If you are searching for "how to remove DRM from Spotify", you have likely already run into these issues: downloaded songs become inaccessible once your subscription ends, or you are unable to export them or transfer them to an MP3 player, car stereo, or USB drive for offline playback. These are all due to Spotify DRM protection.
Want to enjoy your music with no restrictions? Read on. In this latest 2026 guide, we have handpicked 5 proven Spotify DRM removal methods, covering Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and online solutions.
Key Takeaway:
- Spotify uses DRM to encrypt music files, so you cannot play downloads outside the Spotify app or listen offline once the subscription expires.
- To unlock Spotify DRM protection, you can get help from third-party tools like TuneFab Spotify Music Converter (Windows), SpotifyMate (online), Fildo (Android), iOS Shortcuts (iPhone/iPad), etc.
- All Spotify DRM removal methods are for personal use only and should comply with local copyright regulations.
- Part 1. What Is Spotify DRM Protection? Why Do You Need to Remove It?
- Part 2. Use the Best Spotify DRM Removal Tool for Windows and Mac
- Part 3. Remove DRM from Spotify Online for Free
- Part 4. Remove DRM from Spotify Music on Android/iPhone
- Part 5. Side-by-Side Comparison of the 5 Spotify DRM Removers
- Part 6. FAQs About Removing Spotify DRM
What Is Spotify DRM Protection? Why Do You Need to Remove It?
DRM (Digital Rights Management) is a protection mechanism used by streaming platforms like Spotify to safeguard music copyrights and prevent unauthorized copying, sharing, or distribution. Spotify stores downloaded songs as protected Ogg Vorbis cache files with DRM encryption. Even Premium offline downloads are restricted, protected files, not standard universal audio formats like MP3 or FLAC.
This encryption restricts the music to being played only within the official Spotify app. You cannot transfer tracks to other music players, USB drives, or devices, nor edit, share, or remix them freely. This is why many users want to remove DRM from Spotify to get rid of limits.
Recent Spotify DRM Updates in 2026
In February 2026, Spotify released major updates to its Web API security mechanisms. The platform tightened developer rules, restricting new Development Mode Client IDs to Spotify Premium users and retiring several browsing endpoints. As a result, you might have recently noticed that many Web API-based Spotify DRM removers, like spotDL, have stopped working.
Benefits of Deleting Spotify DRM
As mentioned in the last part, DRM can cause significant inconvenience to your music listening experience. Once you remove Spotify DRM, you gain much greater freedom and control over your music files. The main benefits include:
- Play Spotify music on any device without the Spotify app.
- Permanently listen to Spotify songs offline without Premium.
- Easily export complete Spotify playlists as MP3 while fully preserving original ID3 tags, artist names, and album art.
- Have full control over DRM-free Spotify tracks for sharing or transferring without any hassle.
- Able to use audio editing software to trim songs, merge tracks, or adjust sound effects for personal use.
How to Use the Best Spotify DRM Removal Tool for Windows and Mac
To unlock Spotify restrictions, desktop software is still the most reliable and efficient solution in 2026. Compared with online tools and mobile solutions, Spotify audio DRM removers for PC/Mac often provide better output quality, stable batch conversion, and a much higher success rate. Among all the tools tested, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter stands out for its excellent overall performance.
Top Recommendation - TuneFab Spotify Music Converter
TuneFab Spotify Music Converter is able to remove DRM from Spotify on Windows and Mac. With advanced audio processing technology, it can effortlessly bypass restrictions and convert songs, playlists, albums, and podcasts from Spotify to DRM-free formats like MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, AIFF, and ALAC. This is helpful if your Spotify downloads disappear after Premium expires, or if you want to transfer Spotify music to a USB drive, MP3 player, car stereo, or other offline devices.
Moreover, TuneFab regularly releases software updates to make sure the Spotify DRM removal process will not be interrupted, even after platform changes. In actual use, this tool also provides a variety of practical features.
✔️ No Spotify Premium Required: Even Spotify Free users can download songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening like Premium users.
✔️ 35X Faster Batch Conversion: It ensures efficient batch processing to save time by removing Spotify DRM from multiple songs simultaneously. Our test shows that handling a 50-minute playlist needs less than 1.5 minutes.
✔️ High-Res Listening Experience: Maintain the original quality with adjustable sample rates (22050Hz to 48000Hz) and bitrates (128 kbps to 320 kbps) to enhance your playback experience.
✔️ Built-in Spotify Web Player: Seamlessly download DRM-free Spotify songs at one click with no need to install the official Spotify app or tedious URL copy-pasting.
✔️ Safe and Reliable to Use: TuneFab includes no ads, malware or viruses, so it is safe to export Spotify songs without protection, no matter during installation or conversion.
✔️ Auto-Save ID3 Tags: Automatically detect and keep all the music metadata and ID3 tags, including the title, artists, Track ID, and album artwork, making it effortless to manage your Spotify DRM-free downloads.
How to Remove DRM from Spotify Downloads
The convenience brought by TuneFab Spotify Music Converter to remove Spotify DRM can also be felt through its easy operation. You only need to follow the 4 simple steps below, then you can efficiently convert protected Spotify music into playable local files in just a few steps.
Step 1. Open Spotify Web Player in TuneFab
After downloading and installing TuneFab Music Converter, launch the software. On the main interface, select "Spotify Service". Once you enter the built-in Spotify web player, log in to your Spotify free or premium account.

