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April 24, 2025 23:38
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Spotify Cheatsheet

Unlock the full potential of Spotify with this handy reference covering essential keyboard shortcuts, clever tips & tricks, and guidance on using key features.

Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts

Playback Controls

Spacebar

Play/Pause

Ctrl+Right Arrow (Windows)
Cmd+Right Arrow (Mac)

Next Track

Ctrl+Left Arrow (Windows)
Cmd+Left Arrow (Mac)

Previous Track

Ctrl+Up Arrow (Windows)
Cmd+Up Arrow (Mac)

Increase Volume

Ctrl+Down Arrow (Windows)
Cmd+Down Arrow (Mac)

Decrease Volume

M (Windows)
F10 (Mac)

Mute/Unmute

Ctrl+Shift+S (Windows)
Cmd+Shift+S (Mac)

Shuffle On/Off

Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows)
Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)

Repeat On/Off

Navigation & View

Ctrl+L (Windows)
Cmd+L (Mac)

Search

Ctrl+G (Windows)
Cmd+G (Mac)

Go to Playing Song

Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow (Windows)
Cmd+Shift+Right Arrow (Mac)

Go Forward (in app history)

Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow (Windows)
Cmd+Shift+Left Arrow (Mac)

Go Back (in app history)

F11

Toggle Full Screen

Ctrl+N (Windows)
Cmd+N (Mac)

Create New Playlist

Ctrl+W (Windows)
Cmd+W (Mac)

Close Current View

Ctrl+Shift+W (Windows)
Cmd+Shift+W (Mac)

Log Out

Tips & Tricks

Finding Music

Advanced Search Syntax: Use keywords in the search bar.

  • artist:"Coldplay" - Search by artist
  • album:"Parachutes" - Search by album
  • year:1990-1995 - Search by year range
  • genre:"Rock" - Search by genre
  • label:"Capitol Records" - Search by record label
  • track:"Yellow" - Search by track name
  • NOT - Exclude a term (e.g., year:2020 NOT artist:"Pop Star")
  • OR - Combine terms (e.g., artist:"Beatles" OR artist:"Stones")

Explore Related Artists: Go to an artist’s page and check the ‘Fans Also Like’ section.

Discover Weekly: Spotify creates a personalized playlist updated every Monday based on your listening habits. Find it in ‘Made For You’.

Release Radar: A playlist of new releases from artists you follow and listen to, updated Fridays. Find it in ‘Made For You’.

Daily Mixes: Generated playlists based on genres and moods you listen to. Great for discovering similar tracks.

Spotify Radio: Start a radio station based on any song, artist, album, or playlist to hear similar music.

Search for Playlists: Search for specific moods, activities (like ‘running’), or genres to find curated playlists.

Concert Listings: Check the ‘Events’ section on an artist’s page to find their upcoming concerts near you.

Organizing Your Library

Folders: Organize your playlists into folders for better management. Right-click in the sidebar (Desktop).

Add to Queue: Right-click a song or album and select ‘Add to queue’ to play it next without interrupting the current flow.

‘Liked Songs’ Playlist: Click the heart icon on a track to add it to your automatically generated ‘Liked Songs’ playlist. You can sort and filter this playlist.

Edit Playlist Details: Right-click a playlist to change its name, description, and cover image.

Collaborative Playlists: Right-click a playlist and select ‘Collaborative playlist’ to allow others to add and remove songs. Share the link with friends.

Recover Deleted Playlists: If you accidentally delete a playlist, you can restore it from your account page on the Spotify website (Account -> Recover Playlists).

Filter Playlists: In the library section, use the filter bar at the top to quickly find playlists by name.

Sort Playlists: Sort your playlists by title, custom order, or recently played.

Using Spotify Features

Key Features Explained

Offline Mode: Download playlists, albums, and podcasts for listening without an internet connection. Available for Premium users.

How to: Open a playlist/album/podcast, toggle the ‘Download’ switch. Tracks will have a green arrow icon when downloaded. To enable Offline Mode for the app, go to Settings > Playback > Offline Mode (Desktop) or Settings > Playback (Mobile).

Private Session: Listen without affecting your ‘Recently Played’ list, ‘Friends Activity’, or personalized recommendations.

How to: Go to Settings > Social > Toggle ‘Start a Private Session’ (Desktop) or Settings > Social > Private session (Mobile). The session ends after a period of inactivity.

Crossfade: Smoothly transition between tracks instead of abrupt cuts.

How to: Go to Settings > Playback > Crossfade songs. Adjust the slider for the duration (up to 12 seconds).

Audio Quality: Choose streaming and download quality settings.

How to: Go to Settings > Audio Quality. Options include Automatic, Low, Normal, High, Very High (Premium only). Higher quality uses more data/storage.

Equalizer: Adjust the sound balance to your preference (mostly mobile app).

How to: Go to Settings > Audio Quality > Equalizer. Choose presets or customize.

Connect: Control music playback on other devices (speakers, TVs, consoles) using the Spotify app on your phone or computer.

How to: Click the ‘Connect to a device’ icon (looks like a speaker with a wave) on the playback bar. Select the desired device.

Group Session (Beta): Listen together with friends in real-time, wherever you are. Anyone in the session can control the music.

How to: Click the ‘Connect to a device’ icon on the playback bar and select ‘Start a remote group session’. Share the invite link.