Spotify Songs Greyed Out: How to Make Them Available Again?

"Why is a song suddenly greyed out on my Spotify playlist? I was able to play it less than 24 hours ago, but now it's unavailable..."

Have you experienced a song turning grey and becoming unplayable on Spotify? It's frustrating! Common reasons include:

• Network/Software Bugs: Unstable network connections or bugs within the Spotify app can cause unplayable songs. (Check Fixes 1-3)
• Software Settings Issues: Incorrect settings or configurations may cause Spotify songs to be unavailable. (Check Fixes 4-9)
• Copyright/Regional Restrictions: Some songs may not play in your region due to copyright or other restrictions. (Check Fix 10)
• No Matter What Issues: The ultimate solution to fix greyed-out Spotify songs. (Check Fix 11)

Next, having known the reasons why some songs greyed out on Spotify, try the following fixes one by one. Before you start, make sure your device is connected to the network properly.

Fix 1. Stop Using VPN

When you use a VPN, it masks your actual IP address and makes Spotify think you are in a different location. This might prevent you from listening to certain songs or playlists that are only available in certain regions, showing error code 4 or greyed-out songs on Spotify. To fix this, try turning off your VPN. Here is how.

• On Android: Go to "Settings" > "Network & Internet" > "VPN". Then, toggle off the "VPN" option.
• On iPhone/iPad: Go to "Settings" > "General" > "VPN & Device Management". Tap the status toggle to turn it off.
• On Windows: Go to "Settings" > "Network & Internet", and then click "VPN" on the left. Select the VPN connection and click "Disconnect".
• On Mac: Go to "System settings" > "Network" > "VPN" and hit "Disconnect".

Fix 2. Clear Spotify Cache

Cache files are temporary data that the app uses to improve performance. However, corrupted or outdated files can be another reason why are some songs unplayable on Spotify. Clearing the cache can refresh these files, thus resolving temporary playback issues. Simple tutorials are offered below.

• On iOS/Android: Open the Spotify app. Go to "Settings" > "Storage" and tap on "Clear cache".

• On Windows/Mac: Open the Spotify app and tap on your profile picture. Select "Settings" > "Storage" and click the "Clear cache" option.

Fix 3. Re-Add Songs to Playlists

If a song in your Spotify playlist suddenly turns grey, it may be due to a network connection or software bug, rather than a copyright restriction or an issue with the song itself. In such cases, try searching for the song to see if it is still available. If it is, manage the greyed-out Spotify song from your playlist and then add it back again. This can help solve how to listen to greyed-out songs on Spotify.

Fix 4. Log Out and Back to Spotify

When there is an issue with your Spotify account (maybe error code 17), it can often cause songs to fail to load properly, appearing as grey. Logging out and logging back in is a simple but effective method that can help refresh your account information and fix some common glitches. If your Spotify songs are greyed out, you can try logging out of your Spotify account on your device, then log back in and check if the issue has been resolved.

Fix 5. Disable Offline Mode

If you are using offline mode, you will only be able to access songs that have already been downloaded. Undownloaded songs will appear greyed out on the Spotify app and cannot be played. To play unavailable songs on Spotify, disable offline mode and Spotify will be able to reconnect to the internet and get access to the entire online music library.

• On iOS/Android: Tap on your profile to navigate to "Settings" > "Playback" and then, you can switch "Offline" off. Select the "Go online" option to confirm your action.
• On Windows: Click on the three-dot icon in the top left to go to "File" > "Offline Mode" to disable it.
• On Mac: Hit "Spotify" on the top menu and then select "Offline Mode".

Fix 6. Enable Local Audio

If you've added local music to Spotify, then you'll need to make sure the "Show Local Files" option is enabled. If not, the local tracks you uploaded might appear greyed out and won't be accessible or playable on other devices logged into the same Spotify account.

Here are the steps to enable this on different devices.

On Windows/Desktop:

Hit your profile picture and select "Settings". Then, toggle off the "Show Local Files" option.