Step 2. Add Spotify Content to Convert
Search for the Spotify songs, playlists, or albums you need. Click the "Add to Convert" icon or the floating "+" button, and TuneFab will automatically detect and display the track list for you to add to the conversion queue.

Step 3. Select Output Settings
Select your desired output format (e.g., MP3, FLAC, WAV), audio quality, bitrate, etc., in the "Audio quality" dropdown.

Step 4. Convert Spotify Music to DRM-Free Files
Click the "Convert Now" button in the upper-right corner. TuneFab Spotify Music Converter will begin removing DRM from all selected Spotify songs. Just wait a moment for the process to finish. When it's done, you can find all the converted DRM-free songs in the "Local Library" section and enjoy them freely.

How to Remove DRM from Spotify Online for Free
Apart from desktop software, there is online freeware for Spotify DRM removal. In this part, we will introduce 2 popular online Spotify to MP3 converters here, respectively TuneFab Online Spotify to MP3 Tool and SpotifyMate.
However, online Spotify DRM remover services heavily rely on cloud parsing servers, public Spotify APIs, and temporary access tokens, so it should only be considered temporary solutions rather than long-term reliable options.
1. TuneFab Online Spotify to MP3 Tool
In the first part, the powerful desktop software TuneFab Spotify Music Converter has left us with a strong impression. But its capabilities go even further. TuneFab also provides an online tool that can remove DRM and convert Spotify songs to MP3 while preserving ID3 information. This tool lets you download MP3s in 128kbps and 320kbps, supports batch downloading playlists and albums. To make it happen, you'll need to go to the TuneFab member center.
Here's how it works:
Step 1. Copy the song link and paste it into the search box of the online tool.
Step 2. Click "Download". Wait for the parsing.
Step 3. Select preferred audio quality and and click "Download MP3" to download DRM-free Spotify local files directly.

2. SpotifyMate
SpotifyMate is also a free web-based service to convert Spotify to DRM-free MP3 files online. This online Spotify DRM removal program will directly access the link and remove DRM from Spotify songs in the cloud. Also, it allows you to save the site as a web app on Android and iOS devices with its Progressive Web App feature. If you don't want to download any software, it may be a nice option for you to rip music from Spotify.
Limitations & Risks:
- Cannot choose a high-resolution option to download.
- Convert Spotify music to MP3 only at medium sound quality.
- Unable to download Spotify palylists in one go.
- Have annoying ads and pop-ups everywhere.
- Unstable to use due to its online server.
The whole procedure is totally foolproof. Let's see how it works.
Step 1. Open the Spotify app and choose a song. Then, tap Share and copy the link to the clipboard.
Step 2. Visit SpotifyMate on your browser and paste the link into the bar. Now, click Download to proceed.
Step 3. After it successfully converts the selected Spotify song, select Download MP3 to save it to your device.

