Since 2008 Spotify has grown to be one of the most popular digital audio streaming platforms with over 96 million paying subscribers today. It is undeniably one of the best music streaming services in the world with over 40 million tracks accessible from your phone, tablet or personal computer. You can play your favorite music either through Spotify Web Browser or on Spotify Desktop Client. Apart from being a favorite platform for music lovers, the 'Spotify web player vs desktop client' discussion or rather argument have loomed the internet for some time. Lots of Spotify users prefer web player to access the music library. Equally, quite a significant number of users are of the second option, the desktop client.
The fact remains that both options are entirely different. Well, this review will profoundly attempt to compare Spotify web player and desktop app using the various pro and cons. Here are the aspects that form the notable differences between Spotify desktop and web player. Scroll right down!
Spotify Web Player vs Desktop Client: Portability
It is for a fact that the current generation is obsessed with controlling and accessing very thing from their palms. At the comfort of your room or working desk, you can easily access the Spotify track library just by clicking the Spotify icon on your desktop. Alternatively, you directly browse Spotify and play songs from the web. Both ways are convenient; however, for the desktop client option, you must have a PC at your disposal.
Using a web player only requires you to have the logins. You access songs from anywhere at any time you feel like. You even borrow a friend's phone and operate your account from there. Unlike using a desktop player which requires you to carry a PC along which is inconveniencing. Basing on this perspective, Web player is more portable and available compared to a desktop client.
Spotify Web Player vs Desktop Client: Music Quality
You can block artists no matter where you are in Spotify's mobile app for Android or iOS, but it's not as easy when you want to hide songs from playing. Disliking tracks is possible here and there, but not everywhere, and that's a serious problem if you keep hearing songs you hate. EZBlocker is a simple-to-use ad blocker/muter for Spotify. EZBlocker will attempt to block ads on Spotify from loading. If an ad does load, EZBlocker will mute Spotify until the ad is over. There are no fancy features, just pure ad blocking. When an ad is blocked, only Spotify is. Recetly, even tho I have selected launch with startup minimized option in spotify, it launches in full screen mode. On Windows 10 Any. From your Spotify application, go to Menu click Edit select Preferences and scroll down to view Display options. Disable the “show desktop overlay when using media keys” option (turns grey if disabled). The Windows desktop overlay feature is now disabled for your Spotify app. I saw in a news article that Spotify was getting this feature and it was slowlyl being rolled out. Articles said to click the 3 dot button and then Block / Hide. I cannot seem to find it anywhere on the desktop app or on the Android app. Its pretty frustrating because I am sick of.
The current generation of music lovers is susceptible to the quality of music they listen to. Most people can tell the difference in music quality when using the two option, and others will not even notice it. Usually, the Spotify web player offers a lower bitrate compare to the desktop client. For free web players, clients get 128kbps bitrate while premium users get 256kbps bitrate. On the hand, desktop client free accounts can only access up to 160kbps while paying users access double the quality, 320kbps.
This is the main reason why people prefer using desktop client over web player. Even a free account has fairly good quality music.
Spotify Web Player vs Desktop Client: Offline Listening
Considering this aspect, desktop client is more convenient. Desktop client users can easily save tracks to listen when they are offline. On the contrary, the opposite is true for web player user. Both free and paid accounts do not enjoy this feature. It has for a long time been a point of concern for Spotify users across the globe. Probably, they will consider this in the near future.
To save Spotify songs offline, you are required to sign up the premium account of Spotify. Otherwise you cannot download the track from Spotify even if you are using the desktop client. But if you are not willing to pay for the premium plan, the alternative way is using dedicated Spotify music downloader such as TunesKit Spotify Music Converter to download and convert the Spotify songs/playlists to common MP3s. In this way, no matter you are free or premium user, you can enjoy Spotify music offline on any device without limit.
