How to Unblock Spotify in 2022

Spotify is the most popular music streaming app that gives you access to millions of songs, podcasts, and even videos now in 2022. It's free to get plus some premium features if you choose to upgrade. This is probably one of the essential apps that you have to use every day. And it’s just impossible to live without music sometimes.

However, not everyone has the privilege to access this music app, it depends on your situation of where you are in the world while using this app. I can understand the frustration when you get blocked from streaming certain content that is only available in specific regions. Also, unblocking Spotify at work and school seems to be the most common need.

In this post, I will explain why you are blocked from using this app and how to unblock Spotify by bypassing these restrictions with a VPN.

How to unblock Spotify at work or school with a VPN

The best VPN to do this job is ExpressVPN. It is easy to use and has more than 3000 servers in 94 countries around the world which is more than needed for personal use.  

You can use one ExpressVPN account on multiple devices and it is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and even your home router.

🔥 You can easily unblock Spotify in just a few steps with a VPN pretty much anywhere, at work, school, or while abroad:

1. Install a reliable and secure VPN  on your device :

• First, sign up for an ExpressVPN account. You can choose between a 1-month, 12-month, or 6-month plan. The best plan is the 12-month plan as it is more cost-effective in the long run as ExpressVPN gives 49% off + 3 months free. Meaning you will be billed once for 15 months (including 3 free months)
• Once you have signed up and have an account, download the ExpressVPN app for your device from the service provider’s website.
• Open the app and sign in with your credentials.

2. Connect your VPN to a country where Spotify is unblocked

• Next, connect to a server in a country where Spotify is not blocked. American servers are probably the best ones to access the full Spotify library.

3. Enjoy all the music you love on Spotify

• After you’re connected to the ExpressVPN server
• Then open Spotify, and you will see you now have full access to the app. 👊Magic!

Why Spotify is blocked

These are typical reasons why Spotify is blocked:

Geo-restriction and censorship

We know Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming app services, but it is not available in every country such as Russia, China, and some parts of Africa. Some songs/albums may also be censored in certain countries. This will be a problem if you are traveling to one of these countries.  

If you are using Spotify Free and traveling abroad, you may get an error message saying "You can only use Spotify abroad for 14 days". A VPN can help you to solve this. How you can do this is explained further below.

Licensing, copyright, and distribution rights

Due to this distribution restriction content availability varies by country, and certain albums, songs, and artists may not be available everywhere. This is the reason why sometimes you cannot stream them regardless you have access to the whole app.

International blocking on specific networks

This restriction happens when you are in a certain place such as workplaces and schools where they set up a firewall in their network that blocks Spotify for particular reasons.

You may be wondering, “How does a VPN work?” Here is the full article about it

The Short answer of "how a VPN works": It gives you the ability to connect to a server that’s located in different country. That means your your connection will be rerouted through the vpn server in another country. VPN providers have servers all over the world and let you choose where you would like to appear to be to bypass this Geo-restriction and censorship restrictions for Spotify.

How to choose a suitable VPN for Spotify

The best VPN for Spotify should have:

• Stable and fast streaming speeds - The best VPN service has to have unlimited bandwidth, so can enjoy your music literally anytime anywhere as much as you want in high resolution with minimal-to-no buffering
• VPN servers in many countries worldwide - Servers are the essential part of a VPN to work especially in the U.S, UK, and Canada. Express VPN has servers in 3000 servers in 94 countries and counting which meets the need for personal use.  
• Strong encryption and security - privacy and security is the important thing you should consider when choosing a VPN. Public wifi is not unsecured. if we spend a lot of time on public hotspots in airports, hotels, or coffee shops a VPN connection is a must. So you can privately enjoy Spotify without being tracked by your ISP (internet service provider)

Best VPN to unblock Spotify anywhere

When choosing a VPN you should look at speed, security, and privacy. The following are the three VPN service providers that came out on top. Let's start with ExpressVPN which I think is the best one to unblock Spotify.

1.ExpressVPN

Key features:

• ExpressVPN is perfect for personal VPN
• High-speed servers in 94 countries across the world, there are all optimized for speed
• Protects your phone from malware and other tracking apps
• Easy to use across multiple devices, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS as well as other VPN service providers don't support such as Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and even routers.
• Next-generation Lightway protocol that provides greater speeds, security, and reliable VPN service
• No. of Devices 5
• 24/7 live chat Support and 5-star customer service
• 👌Risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee

Best VPN for streaming:

• 5 simultaneous connections- different servers at one time on different devices
• Consistently unblocking Netflix anywhere
• Unblock Hulu, BBC iPlayer, HBO, ESPN, and Youtube
• Built into many smart TVs and Android TV streaming devices
• The only VPN provider that unblocks streaming services (via  MediaStreamer solution) for devices that cannot run VPN such as  Playstation, Xbox, Apple TV, and smart TVs

