Spotify has updated its free tier experience, making it easier for users to listen, discover, and share music without a subscription. The company said these improvements help users enjoy music and podcasts while exploring new tracks and artists.
More Control: Play, Search, and Share
Spotify free users can now interact with music in more ways:
- Pick & Play: Play any song directly in the Spotify app.
- Search & Play: Enter a track name and listen instantly.
- Share & Play: Tap to play tracks shared by friends or posted by artists on social media.
Explore Playlists
Free users can enjoy music through personalized playlists, editorial playlists curated by Spotify, or by creating their own. Spotify recommends songs to add to your playlist, and recommendations improve as users engage more with the app.
Personalize Playlist Covers
Spotify now allows free users in 128 markets to design custom playlist covers with images, colors, text effects, and graphics. On iOS or Android, select a playlist, tap the three-dot menu, and choose “create cover art.” Only one custom cover can be saved per playlist, with each new cover replacing the previous one.
Daylist: Music for Every Moment
Daylist creates playlists tailored to moods at different times of the day or week. Free users will see daylists update regularly. Favorite daylists can be saved to a new playlist by tapping “Add to playlist” → “New playlist.”
Discover New Music
Spotify free users can explore new music through playlists like Discover Weekly, which offers personalized weekly recommendations, and Release Radar, which shares the latest releases from artists you follow. Listening to songs shared by favorite artists on social media is now simpler.
Lyrics Feature
Spotify’s lyrics feature allows users to follow the words of a song in real time. Swipe up from the bottom of the Now Playing View to see lyrics scroll line by line. Lyrics can also be shared on Instagram, WhatsApp, and other platforms.
Availability
These updates began rolling out globally for all users starting September 15, 2025.