- See Also: How to Download Spotify Offline without Premium
Spotify Web Player vs Desktop Client: Space
Spotify For Desktop
Installing Spotify software on your, PC requires that have enough storage capacity to run the software. It also tends to create log files and hence not a favorite for a computer with little storage capacity. It will definitely affect the entire performance of the PC. On the other hand, operating a web player does not require space. You just need a browser, and from there you can bookmark the Spotify website for easy access
Spotify Web Player vs Desktop Client: Hotkeys
Generally, hotkeys are paramount for any software. However, desktop clients do not have hotkeys. Hotkeys facilitate navigation movements. They are more useful when busy at work. Spotify web player provides for hotkeys; however, you will have to install the Spotify Hotkeys add-on on Firefox or Chrome browsers. Here are some Hotkeys for both browsers.
FireFox:
- Play/Pause: Ctrl + Alt + P
- Previous Track: Ctrl + Alt +
- Next Track: Ctrl + Alt +.
Chrome:
- Play/Pause: Alt + Shift + P
- Previous Track: Alt + Shift +
- Next Track: Alt + Shift +.
Spotify Web Player vs Desktop Client: Lyrics
If song lyrics are a top priority for you, then it is sorry to say that none of the options has that feature. Often, you have to download and install Musixmatch software and run it concurrently with the Spotify software. For Spotify web player users you need to install Lyrics Here by Rob W extension for both Chrome and Firefox browsers.
- See Also: Tips to Get Lyrics on Spotify How to Stream Apple Music Web Player without Subscription
The Final Words: Which Is Better
With regard to the above differences between Spotify desktop and web player, I can comfortably recommend Spotify web player considering the portability, space saving, and availability. You do not have to carry your PC everywhere you go to listen to your favorite tracks on Spotify. What do you think? Give me your comment right here.
Listen To Spotify On Desktop
Adam Gorden is an experienced writer of TunesKit who is obsessed about tech, movie and software.
© Thomas Trutschel/Getty Images You can edit the name of your Spotify playlist on the mobile and desktop apps. Thomas Trutschel/Getty Images- You can change a playlist's name on both the Spotify desktop and mobile apps, but you will need to be the owner of the playlist.
- To change a playlist's name on the Spotify mobile app, first access it from the 'Your Library' tab before selecting 'Edit Playlist' from the three-dotted Settings menu.
- You can change a playlist name on the Spotify desktop app by selecting 'Edit Details' from the three-dotted Settings menu directly under a playlist's title.
- If you don't see the 'Edit Playlist' or 'Edit Details' options, try refreshing the app — you don't have editing access for that playlist.
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Playlist titles can be a form of self-expression, but sometimes inspiration just doesn't strike and you end up with something like, 'Happy playlist' or even just a string of random letters.
If you use Spotify, you don't have to keep those placeholder titles. You can easily edit the names of your playlists. However, you can only edit playlists that you own.
Here's how to edit a Spotify playlist's name, using either the desktop version for Mac and PCs or the mobile app for iPhone and Android devices.
How to change a playlist name on Spotify using the desktop app
1. Open Spotify on your Mac or PC and log into your account, if necessary.
2. Open the playlist that you want to change the name of.
3. Click the three dots under the name of the playlist and select 'Edit Details.'
- Note: If you don't see this option, you don't have editing access for that playlist.
4. Add your new playlist name in the 'Name' field, in addition to a description if desired.
© Devon Delfino/Business Insider You can add both a name and description. Devon Delfino/Business Insider5. Click 'Save.'
How to change a playlist name on Spotify using the mobile app
1. Open the Spotify app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Tap the 'Your Library' tab in the bottom toolbar, and tap the playlist you want to edit the name of.
3. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen and select 'Edit' or 'Edit playlist.'
© Devon Delfino/Business Insider Select the 'Edit' option. Devon Delfino/Business Insider4. Tap the title at the top and change it however you like, and then select 'Save.'
© Devon Delfino/Business Insider Edit the playlist's name. Devon Delfino/Business Insider