How to Remove DRM from Spotify Music on Android/iPhone
Many users tend to directly remove DRM from Spotify on Android and iPhone for offline playback on the go. However, due to the restrictions of the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, apps like Spotify converters are hard to find. Below are two viable options that we have tested.
NOTE:
These mobile Spotify removal APKs may fail to unprotect Spotify songs sometimes due to their lack of updates and maintenance. For smoother use, it's better for you to try a professional desktop Spotify DRM removal tool, like TuneFab Spotify Music Converter, as an alternative.
1. Fildo (Android)
For Android users, Fildo is one of the few music downloader apps still discussed in Spotify DRM removal communities. It can help search and fetch music sources from different providers and allows you to decrypt protected Spotify tracks and get local DRM-free audio files in MP3 or FLAC.
Limitations & Risks:
- Unstable music sources, offering inconsistent audio quality.
- Download failures happen frequently.
- Metadata may be incomplete.
- Potential security risks from unofficial APK downloads.
- No guaranteed long-term compatibility.
Here is how to remove DRM from Spotify music on Android using it.
Step 1. Get the Fildo APK from its official website. Enable "Install from Unknown Sources" in your Android settings if prompted.
Step 2. Go to the "Move" tab, tap "IMPORT SPOTIFY", and log in with your Spotify account.
Step 3. Tap on the imported playlist, find the song you want, tap the three-dot icon next to the track name, and press Download.

2. iOS Shortcuts (iPhone/iPad)
iOS is a strict and closed operating system, so there is no Spotify app available. Luckily, you can download DRM-free song tracks from Spotify using a Shortcut. That being said, it's Spotifydl. It enables you to download high-quality Spotify songs from 8kbps up to 320kbps according to your preset. However, it may get stuck or fail to fetch data from Spotify sometimes. Since it's the only way to bypass DRM encryption and download Spotify music on iPhone, you have to get used to it.
Limitations & Risks:
- Switch between Spotify and Shortcut to download tracks.
- Support converting to MP3 with a range of bitrate options.
- Unstable to remove Spotify DRM from now and then.
- Work on iPhone and iPad running iOS 12 and above.
- In 2026, these shortcuts have become increasingly unreliable because of Spotify API changes.
If you don't know this shortcut before, you should check it out here.
Step 1. Search Spotifydl in the Shortcuts app on iPhone/iPad.
Step 2. Tap Get Shortcut and choose a preset bitrate to use by default.
Step 3. Tap Add Shortcut and select it from the list in the Shortcuts app.
Step 4. Copy the link of a song in the Spotify app and paste it into the blank. Then, click Done.
Step 5. The shortcut will start transcoding the Spotify song to DRM-free MP3 and saving it to your device.

