Spotify is reportedly working on a feature that will finally allow users to play their own audio files on its Android app – without importing them through its desktop app first.
Tipster Jane Manchun Wong shared an image of the rumoured feature to Twitter on Sunday.
Spotify is finally working on on-device local files support for Android!
No need to sync it from your desktop anymore 😀 pic.twitter.com/fVKiFAyxbs
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) December 6, 2020
The screenshot shows an ‘Import’ section in the app’s settings with the option to toggle device files on and off. According to the image, turning this feature on will allow the app to show all audio files on the device in the user’s Spotify library.
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While Spotify does allow Premium users to listen to their own music files on its Android and iOS apps, it currently requires users to sync the files from the desktop version first.
This update would let users import audio files – or local files, as Spotify calls them – directly from their phone without having to go through the steps on the desktop app first.
Right now, Wong has only spotted evidence of the new feature on Spotify’s Android app, later tweeting that she is “not aware of it in their iOS app yet”. This means that iOS users may have to put up with Spotify’s long-winded desktop process for a little bit longer.
Local file playback on mobile is a feature that some rival music streaming apps, such as YouTube Music, already take advantage of, so it would make a welcome addition to both the Android and iOS versions of Spotify.
However, this feature is only a rumour right now, so there’s no confirmation as to when we might see this feature drop on the mobile app.
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If you’re impatient to listen to your local files on your smartphone, you can follow the steps below to add them through the desktop app:
- Open Spotify on your desktop
- Click on the down arrow
- Scroll down to ‘Local Files’
- Click on ‘Show Local Files’
- Switch off any sources your don’t want importing
- Click on ‘Add a source’ to choose another folder
- Make sure your phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your desktop
- Open Spotify on your iOS or Android device
- If you’re using the iPhone app, open your Spotify settings and switch on ‘Local audio files’
- Download the playlist with your local files
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
