Skip to main content

You may soon be able to listen to your own songs on Spotify’s Android app

spotify app
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With millions of songs available in its huge database, Spotify has something for pretty much everyone. But if your tastes are among the most niche, then you’ve historically not been able to play local copies of your beloved tunes. In those cases, you’ll need to dive out of your premium streaming service and use a different music player to listen to whatever it is you’re into. That could hopefully be coming to an end though, as Spotify is apparently testing the ability to add locally stored songs to the Spotify app.

The news comes courtesy of Jane Manchun Wong, an accomplished seeker of new app features, who spotted a new Import feature in a beta version of Spotify’s Android app. According to a screenshot posted by Wong, the feature allows users to access local files from their Android device, making them able to be played through Spotify’s player. While details are scarce at this moment, it’s likely the feature will work similarly to the local files feature on Spotify’s desktop app, so while you’ll be able to access those files locally, you won’t be able to stream them from another device without the local files. You’ll need to use something like Google Play Music if you want to keep your music in the cloud.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

That’s not the only feature being worked on either — according to more digging, Spotify is also working on polishing up its Podcasts support. New features include being able to download and save podcasts for later (saving on mobile data, or for use in places without reliable internet), and decluttering podcasts by moving descriptions to a different screen. Also possible in the bag are changes to the Favorite Songs list, turning it into a separate playlist.

But before you rush off to pile songs onto your phone, keep in mind that these changes may not come until later, or not at all. It’s just testing for now. However, if these changes do come in, then it might go a long way to making Spotify a unified hub for music streaming and playing. With plenty of strong competitors around, Spotify needs to consistently improve to stay atop the pile.

Editors' Recommendations

Mark Jansen
Mark Jansen is an avid follower of everything that beeps, bloops, or makes pretty lights. He has a degree in Ancient &…
You’ll soon be able to use WhatsApp on more than one phone
Two phones on a table next to each other. One is showing the WhatsApp logo, and the other is running the WhatsApp application.

WhatsApp, one of the most used messaging services in Europe and parts of Asia, is about to close a major flaw. As spotted by the sleuths over on WABetainfo, the company is planning an update that will allow the use of a secondary device -- including another phone or tablet. Currently, WhatsApp only allows phone users to link their account via its web or desktop clients.

The new feature is dubbed companion mode. Once it rolls out, you'll have a workflow that's quite similar to setting up WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp on the desktop. Rather than entering a number, you'll be able to scan a QR code with your main phone to log in to your existing WhatsApp account.

Read more
These 80+ apps could be running adware on your iPhone or Android device
Illustration of an infected iPhone

Cybersecurity company Human has uncovered another adware campaign engaging in ad fraud that is targeting iOS and Android devices. In the simplest terms, ad fraud allows a bad actor to either visibly spam an app with ads, or to manipulate the code in such a way that the ads are invisible to the user while the bad actor extracts advertising money from a marketer.

In each iteration, it’s fraudulent. Ad fraud has been widespread in the industry for a while, and the latest investigation uncovered a cache of over 75 Android apps listed in the Google Play Store and nearly a dozen apps on Apple’s App Store that are engaged in various forms of ad fraud.

Read more
Google wants you to know Android apps aren’t just for phones anymore
Person holding Samsung Galaxy smartphone showing Google Play Store.

When most people think of the Google Play Store, the first thing that comes to mind is smartphones. However, the spread of the Android ecosystem is far broader than that, and Google is taking steps to increase awareness of this and make it easier for folks to find apps on the Play Store for their smart TVs, watches, and even cars.

In a blog post today, the Google Play team announced three significant changes that should make it easier for Android fans to discover apps for all their devices, right from their phone. This includes recommendations of apps for non-phone devices, a search filter to focus on only games optimized for non-phone devices, and even a remote install feature that will let you deliver those apps to your Android TV, Wear OS watch, or Android Automotive-equipped car.

Read more