How to Clear Spotify Cache and Free Up Storage on Any Device

You check your phone’s storage and there it is: Spotify, taking up several gigabytes, sometimes more than your photos. You haven’t downloaded that much music, so where is all that space going? And how do you get it back without losing your playlists?

Spotify uses storage in two main ways: downloads, the songs, albums and podcasts you saved for offline listening, and cache, temporary data the app stores to load music and images faster. Both can grow quietly over time. The good news is that both are easy to manage, and clearing them never deletes your playlists or your library, which are saved to your Spotify account.

In this guide, we’ll explain what’s using Spotify’s storage, how to clear the cache and manage downloads on Android, iPhone and PC, how to move downloads to a memory card on Android, and how to keep Spotify from filling your device again. Menu names can vary slightly between app versions, but these options have been available in Spotify for a long time.

Whether your phone keeps warning you that storage is almost full or you just want to tidy up, the steps below take only a few minutes. You do not need any extra apps or technical knowledge, and you can stop at any point once you have freed enough space.

What’s actually using Spotify storage?

Before deleting anything, it helps to know what you’re dealing with.

Downloads

If you’re a Premium user, every playlist, album and podcast episode you download takes real space. At high quality, an hour of music can take around 70 MB, and very high quality can take roughly twice that. A large downloaded library can easily reach 10 GB or more. Downloaded podcasts, especially video podcasts, can also be big.

Cache

The cache stores temporary copies of songs you’ve recently streamed, album artwork, Canvas videos and other data so Spotify loads faster and uses less data when you replay things. Spotify manages the cache automatically, but it can still grow to a noticeable size, particularly if you listen to a lot of different music.

App size

The Spotify app itself also takes some space, usually a few hundred megabytes, which you can’t reduce except by updating or reinstalling.

It helps to think of the cache as a waiting room and downloads as a storage room. The waiting room fills up and empties on its own as you listen, while the storage room only changes when you decide. If Spotify is using a lot of space and you do not download much, the cache is probably the reason. If you download a lot, downloads are almost certainly the main cause.

How to check how much space Spotify uses

Inside Spotify: open Settings and privacy, then Storage. You’ll see how much space downloads and cache are using, and how much free space your device has. This screen is available on Android, iPhone and the desktop app.

On Android: open Settings, then Apps, then Spotify, then Storage. You’ll see app size, user data and cache. Note that Spotify’s own storage screen is usually more accurate for downloads.

On iPhone: open Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage, and tap Spotify. You’ll see the app size and Documents and Data, which includes downloads and cache.

Do not be alarmed if the numbers on these screens do not match exactly. Each screen measures storage a little differently and may update at different times. What matters is the overall picture: whether Spotify is using hundreds of megabytes or many gigabytes, and whether that space comes mostly from downloads or from the cache.

How to clear the Spotify cache

Clearing the cache is safe. It doesn’t delete your playlists, liked songs or library, and it doesn’t log you out. Spotify will rebuild the cache as you listen.

On Android and iPhone

1. Open Spotify.
2. Tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy.
3. Scroll to Storage.
4. Tap Clear cache and confirm.

On Android using system settings

You can also go to Settings, then Apps, then Spotify, then Storage, and tap Clear cache. Avoid Clear storage or Clear data unless you’re prepared to log in again and re-download all your offline music.

On PC and Mac

1. Open the Spotify desktop app.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Find the Storage section.
4. Click Clear cache.

After clearing the cache, Spotify may take a moment longer to load songs and images the first time you use it, and it may use a little more data until the cache rebuilds.

If you clear the cache and find that Spotify is still using a surprising amount of space, check your downloads next. Many people forget about playlists they downloaded months ago for a trip or a workout routine they no longer follow.

A good moment to clear the cache is right before a big download, such as before a trip, or when your phone warns you that storage is low. It is also a useful first step whenever Spotify behaves strangely, since a corrupted cache can cause skipping songs, missing artwork or playback errors.

How to manage and remove downloads

Downloads are usually the biggest part of Spotify’s storage. You don’t have to delete everything. Be selective.

Remove individual playlists or albums

Open the playlist or album and tap the download icon, the green arrow. Spotify asks whether you want to remove the download. Confirm, and the files are deleted from your device. The playlist stays in your library, and you can download it again anytime.

Remove all downloads at once

In Settings and privacy, under Storage, choose Remove all downloads. This is useful when you need space quickly or before selling or giving away a device.

Find what you’ve downloaded

In Your Library, tap the Downloaded filter to see everything stored on your device. It’s a quick way to spot forgotten playlists and podcast episodes you’ve already finished.

Before removing everything, consider which playlists you genuinely listen to offline. A good approach is to keep downloads only for the music you use in places without reliable internet, like your commute or gym, and stream everything else at home on Wi-Fi. That way, you keep the convenience of offline music without filling your phone.

Liked Songs deserves a special mention. If you have downloaded Liked Songs and you like a lot of music, it can grow into one of the largest downloads on your phone without you noticing. Check its size occasionally and consider downloading a smaller, curated playlist of favorites instead if space is tight.

Lower your download quality

If you want to keep lots of music offline but save space, lower the download quality.

1. Go to Settings and privacy, then Audio quality or Media quality.
2. Find Download or Download quality.
3. Choose Normal or High instead of Very high.