Side-by-Side Comparison of the 5 Spotify DRM Removers
In this article, we introduced a total of five Spotify DRM removal tools, each with its own strengths. Since the content is quite extensive, to help you quickly choose the one that best fits your needs, we've summarized a comparison table based on factors such as conversion speed, output formats, and ease of use. Check it out below.
| Feature | TuneFab Spotify Music Converter | TuneFab Online Spotify to MP3 Tool | SpotifyMate | Fildo | Spotifydl |
| Supported Devices | Windows, macOS | All (Browser) | All (Browser) | Android | iPhone, iPad |
| Supported Spotify Content | Songs, Playlists, Albums, Podcasts, Audiobooks | Songs, Playlists, Albums | Songs only | Songs, Podcasts only | Songs only |
| Conversion Speed | Up to 35X | 1X | 1X | 1X | 1X |
| Output Formats | MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, AIFF, ALAC | MP3 | MP3 | MP3, FLAC | MP3 |
| Audio Quality | Up to 320kbps and 48000Hz | 128kbps or 320kbps | 192kbps | Up to Lossy 320kbps | 8kbps – 320kbps |
| ID3 Tag Preservation | ✔️ Full | ✔️ Basic | ✔️ Basic | ❌ None | ✅ Basic |
| Batch Download | ✔️ Unlimited | ✔️ (Up to 10 Tracks) | ❌ Single only | ❌ Single only | ❌ Single only |
| No URL Needed | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Ad-free Experience | ✔️ Completely Clean | ✔️ Clean | ❌ Ads & Pop-ups | ✅ Minimal | ✅ Clean |
| 2026DRM Adaptation | ✔️ Regularly Updated | ✔️ Regularly Updated | ⚠️ Unstable | ⚠️ Frequent Crashing | ⚠️ Often Broken |
| Stability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Good | ⭐⭐ Poor | ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate | ⭐⭐ Poor |
| Overall Rating | 4.8/5 ⭐ | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 |
Part 4. FAQs About Spotify DRM Removal
Is it legal to remove Spotify DRM?
The answer is ambiguous. DRM removal has been a problem for video and music streaming platforms. However, the real headache is that these platforms are not even copyright owners themselves, which means they also have no right to tackle DRM issues.
Nowadays, people from all walks of life seem to reach a tacit agreement that it's not illegal to bypass DRM encryption as long as you don't do it for commercial purposes. So, it's totally okay if you remove DRM from Spotify for personal use, education, and charity.
However, you should be aware that removing DRM from Spotify content may still violate Spotify’s Terms of Service or copyright laws in certain countries, including the United States. Therefore, it’s essential to review your local copyright regulations before attempting to remove DRM.
Is it safe to use a Spotify DRM remover?
It depends on which tool you use. Based on our testing, professional desktop Spotify music DRM removal solutions are generally safer and more stable than unknown online downloaders, cracked Spotify software, browser extensions, or modified APK files.
Can I remove DRM from Spotify downloads offline?
No. If you're an active Premium subscriber and have already downloaded Spotify songs to the app, the downloads will be DRM-protected and cannot be used outside the Spotify app. Therefore, you cannot decrypt Spotify offline files that are downloaded in the app with Premium. However, you can make use of the methods above to remove DRM and convert Spotify songs to MP3 at the same time.
Can you get DRM-free Spotify music with audio recorders?
Yes, some users use audio recording software to record and rip Spotify songs into DRM-free audio formats. Tools like Audacity can capture Spotify playback and save it as MP3, WAV, or other local files.
However, compared to dedicated Spotify DRM removal tools, recording methods usually offer lower quality, no metadata, and potential background noise. Moreover, the entire process is slower because tracks must be recorded in real time.
Why don't Spotify DRM removal extensions work?
Many extensions that can bypass DRM protection from Spotify have become unreliable in 2026 due to Spotify’s stricter Web API restrictions. We also tested some popular options, but they failed to parse playlists, stopped detecting Spotify links, or could only download low-quality audio.
How do you know if DRM is removed?
To check whether the downloaded Spotify music file is protected by DRM, just right-click to open "Properties". Then you can check in "Details" to see the "Protected" condition. If it shows "No", then the Spotify music file is DRM-free.
Can Spotify detect DRM remover?
Spotify cannot see what software/app you run on your device, but the platform can detect unusual account activity, especially when you are using a web-based tool. To reduce potential risks, it is advisable to avoid removing Spotify DRM from thousands of songs in a single session.
In Conclusion
We have discussed various methods to remove DRM from Spotify, including desktop software, online tools, and mobile apps. While free options are appealing, they often suffer from poor sound quality and limited features, especially after Spotify’s 2026 API updates.
If you're looking for a reliable Spotify DRM removal solution to download multiple songs or playlists at once, TuneFab Spotify Music Converter is recommended. It offers stable performance, high-quality output, and support for both free and Premium users. You can also try its free trial to explore all features before making your decision.
