Spotify Search Not Working [Fixed in Minutes]

Holding a catalog of 100 million tracks, Spotify isn’t just for listening to music but it’s also a great search engine to discover new songs. However, what happens when you open Spotify, type in the search bar, and come across the Spotify search not working issue? Maybe the results won’t load or the search bar itself is missing. Perhaps Spotify search works on one device but refuses to function on another. For some, the issue isn’t on the home screen but inside a playlist or the library.

You wonder: is it a problem with your app, your device, or something else? That’s where this guide’s solutions come in, we’ve scanned through user reports and identified all the common problems with search functionality and have provided solutions to fix them easily. Just follow this guide to restore your Spotify search in minutes now.

It is better to initiate the fixes with basic diagnostics to save time and prevent doing deep troubleshooting unnecessarily, given a simpler issue could be the culprit. So, before diving into advanced solutions, start with these essential checks to rule out any fundamental problems.

Check Your Hardware

Type something into Spotify’s search bar and end up seeing gibberish, unintended characters, or no response at all? Such issues usually happen because of a failing keyboard or contaminants on the touch display. To verify that this is not the cause:

• Try typing elsewhere. Simply, compose a message or note to see if the text appears correctly in another app to check for input lags or misfires.

Check If Spotify is in Downtime

You’re playing music just fine, but the moment you search for a song or artist in Spotify and the results refuse to load. Or worse, “Something went wrong” message appears on the screen? There’s a strong chance this is a service outage.

Yes, service interruptions can sometimes only affect Spotify’s search function. To check:

• Visit Downdetector.com and see Spotify’s status.

The issue could also be area-specific and official reports don’t reflect it immediately. So, make sure to read user comments.

Check Network Connection

The good thing about Spotify is that it will display “You’re Offline” or “Spotify is currently set to offline mode” messages when the internet is completely down on your device.

However, if your internet is slow rather than completely disconnected, Spotify search will keep spinning endlessly. If that’s the issue you’re facing with Spotify’s search function, then make sure your internet is stable: simply refresh your connection and test again.

Additional check: disconnect the VPN if you’re using one.

If Spotify’s search function still isn’t working even after all the checks above have passed, it likely points to an app-specific issue rather than a hardware or internet problem.

Moreover, the exact issue can vary between users. For some, the universal search bar doesn’t respond at all, while for others, the library search might not pull up playlists that once appeared instantly. In some cases, the search results will show up fine on mobile but misbehave on desktop, or vice versa. So, no matter where the issue occurs—home screen search, library search, or across devices, let’s focus on direct fixes to restore a full functionality of the Spotify app.

Fix 1: Relaunch Spotify

Most of us have the habit of minimizing apps rather than closing them fully. This is especially true for a music app like Spotify. A simple restart, in such cases, sounds like a basic fix, but it will clear out temporary issues, ensuring that no lingering memory disruptions interfere with search functionality.

Steps on iPhone/Android

• Swipe up from the bottom (or tap the recent apps button) to bring up the app switcher.
• Drag the Spotify card all the way up to remove it from memory.
• Wait for a moment. Then relaunch Spotify for a fresh session.

Steps on Windows/Mac

Simply clicking the X button doesn’t always fully close Spotify on the computer. Depending on your settings, the app may remain in a semi-active state, causing search functions to not work properly. To completely terminate Spotify, follow these steps:

On Windows

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Locate Spotify in the Processes tab.
• Right-click Spotify and choose End task to force quit the app.

On Mac

• Press Command + Option + Escape to open the Force Quit Applications window.
• Select Spotify and hit Force Quit at the bottom.

Now, relaunch Spotify, perform a search, and see if the issue is resolved.

Fix 2: Re-login Spotify

If you’ve recently switched accounts or moved from Free to Premium (or vice versa), your Spotify session data may become cluttered, which could cause the search functionality to show partial results or old recommendations.