The new quality applies to future downloads. To shrink existing downloads, remove them and download them again at the lower quality.

For everyday listening through regular earbuds, normal or high quality usually sounds great and uses far less space than very high or lossless.

There is a simple way to find the right quality for you. Download one album at high quality and listen to it with your usual headphones in your usual places. If it sounds great, there is no reason to use more space on very high. Your ears and your headphones are the best judges.

Move Spotify downloads to a memory card on Android

If your Android phone has a microSD card slot, you can store Spotify downloads on the card instead of internal storage.

1. Insert a reliable memory card from a reputable brand.
2. In Spotify, open Settings and privacy, then Storage.
3. Look for the storage location option and choose your SD card.
4. Wait while Spotify moves your downloads. This can take a while with a large library, so keep the phone charged and the app open.

Use a reasonably fast card. Slow or counterfeit cards can cause stuttering playback or failed downloads. iPhones don’t support memory cards, so this option is only for Android phones that have a slot.

When moving downloads, avoid removing the memory card or turning off the phone until Spotify confirms the move is complete. Interrupting the process can leave some downloads incomplete, which means you will need to download those playlists again.

Change the storage location on PC

On the Spotify desktop app, you can usually choose where offline files are stored, which is useful if your main drive is small.

1. Open the Spotify desktop app and go to Settings.
2. Find Storage or Offline storage location.
3. Choose a folder on a drive with more free space.

Spotify will use the new location for downloads. Existing downloads may need to be downloaded again, depending on your app version.

If several people use the same computer, each Windows or Mac user account has its own Spotify cache and downloads. Clearing the cache in your account will not affect other users, and you may need to repeat the process for each account if storage is tight.

Manage podcast downloads

Podcasts are a common hidden cause of Spotify storage growth, especially if episodes download automatically.

• Remove episodes you’ve already listened to from the Downloaded section of Your Library.
• Check whether automatic downloads are turned on for shows you follow, and turn them off for shows you rarely listen to.
• Prefer audio over video for podcasts you download, since video episodes are much larger.

Podcast fans are often surprised by how much space their listening takes. A single long video episode can be larger than an entire album, and dozens of saved episodes can add up to several gigabytes. Reviewing your podcast downloads every few weeks is one of the easiest ways to keep Spotify slim.

If you like to save episodes for later, consider adding them to Your Episodes instead of downloading them right away. You can download them closer to the time you plan to listen, which keeps them from sitting on your phone for weeks.

Reinstall Spotify as a last resort

If Spotify’s storage seems much larger than it should be, even after clearing the cache and removing downloads, reinstalling the app can help. Uninstalling removes all app data, including cache and downloads. When you reinstall and log in, your playlists and library return immediately because they’re stored in your account. You’ll need to download offline music again.

If you are about to reinstall, connect to Wi-Fi and give yourself time to re-download your most important playlists afterwards. It is a good opportunity to rebuild your offline library from scratch with only the music you really use, which keeps storage under control from day one.

Habits that keep Spotify storage under control

• Check Storage in Spotify once a month. It takes ten seconds.
• Remove finished downloads. Trip playlists and old podcast episodes add up quickly.
• Download at the quality you actually need.
• Clear the cache occasionally, especially if your phone is low on space.
• Use a memory card for downloads if your Android phone supports one.
• Keep your device’s overall storage healthy. Spotify and other apps work better when your phone has at least 10 to 15 percent free space.

Treat Spotify storage like a closet. A quick tidy every month keeps it manageable, while ignoring it for a year turns cleaning into a big job. With the steps in this guide, each tidy-up takes only a couple of minutes, and you will always have room for new music and photos.

Frequently asked questions

Will clearing the Spotify cache delete my playlists?

No. Playlists, liked songs and your library are saved to your Spotify account. Clearing the cache only removes temporary files.

Will clearing the cache delete my downloaded songs?

Using Clear cache inside Spotify is designed to keep your downloads. Using Clear storage or Clear data in Android settings, or reinstalling the app, removes downloads.

Why does Spotify use so much storage if I haven’t downloaded anything?

The cache can grow as you stream lots of different music. Clear it in Spotify’s Storage settings to free space.

Can I limit the size of Spotify’s cache?

Spotify manages its cache automatically and adjusts based on available space. Clearing it periodically is the most practical way to keep it small.

How much storage do Spotify downloads take?

It depends on quality. Roughly 40 to 50 MB per hour at normal quality, around 70 MB per hour at high and roughly double that at very high. Lossless takes considerably more.

Can I store Spotify downloads on an SD card on iPhone?

No. iPhones don’t support memory cards. Use a lower download quality and remove downloads you no longer need to save space.

If you have tried everything and your phone is still short on space, the problem may not be Spotify at all. Check your phone overall storage screen for other large apps, videos and messaging media. Spotify is often the most visible app, but it is rarely the only one using space.

Final thoughts

Spotify’s storage usage comes down to downloads and cache, and both are easy to control. Clear the cache from Spotify’s Storage settings, remove downloads you no longer need, lower your download quality and, on Android, move downloads to a memory card if you can. Your playlists and library are always safe in your account, so you can clean up without worry and get gigabytes of space back in minutes.