2. NordVPN

Key features:

• NordVPN has 5600 servers in 60 countries
• Built-in malware and ad blocker
• Dedicated IP address add-on
• Easy to use
• No. of Devices 6
• Threat Protection
• 24/7 customer support
• 👌 30-day money-back guarantee

3. Surfshark

Key features:

• Protect your privacy
• Blocks ads, trackers, malware
• Doesn't slow down the user's PC
• Maximize user speed by preventing ISP throttling
• 256-bit encryption protection from hackers
• Split tunneling
• 24/ technical support
• 👌 30-day money-back guarantee

FAQ about how to unblock Spotify

How to change the region on Spotify

The country/region of your Spotify account is based on where you were when you first signed up for a Spotify account, and you can change it within your account setting. The steps depend on whether you have a Free or Premium Spotify account.  

Free Spotify account:

1. Log in to your Spotify account.
2. Click EDIT PROFILE.
3. Scroll down to Country or region.  
4. Select your new country or region from the dropdown list.
5. Click SAVE PROFILE.

Note: You need to be in the actual country or region for it to be shown in the dropdown list. If you are not, there is an easy fix- use a VPN

• Get a VPN and connect to a VPN server in your preferred country.
• Go to your Spotify account page on your mobile or desktop, and select EDIT PROFILE.  
• Scroll down to Country or region and Select your new country or region from the dropdown list.
• Click SAVE PROFILE.

Premium Spotify account:

Premium users don't have to change their account's location, but If you still want to change your country or region, you need to update your payment method to one that's issued there:

1. Log in to your Spotify account.
2. Under YOUR PLAN, then click UPDATE next to your payment method.
3. Add your new payment method that was issued in your new country or region. These new changes will take effect upon your next billing date.

How to unblock songs on Spotify

Content availability is restricted to certain regions or countries due to licensing and distribution rights. Due to this, Some songs cant be streamed outside of their region. With a VPN you can connect to a certain server location where the songs are available or access the full Spotify library!

To check in which countries a certain song is available, try this Spotify for Developers: Console tool, simply follow these steps:

1. Get your song's Spotify ID that you want to check. You can get the ID by searching for the song title on Spotify > right-click on the song > share > copy song link.
2. Paste somewhere in any text readable program. The URL should appear like this: "https://open.spotify.com/track/songID?si=abcd1234".
3. Simply copy the string character that is songID in the actual URL which is in between ? and track/ .
4. On the Spotify for Developers: Console tool, paste the copied song's ID into the id* field, and click click Get Token > Request Token.
5. You will be directed to an Authorization screen > Agree to continue.
6. Scroll down then click Try it.
7. On the right screen, scroll down till you see "available_markets" you will see all the country's codes where this particular song is available.  

Why am I getting this error message "You can only use Spotify abroad for 14 days"?

If you are using a Free Spotify account, you might have experienced an error message "You can only use Spotify abroad for 14 days". This is easily fixed by using a VPN to change your location to one of these:

• Match your Spotify account's current country (the country you currently live in, not the one you travel to).
• A different country where Spotify is available. After 14 days, when you receive the error again, simply choose a different VPN location to connect to.

You can also try changing your Spotify region, like this:

•  Go to your Spotify account page on your mobile or desktop, and select EDIT PROFILE.  
• Scroll down to Country or region and Select your new country or region from the dropdown list.
• Click SAVE PROFILE. Continue enjoying your Spotify for free!

How to download the Spotify app in restricted countries?

First, you have to get a VPN and connect to any VPN server in a country where Spotify is unblocked such as the U.S, UK, and Canada.

Spotify payment methods depend on which country you are in, but you should be able to play with Apple Pay, Paypal, or even gift cards.

Go to the Spotify website and you be able to download the app to your device!

Can I unblock Spotify with a free VPN?

Yes, free VPNs are tempting, but they may cost you in other ways - especially when it comes to your privacy and security.

• Free VPNs usually track your data, they are ad-supported or come with lots of speed restrictions.
• If you are looking for a free VPN, you can try ExpressVPN instead, as they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.  
• If you are not satisfied within the first 30 days, simply contact their 24/7 Support and get a full refund.

Final Words

The best way to get Spotify unblocked is with a VPN. It's a powerful tool that gives you the ability to transcend the region or country's restrictions. Now you know how to unblock Spotify wherever you are at work, school, or while abroad.

If you still wondering which VPN to do the job? Well for personal use, ExpressVPN is recommended for you to get started. It comes with the best features for streaming and is well-known for its privacy protection against malware and other tracking apps.