Logging out and back in forces Spotify to refresh its database for your account, and meanwhile, re-index search functionality.

Steps on iPhone/Android

• Open Spotify and tap your profile icon.
• Select Settings & Privacy.
• In the settings menu, swipe down to the bottom and tap Log Out. Confirm when prompted.



• Close the app completely. Reopen Spotify and enter your credentials.

Now, continue to use the search function like normal.

Steps on Windows/PC

• Click your profile avatar in the top right corner.
• From the drop-down menu, select Log Out.



• Once logged out, close Spotify completely (ensure it’s not running in the background) as shown in the earlier fix.
• Reopen the app. At the login screen, you have multiple options. Choose one.

Once logged in, perform a test search to check if the search bar is working smoothly.

Fix 3: Update Spotify

If your search function is still buggy, it’s time to check if an update is waiting. It could very well fix bugs and clear out inconsistencies that could be affecting Spotify’s search.

Steps on iPhone/Android

Here’s how to check:

On iPhone:

• Open App Store and tap your profile icon (top right).
• Scroll through the list of pending updates.
• If Spotify appears, tap Update.

Restart the app and check if the search function is back to normal.

On Android:

• Open Play Store and search for Spotify.
• If you see an Update button instead of Open, tap it.
• Once updated, restart the app, and the search tab should start working properly.

Steps on Windows/Mac

On both operating systems, follow these steps:

• Look for a blue dot next to your profile picture (top right). If it’s missing, it means your app is running on the most recent version.
• If there is a blue dot, click your avatar, and select Update Spotify now.

Wait for the update to install. Then restart the app and test the search bar again.

Fix 4: Reinstall Spotify

If all else fails, reinstalling Spotify is the most comprehensive reset you can try. This is because it will completely remove temporary data, cache files, and potential corrupt configurations because of which the search function might not be working.

Heads up: Reinstalling will also remove all your offline downloads.

On iPhone:

• Press and hold the Spotify app icon, tap Remove App, and then select Delete App.
• Restart the device for good measure.



• Download the Spotify app again from App Store.
• Sign back into your account and test the search function.

On Android:

• Long-press the Spotify icon, tap Uninstall, and OK in the confirmation prompt.



• Restart your Android phone. Head to Google Play Store, search for Spotify and tap Install. Finally, try searching for a song or artist, you will find that the search function works as usual.

On Mac:

First, make sure to close the Spotify app completely. Then, follow one step at a time:

• Open a Finder window.
• Press Command + Shift + A to access the Applications folder.
• Locate Spotify, right-click, and select Move to Trash. If prompted, enter your system password to confirm.



• Visit Spotify.com in your browser. Then, click on the Download toggle towards the top-right.
• Right-click the Spotify installer from your Downloads directory. And select Open.
• Log back in. Given Spotify starts with a clean state, free from any past configuration errors, you will be allowed to look for a song or playlist as usual.

On Windows:

Follow these steps to reinstall the Spotify app and fix the search function on Windows computer:

• Press the Windows key to open the Start Menu. Type Spotify. Under Best Match, simply select the Spotify app.
• Now, from the right pane, click Uninstall.



• In the Installed Appswindow, click on the three-dots menu next to the Spotify app and select the Uninstall option. Confirm to remove it completely.



• After uninstalling, restart your device before proceeding with reinstallation.
• Then, download the latest version from the Spotify website or reinstall via Microsoft Store. Log back in and you’ll find the search function issue is gone.

Spotify lets you search for a song or artist within a playlist, making it easier to find tracks in longer catalogs. However, if the search returns “No results” or fails to display anything, Smart Shuffle could be the culprit. Understand that Smart Shuffle, unlike regular shuffle, injects recommendations into your playlist, altering the playlist structure.

As a result, certain functions including in-playlist search tool and download feature sometimes stop working properly. Here’s how to disable Smart Shuffle and fix the search within playlist function:

On iPhone and Android

• Navigate to the playlist where search isn’t working.
• Tap the Shuffle button, the icon will revert to grey. Now, search for a song again and it should now appear properly.

