Music
Yasir is a Mechanical Engineer who writes about tech at MUO, covering Windows, Productivity, Security, and the Internet. His interest in autonomous systems keeps him constantly tinkering with both hardware and software.
His tech writing journey began during his junior year of engineering, leading him to Android Police before joining MUO. He focuses on making technology accessible, whether he’s troubleshooting Windows issues, exploring productivity tools, or explaining security risks in plain English. For Yasir, the best way to do this is to actually use the tools and run into the same problems readers face.
When he’s not writing or engineering, you’ll find Yasir watching Impractical Jokers and genuinely laughing at pranks he’s seen a dozen times before.
My Android phone recently started gasping for air. When I checked my storage usage, Spotify was using several gigabytes on my phone, which didn’t make sense. I only had a handful of playlists downloaded for offline listening, so I expected the app to be much lighter. After some digging, I found an issue with Spotify’s cache—temporary files the app quietly stores whenever you stream music. If you’re encountering the same issue, there are several ways to fix low storage warnings without buying more space, but clearing the cache is a great place to start.
These “ghost” downloads accumulate in the background, and the app doesn’t make this obvious. The good news is that clearing this cache takes seconds and won’t touch your actual offline downloads. If your phone’s storage feels cramped, reclaiming space is one of the easiest fixes.
Check and clear ghost downloads eating your storage
Android settings reveal what Spotify won’t show you
Spotify doesn’t exactly advertise how much storage its cache consumes. You won’t find a warning or notification when the app quietly balloons to several gigabytes. The only way to see what’s happening is to dig into Android’s storage settings yourself.
Here’s how to check:
- Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Go to Apps (or Apps & notifications, depending on your device).
- Find and tap Spotify.
- Tap Storage or Storage & cache.
You’ll see three categories, which are App size, User data, and Cache. The Cache number is what you’re looking for; that’s your ghost downloads. User data includes your actual offline downloads, saved playlists, and login credentials, so leave that alone.
When I checked mine, the cache had grown to 1.5GB while my actual downloads were 4.9GB. That’s a lot of wasted space for music I never asked to keep. The cache size depends on how often you stream and how long it’s been since you last cleared it. If you listen to Spotify daily, expect this number to climb quickly.
How to clear Spotify’s ghost downloads on Android
From the same storage screen mentioned above, tap Clear cache. That’s it. The cache size drops to zero immediately, and you get that storage back. After clearing, Spotify might feel slightly slower the next time you open it. The app rebuilds some temporary files as you browse and stream, so this is normal.
Don’t tap Clear data. That option wipes everything, including your login, preferences, and actual offline downloads. You’d have to sign back in and re-download all your playlists from scratch.
You can also clear the cache from within Spotify
Spotify has its own option, but you have to find it
If you’d rather not leave the app, Spotify offers its own option to clear the cache. It achieves the same result as the Android settings method. Here’s how to access it:
- Open Spotify and tap your profile icon in the top-left corner.
- Tap Settings and privacy.
- Then tap Data-saving and offline.
- Scroll down and tap Clear cache.
The in-app storage screen shows a breakdown of what’s using space—cache and downloads are listed separately. This is actually useful if you want to see the numbers without having to jump into Android’s settings every time.
The downside is that Spotify doesn’t make this easy to find. There’s no shortcut, no reminder, and no prompt suggesting you clear the cache when it gets large. You have to know the option exists and navigate through menus to reach it. For a quick cleanup, the Android settings route is faster since you’re only a few taps away from the storage breakdown.
Either method works, so pick whichever feels more convenient. I prefer using Android settings because I’m usually already checking storage when I notice my phone running low on space.
Preventing ghost downloads from piling up fast
You can’t stop it, but you can slow it down
Realistically, the cache will start growing again the moment you hit play. Spotify uses this storage to ensure gapless playback and to keep the music going if your signal drops. You can’t turn it off entirely, but you can slow it down. It is also a good idea to change these essential Spotify settings to further optimize your experience.
Go to Settings and privacy > Media quality, then reduce the quality for both Wi-Fi and cellular streaming. Smaller files mean a smaller cache over time. The trade-off is slightly lower audio fidelity, which may or may not bother you depending on your headphones and ears. Expect the cache to creep back up within a few weeks of regular use, so periodic maintenance is the only way to keep things under control.
A few gigabytes make a difference
Check your other streaming apps too
Spotify isn’t the only app that quietly hoards storage. Most streaming services—Netflix, YouTube, podcasting apps—cache content the same way. You could also check after binge-listening sessions or long road trips, since heavy use accelerates cache buildup. If clearing Spotify freed up space, it’s worth checking those apps next. The process is similar.
However, for phones with limited storage, making this a monthly habit keeps things manageable. Besides, you don’t have to delete your photos or uninstall useful apps just to make room; you can even archive apps to save space on Android without losing your personal settings. It’s a small maintenance task, but one that keeps your phone from filling up with files you never asked for.
Spotify
- OS
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Android, Windows, Linux & Mac
- Price model
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Free, Premium