Pandora's read feature works differently depending on your subscription level

Pandora lets you read songs, but only if you pay for Pandora Plus or Pandora Premium. The free tier does not include downloads. With Pandora Plus, you can read up to 100 songs total across all your devices. Pandora Premium removes that limit and lets you read as many songs as your device storage allows. Downloaded songs play only in the Pandora app — you cannot transfer them to other music players or share them with other people.

The read feature is designed to let you listen offline when you do not have an internet connection. Once you read a song, it stays on your device until you delete it or your subscription ends. If your subscription lapses, downloaded songs stop playing even if they are still stored on your phone or tablet.

Key Takeaways

  • Only Pandora Plus and Pandora Premium subscribers can read songs; the free version does not support downloads.
  • Pandora Plus limits you to 100 downloaded songs total, while Pandora Premium has no read limit.
  • Downloaded songs only play in the Pandora app and require an active subscription to work.
  • The read button appears next to each song in the app, and downloads use your device's storage space.

How to read a song on iOS or Android

Open the Pandora app and find the song you want to read. You can search for it, find it in a station, or locate it in your library. Next to the song title, you will see a read icon — it looks like a downward arrow or a cloud with an arrow pointing down. Tap that icon once. The app will show a checkmark or filled icon to confirm the read has started.

The read happens in the background while you keep using the app. On slower connections, it may take a minute or two. Once the read finishes, the icon stays filled or checked so you know the song is stored on your device. If you are on Pandora Plus and have already downloaded 100 songs, the app will tell you that you have reached your limit and ask you to delete a song before downloading a new one.

Where to find your downloaded songs

Your downloaded songs live in the Pandora app itself, not in your device's music library. To access them, open Pandora and look for a "Downloads" section or tab. On most phones, this appears at the bottom of the app next to "Home," "Search," and "My Library." Tap it to see all the songs you have downloaded.

Downloaded songs appear with a filled read icon so you can tell them apart from songs that are only available when you have internet. You can play them the same way you play any other song in Pandora — just tap to start. If you want to delete a downloaded song to free up space, press and hold the song title (or tap the three dots next to it) and select "Remove read."

Storage space and what happens when your subscription ends

Downloaded songs take up space on your phone or tablet. A typical song uses between 5 and 10 megabytes of storage, so 100 songs might use 500 megabytes to 1 gigabyte. If your device is running low on storage, deleting downloaded songs you no longer listen to can free up space quickly.

If your Pandora Plus or Pandora Premium subscription ends, your downloaded songs will no longer play, even though they remain stored on your device. You cannot play them in another app or transfer them elsewhere. If you resubscribe later, your downloads will work again. This is different from buying songs outright on iTunes or Amazon Music, where you own the files permanently.

Upgrading from free Pandora to a paid plan

If you currently use free Pandora and want to read songs, you need to upgrade to Pandora Plus or Pandora Premium. Open the Pandora app, tap your profile icon or settings, and look for "Upgrade" or "Subscribe." Pandora will show you the features of each paid plan and the current price. Prices vary by region and change periodically, so check the app for the exact cost in your area.

When you upgrade, your existing stations, likes, and bookmarks carry over to the paid account. You can start downloading when ready after your subscription is active. If you want to try before you commit, Pandora sometimes offers a free trial period for new subscribers — the app will show you the trial length when you start the upgrade process.

Why Pandora downloads work only in the app

Pandora owns the rights to the music but does not sell it to you outright. When you read a song, you are getting a temporary copy that Pandora controls. The company uses this approach to protect artists and record labels from unauthorized sharing. Downloaded songs are encrypted, which means they cannot be played outside the Pandora app or transferred to other devices.

This is why Pandora downloads are different from buying a song on iTunes or downloading from a service like Bandcamp. With those services, you own the file and can play it anywhere. With Pandora, you are renting access to the song as long as your subscription is active. If protecting your music library matters to you, buying songs outright may be a better choice than relying on downloads from a streaming service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I read songs from Pandora on my computer?

Pandora's web player does not support downloads. You can only read songs using the mobile app on iOS or Android. If you want to listen offline on a computer, you would need to use a different music service that supports desktop downloads, such as Spotify Premium or Apple Music.

What happens if I read a song and then cancel my subscription?

The downloaded file stays on your device, but it will not play. Once your subscription ends, Pandora locks the files so they cannot be accessed. If you resubscribe later, the downloads will work again. There is no way to keep the song permanently after your subscription ends.

Do downloaded songs use data when I play them?

No. Downloaded songs play from your device's storage, so they do not use any internet data. This is the main reason to read — you can listen without a connection and without using your mobile data plan.

Can I read the same song on multiple devices?

Yes, if you are signed into the same Pandora account on multiple phones or tablets, you can read the same song on each device. However, each read counts toward your device's storage limit separately. Pandora Plus still limits you to 100 total downloads across all devices combined.

Why does the read icon show but the song will not read?

Check that you have an active Pandora Plus or Pandora Premium subscription and that you have not reached the 100-song limit on Pandora Plus. Also make sure your device has enough free storage space. If you have plenty of space and an active subscription, try closing and reopening the Pandora app, or restart your phone and try again.