On Windows and Mac

You can find the Smart Shuffle button in the playlist control itself. Make sure to switch to regular shuffle or turn it off, then you should be able to use search panel normally.

You name a playlist, make it public, and tell your friends to look it up. However, it’s nowhere to be found. Your friends even type the exact title, but it will still bring no results.

The reason: Spotify doesn’t index every playlist for public search, even if its status is set as Public. There are factors like followers or name being too common that decide whether it will appear in search results or not. Instead of waiting for Spotify to recognize your playlist, the quickest solution is to share the link with the target person directly. For instance, on desktop apps, you can do this:

1. Open the Spotify playlist.

2. Tap the three-dot menu next to the playlist controls.

3. Choose Share > Copy Link to Playlist.

Then, you can send it to your friends. They will be able to add the playlist to their library.

For many of you, turning your Spotify collection into MP3 is the ultimate goal. Maybe you want to forever preserve your perfect playlists, move your music to MP3 players, or want true offline playback without any restrictions. StreamFox for Music lets you do exactly that.

StreamFox allows you to convert your Spotify songs to MP3, FLAC, WAV, or AAC formats. And it makes the process effortless. With its built-in Spotify browser, you can log into your free account, drag the songs from your library, and convert them in a single click.

All the song information and album art are also preserved while converting, letting you enjoy the Spotify songs just as they are. Even your playlists and albums are converted into neatly organized folders, meaning no manual sorting.

StreamFox for Music

• Spotify songs retain their original 320 kbps quality, ensuring the highest sound fidelity without compression loss.
• 10x faster conversion speeds process entire playlists, albums, and large Spotify libraries quickly.
• Podcasts and audiobooks’ conversions are also supported, allowing easy offline access to all content of Spotify.
• Also work with Amazon Music, Deezer, Apple Music, and YouTube Music for seamless collection management.

Download Download

Convert Spotify Songs to MP3 Using StreamFox for Music

Step 1. Start by installing StreamFox for Music on your Windows or Mac. Once set up, launch the application and choose Spotify from the home screen.

Step 2. Click Log In. Enter your free or premium account credentials directly within the built-in browser. This gives you full access to your personal playlists, albums, and saved tracks easily.

Step 3. Simply, drag and drop your desired songs, entire playlists, or albums onto the red plus button in the top-right corner.

Step 4. Once ready, click Convert All. The process will begin instantly, saving every track in its original 320 kbps quality in MP3 by default.

Step 5. Switch to the Finished tab and select View Output File. Your songs will be neatly stored on your computer.

There are times when typing isn’t even an option. Maybe your device has a hardware issue, as discussed earlier, or you simply prefer a hands-free way to find Spotify music. In such cases, here are two effective alternatives:

Option 1: Voice Control

While “Hey Spotify” has long been discontinued, you can still search for songs using built-in voice assistants on your phone. For instance, native voice assistants like Google Assistant and Siri can help. Just say:

• “Hey Google, play a song on Spotify.”
• “Hey Siri, play a song on Spotify.”

On smart home devices like Alexa, Google Nest, or HomePod, you can issue similar voice commands once your Spotify account is linked.

Option 2: Shazam

If you hear a song playing somewhere else and want to record its name to Spotify library, Shazam can help.

You can simply install the Shazam app from Play Store or App Store and use it to identify any songs easily.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting Spotify search not working seems overwhelming at first, but in reality, it’s a straightforward process. No matter where the issue appears: on the home screen, in your library, or within a playlist, the solutions covered should do the trick.

At the end of the day, though, the best way to listen to Spotify songs is to use StreamFox for Music. Instead of using the Spotify app, StreamFox lets you simply convert and save your favorite playlists and albums to your device in MP3 format. That way, your playlists stay with you, ready to play anytime.