other web versions of players such as YouTube, Netflix, etc.

Solution 2. Update Browser

Outdated browser versions can cause compatibility issues, including black screen problems with the Spotify web player. Please make sure your browser is up to date in order to resolve this issue. After updates are downloaded, click "Relaunch" to restart Chrome, and then revisit the Spotify web player to see if the black screen problem has been resolved.

Solution 3. Clear Cache and Cookies

Cached data and cookies that accumulate over time can affect the proper functioning of web applications like Spotify. Clearing your browser's cache and cookies can help refresh your web player and potentially resolve black screen issues. Take an example on Google Chrome:

Step 1. Open Chrome > click on the three dots in the top right corner > go to "More Tools" > "Clear Browsing Data".

Step 2. Select a time range (e.g. "Last 24 hours" or "All time"), and check the "Cookies and other website data" and "Cached images and files".

Step 3. Once done, click "Clear data".

Solution 4. Disable Extensions

Browser extensions occasionally conflict with the operation of certain websites, including Spotify's web player. Temporarily disable browser extensions and try visiting Spotify again to determine if any of the extensions are causing the black screen issue. You can disable extensions one by one to find out what the problem is and see if the problem has been solved.

Solution 5. Check Spotify Ad Blockers

Ad blockers can sometimes unintentionally block elements of Spotify's web player, leading to display problems like the black screen. Try disabling it for a while and see if Spotify works fine. If it does, you'll need to add Spotify to your ad blocker's whitelist. This will hopefully solve the problem of Spotify's black screen on web browsers.

Ultimate Method to Resolve Spotify Black Screen Issue

While the above methods can provide immediate relief from pressing problems, they may not guarantee a permanent solution. To prevent Spotify songs from being lost, offline backup of Spotify songs is the best way. So how to back up Spotify songs offline easily with one click? That's where TuneFab Spotify Music Converter comes into play.

TuneFab Spotify Music Converter is a powerful tool that allows you to download and convert Spotify songs, playlists, and albums to various formats, such as MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, and AIFF. With TuneFab's built-in player, you can download Spotify music free, and enjoy them offline, without relying on an internet connection or worrying about issues like black screens or interruptions again.

TuneFab Spotify Music Converter simplifies the process of downloading Spotify music for offline enjoyment. Here's how to use it:

Step 1. Launch TuneFab and Log in

Download and install TuneFab Spotify Music Converter on your computer. Launch it and log in to your Spotify account

Step 2. Add What You Want to Download

Browse your Spotify playlists and select the songs, albums, or playlists you want to download. Drag and drop the selected track onto the green "+" button on the side. You can also click the download icon next to your select tracks and they will be added to the download list.

Step 3. Customize Output Settings

Go to "Setting" > "Preference", then you can personalize your output settings, including output formats like MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, and AIFF, and adjust Sample Rate and Bitrate as your need.

Step 4. Start Downloading Spotify Songs

Click "Convert All" to initiate the batch download. Your selected tracks will be converted to the audio format of your choice and saved to the specified output folder. Once done, click "View Output File" to review and access the downloads.

Conclusion

In this guide, we've covered a number of ways to fix Spotify black screen issues on your computer, phone, or Spotify web player. If you find yourself facing black screen issues, check your network first, then double-check your software and device. Effective and feasible solutions include updating applications, clearing the cache, reinstalling the Spotify app, etc.

Among these methods, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter becomes a comprehensive tool for downloading Spotify music for offline use, allowing users to stop worrying about black screens and streaming interruptions. With it, you will be able to overcome the black screen problem and access your favorite Spotify music tracks anytime, anywhere with flexibility and ease!