Free Spotify Users Gain Full Song Access

Spotify is temporarily restoring a key feature for its free users. The music streaming giant is allowing ad-supported listeners to play specific songs on demand. This move temporarily ends the shuffle-only playback restriction for free accounts.

The change is active now for users globally. It represents a significant, though limited, upgrade to the free experience. According to official statements, this is not a permanent policy shift.

Daily Listening Limits Define New Feature Access

Free users can now select and play any song they want. This freedom, however, comes with a strict daily time limit. Once a user exceeds their allocated on-demand minutes, the app reverts to shuffle mode.

A Spotify spokesperson confirmed the details to The Verge. Each free user receives a set amount of daily on-demand playtime. After hitting the limit, users are also restricted to just six song skips per hour.

Strategic Shift Aims to Enhance Free Experience

This update appears designed to improve user satisfaction. It allows free listeners to enjoy shared songs and playlists as intended. The temporary access may also serve as a powerful lure for its Premium subscription service.

The core free tier model remains unchanged. Users will still hear advertisements between songs. The platform continues to reserve high-quality audio and offline listening for paying subscribers.

This strategic update gives free users a taste of premium control. The daily limit on Spotify’s on-demand playback carefully balances user generosity with upgrade incentives.

Thought you’d like to know

How does the daily on-demand limit work?

Each free user gets a specific amount of time to play any song they choose. Once that time is used up, playback reverts to shuffle mode for the rest of the day. The limit then resets after 24 hours.

Can I skip songs after reaching the limit?

Yes, but with restrictions. After the on-demand time expires, users are limited to six skips per hour. This is consistent with the previous shuffle-only experience for free accounts.

Is this change available on all devices?

The feature is rolling out to free tier users on mobile apps. Availability should be consistent across both iOS and Android platforms. Desktop users typically already had some on-demand capabilities.

Why did Spotify make this change now?

The company has not publicly stated a specific reason. Industry analysts suggest it is a competitive move to improve user engagement. It effectively demos the Premium service’s best feature for free.

Trusted Sources

The Verge, Spotify Newsroom