Where to find lyrics on Spotify
Spotify shows lyrics on the now-playing screen while a song is playing. Open any song, look at the bottom of the screen on your phone or the right side on your desktop, and tap or click the lyrics icon — it looks like a speech bubble or quotation mark. The full lyrics appear in a panel that scrolls in real time as the song plays, highlighting the current line.
Not every song has lyrics available. Spotify sources lyrics from licensed partners, so older songs, very new releases, and music from smaller independent artists may not have them yet. If you don't see the lyrics icon, that song doesn't have lyrics in Spotify's system.
The lyrics feature works on Spotify's free tier and paid subscriptions, on phones, tablets, and desktop apps. It does not work on the web player at spotify.com — you must use the downloadable app.
Key Takeaways
- Lyrics appear in a panel on the now-playing screen while a song is actively playing, not before you start it.
- You access lyrics by tapping or clicking the speech bubble icon at the bottom of your phone screen or the right side of your desktop window.
- Spotify sources lyrics from licensed partners, so not all songs have them available, especially older releases and independent artists.
- The lyrics feature works on the mobile and desktop apps but not on the web player at spotify.com.
How to access lyrics on your phone
Start playing any song in the Spotify app on your iPhone or Android phone. Once the song is playing, look at the bottom of the screen. You'll see several icons in a row — one of them is a speech bubble or quotation mark symbol. Tap that icon and the lyrics panel slides up from the bottom, covering most of your screen.
The lyrics scroll automatically as the song plays, keeping the current line highlighted in the center. You can scroll up or down manually to read ahead or look back at earlier lines. Tap anywhere outside the lyrics panel or swipe it down to close it and return to the album art view.
How to access lyrics on desktop
Open Spotify on your computer and play any song. The now-playing bar appears at the bottom of the window. On the right side of that bar, you'll see a row of icons. The speech bubble or quotation mark icon opens the lyrics panel on the right side of your screen, running alongside the album art and song details.
Like the phone version, the lyrics scroll in real time and highlight the current line. You can click and drag within the lyrics panel to scroll manually. Close the panel by clicking the icon again or clicking elsewhere in the app.
Why some songs don't show lyrics
Spotify licenses lyrics from third-party providers, primarily Genius and Musixmatch. These services don't have lyrics for every song in existence. Very recent releases sometimes take days or weeks to appear. Older songs, especially from before the 1980s or from very small independent labels, may never be added.
Some artists and rights holders also choose not to license their lyrics to Spotify. If a song is missing lyrics, there's no way to add them yourself — you can't upload or edit lyrics in Spotify.
What to do if you can't find lyrics for a song
If the lyrics icon doesn't appear, the song doesn't have lyrics in Spotify's system. You have a few other options: search for the song title plus "lyrics" in Google or another search engine, use a dedicated lyrics site like Genius.com or AZLyrics.com, or check if the artist posted lyrics on their official website or social media.
If you think lyrics should be available but aren't showing up, wait a few days — Spotify's library updates regularly. You can also report the missing lyrics to Spotify through the app's feedback feature, though there's no may provide they'll be added.
How lyrics sync to the music
Spotify's lyrics are time-synced, meaning each line is matched to the exact moment it appears in the song. This is why the lyrics highlight and scroll automatically as you listen. The sync data comes from the lyrics provider, not from Spotify itself.
Time-syncing makes lyrics useful for learning songs, following along with unfamiliar accents or fast delivery, or understanding what a singer is saying in a noisy environment. Without syncing, you'd see all the lyrics at once with no way to know which line is playing.
Lyrics on different Spotify devices
The lyrics feature works on the Spotify mobile app (iOS and Android) and the desktop app (Windows and Mac). It does not work on the web player at spotify.com, even if you're logged in. If you need lyrics while using a web browser, you'll need to open the desktop app instead or use an external lyrics website.
Lyrics also don't appear on smart speakers, car displays, or other connected devices — only on phones, tablets, and computers running the Spotify app directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search for a song by its lyrics?
Spotify's search bar doesn't search within lyrics. You can search by song title, artist name, album name, or playlist name, but not by typing a lyric phrase. If you remember a few words from a song, try searching Google for those words plus "lyrics" to find the song title, then search Spotify for that title.
Why do lyrics sometimes appear late or not at all?
Spotify sources lyrics from licensed partners who update their databases on their own schedule. New songs can take days or weeks to be added. Very old songs, independent releases, and songs from artists who don't license their lyrics may never appear. There's no way to speed this up or request it directly.
Can I print or save the lyrics from Spotify?
Spotify doesn't have a built-in feature to save, print, or export lyrics. The lyrics are displayed only while you're in the app. If you need a permanent copy, copy the lyrics from an external lyrics website instead.
Do I need a paid subscription to see lyrics?
No. The lyrics feature works on both free and paid Spotify accounts. The only difference is that free accounts have ads and skipping limits, but lyrics are available to everyone.
Why is the lyrics panel covering my album art?
On phones, the lyrics panel slides up from the bottom and covers most of the screen — this is how Spotify designed it. Swipe the panel down or tap outside it to close it and see the album art again. On desktop, the lyrics panel appears on the side and doesn't cover the art.