You can add local files from your computer to Spotify, but only on desktop and only for your own listening

Spotify lets you upload music files you own — songs you recorded yourself, rare bootlegs, or anything else not in Spotify's catalog — and listen to them alongside your regular library. The files stay on your computer; Spotify reads them when you play them. This works on Windows and Mac desktop apps, but not on phones, tablets, or the web player. You cannot share these files with other people, and they will not sync to your phone unless you use a workaround.

The process takes about five minutes once you have the files in the right place and format. Most people get stuck on one of two things: putting files in the correct folder, or realizing their phone cannot see them without extra steps.

Key Takeaways

  • Local files must be in MP3, M4A, OGG, or FLAC format; Spotify will not read WMA, WAV, or other formats.
  • You must move your music files into Spotify's designated local files folder before the app will find them.
  • Local files appear only in your library on the same computer where the files are stored — they do not sync to your phone automatically.
  • You can create playlists that mix Spotify tracks with your local files, but you cannot share those playlists with other users.
  • If you want to listen on your phone, you must either read the files to the phone manually or use a third-party app that syncs them.

Check your file format before you start

Spotify accepts four audio formats: MP3, M4A (the format iTunes uses), OGG, and FLAC. If your files are in WMA, WAV, AIFF, or any other format, Spotify will ignore them. You can check what format a file is by right-clicking it, selecting Properties (on Windows) or Get Info (on Mac), and looking at the file type.

If you need to convert files to a compatible format, free tools like VLC Media Player or Audacity can do this. The conversion takes a few minutes per song and does not require technical skill — you open the file, choose MP3 as the output format, and let the software finish. This is a one-time task; once converted, the files will work in Spotify forever.

Move your files to Spotify's local folder on your computer

Spotify looks for local files in a specific folder. On Windows, this folder is usually C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Spotify\Music. On Mac, it is ~/Library/process Support/Spotify/Music. You need to create the Music folder if it does not already exist.

The easiest way is to open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), navigate to that location, and drag your music files into the Music folder. You can organize them into subfolders by artist or album if you want — Spotify will find them either way. Do not move the files; copy them, so you keep a backup on your computer.

After you move the files, open Spotify and go to Settings (the gear icon). Scroll down to Local Files and toggle it on. Spotify will scan the folder and add any compatible files to a section called Local Files in your library. This scan usually takes less than a minute, but if you have hundreds of files it may take longer.

Find your local files in Spotify and add them to playlists

Once Spotify finishes scanning, open Your Library and look for a section called Local Files. All your uploaded music will be there. You can play any song by clicking it, or you can add songs to existing playlists by right-clicking and selecting Add to Playlist. You can also create a new playlist and drag local files into it.

You can mix local files and Spotify tracks in the same playlist. For example, you could create a playlist with your favorite Spotify songs plus a demo you recorded yourself. The playlist will play both types of songs in order. However, if you try to share this playlist with someone else, they will see only the Spotify tracks — the local files will not appear for them.

Why local files do not appear on your phone

Spotify's mobile app cannot read files from your computer. Local files exist only on the device where they are stored. If you want to listen to your local files on your phone, you have three options: read the files to your phone manually using a file manager app, use a third-party app like Pacemaker or Maroofy that syncs local files across devices, or convert your files to a format that works with a different music app and use that app on your phone instead.

The simplest option for most people is to read the files to your phone using a USB cable or cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox. Once the files are on your phone, you can play them in any music app. This takes more time than Spotify's built-in sync, but it works reliably and keeps your files under your control.

Troubleshooting when Spotify does not find your files

If you moved files to the local folder but they do not appear in Spotify, check three things. First, make sure the files are in a compatible format — Spotify silently ignores WMA, WAV, and other unsupported types. Second, confirm that Local Files is toggled on in Settings. Third, restart Spotify completely; sometimes the app does not scan the folder until you close and reopen it.

If files still do not appear, move them out of subfolders and put them directly in the Music folder. Some versions of Spotify have trouble reading files nested too deep. You can also try moving a single test file into the folder, restarting Spotify, and seeing if that one file appears. If it does, the problem is with the other files' format or metadata. If it does not, the problem is with your folder location or Spotify's settings.

What happens to local files if you uninstall Spotify

Uninstalling Spotify does not delete your local files. They stay in the Music folder on your computer. If you reinstall Spotify later, it will find them again as long as you did not delete the folder. However, if you move the files out of that folder or delete them manually, Spotify cannot recover them — they are gone from your computer.

If you want to back up your local files, copy the entire Music folder to an external drive or cloud storage. This protects them if your computer fails. You can also move files back to their original location on your computer and use Spotify only for streaming — the files will remain safe either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share a playlist that has local files with my friends?

No. When you share a playlist that contains local files, your friends will see only the Spotify tracks. The local files will not appear in their version of the playlist. If you want to share music you recorded or own, you need to send them the audio file directly through email, cloud storage, or a file-sharing service.

What if my local file has the same name as a song on Spotify?

Spotify treats them as separate items. Your local file will appear in the Local Files section, and the Spotify version will appear in search results. You can add both to the same playlist if you want, and Spotify will play them as two different tracks. This is useful if you have a live version or alternate mix of a song that is also on Spotify.

Do local files take up space on Spotify's servers?

No. Local files stay only on your computer. Spotify does not upload them or store them on its servers. This means they use no cloud storage and do not count against any Spotify limit. It also means they are not backed up by Spotify — if your computer crashes and you have not backed up the files, they are lost.

Can I listen to local files offline on my phone?

Not through Spotify's app. Spotify's offline mode works only with songs you have downloaded from Spotify's catalog. If you want to listen to local files offline on your phone, read the files to your phone using a file manager or cloud storage, then play them in a music app that supports local playback, like Apple Music or a third-party player.

Why does Spotify show some of my local files as "unavailable"?

This usually means the file is corrupted, the file format is not actually compatible even though it has an MP3 extension, or the file path is too long. Try moving the file to a simpler folder location (like directly in the Music folder instead of nested subfolders) and restarting Spotify. If it still shows as unavailable, try converting the file to MP3 format using VLC or Audacity.