On iOS/Android:

Add local files to a playlist on your computer, enable "Local audio files" in settings, then on your phone, go to "Settings" > "Local Files" and toggle on "Show local audio files".

Fix 7. Unblock Songs/Artists

One possible reason why some songs are unavailable on Spotify is that you may have blocked a certain artist or song in the past. Here is a step-by-step troubleshooting guide.

Unblock Artists

1. Go to the artist page on the Spotify app.

2. Tap on the three-dot icon, and then select the "Allow to play this artist" option.

Unblock Songs

1. Navigate to the hidden song.

2. Tap on the three-dot icon next to the title, and then select "Hidden".

Fix 8. Allow Explicit Content

If the song greyed out on Spotify is labeled with an "E", it typically means it is marked as "explicit content" and is blocked. To play it, you'll need to adjust your Spotify settings to allow explicit content. Here's how to do it.

Step 1. Hit your profile picture and go to "Settings" > "Content preferences".

Step 2. Toggle on the "Allow explicit content" button.

Step 3. Return to your Spotify playlist, and reload it. The grey-out "E" songs should be available now.

Fix 9. Restart or Reinstall the Spotify App

Another common reason that led to encountering the Spotify song greyed out issue is that there is something wrong with the app itself (usually error code 18). One of the most common solutions is to restart or reinstall the app. This can fix temporary app errors that affect playback.

Moreover, if you haven't updated the Spotify app in a while, it is also a good idea to check for available updates. Keeping your app up to date ensures you get the best performance and helps fix any known bugs.

Fix 10. Find Other Versions of Unplayable Songs

If none of the previous 9 fixes help, copyright restrictions may be the underlying cause. So, how to play unplayable songs on Spotify? One temporary but effective solution is to search for alternative versions, such as live, acoustic, remix, or cover versions.

Also, regional restrictions are the reason why some songs are greyed out on Spotify. Especially for free users, using Spotify abroad is limited to 14 days. Even if you upgrade to a Premium membership, greyed-out songs on Spotify may still occur.

Are you wondering if is there a permanent solution? The answer is yes! Continue reading Fix 11 in the following to keep your favorite Spotify songs forever, without worrying about any restrictions.

Fix 11. Avoid Spotify Songs Greyed Out Issues Forever

If the above methods don't help you listen to grey-out Spotify songs successfully, or if you're looking for a one-time solution to avoid all Spotify streaming problems, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter is the tool you need.

This user-friendly tool works for both Spotify Free and Premium, has an inbuilt Spotify web player, and allows you to rip Spotify songs into DRM-free formats like MP3, M4A, FLAC, WAV, AAC, AIFF, and ALAC. The ripped songs will be preserved with lossless quality. You can then transfer your music to any device or player, to enjoy your favorite tracks anytime, without worrying about greyed-out songs on Spotify or any other playback errors.

Step 1. When you launch TuneFab, select the "Spotify" service to access the web player. Next, log into your Spotify account to move on.

Step 2. Browse the music library to find the song, album, or playlist you want to download from Spotify. Then, directly drag and drop it to the floating "+" icon, and TuneFab will automatically fetch the music information and add it to the conversion list.

Step 3. Expand the "Converting" tab to check the default output settings for all songs. To customize the output format, click an audio format dropdown to make your change. For more output settings like saving path, hit the hamburger menu and go to "Preferences".

Step 4. Select all the songs you want to download, and then click on the "Convert All" button. TuneFab Spotify Music Converter will start ripping and converting Spotify songs to your computer.

After that, you can check all downloads in the "Finished" tab. Hit the folder icon to locate the saving folder on your computer. Then, you can effortlessly enjoy Spotify songs offline across all devices, without any hassle.

Conclusion

This article has covered the reasons why some songs greyed out on Spotify and provided effective fixes. While it can be frustrating, with the solutions above, you can easily get back the greyed-out songs on Spotify.

The final and most reliable fix is using TuneFab Spotify Music Converter. It converts Spotify music to common audio formats at 35X speed, ensuring your songs are always available. Download it now and enjoy seamless playback without greyed-out tracks. Why not download it and give it a try?

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