A few weeks ago, I decided to take a road trip in my vintage 2008 sedan. The auxiliary port on the stereo was acting up, but it still had a perfectly functional CD player. That was the moment I realized I wanted to take some of my heavy-rotation Spotify playlists and turn them into physical mixtapes.
If you've ever tried to burn a CD from Spotify, you already know that it's impossible to do this directly. Spotify tracks are DRM-protected Ogg Vorbis/AAC files. Even if you're a Premium subscriber and download tracks for offline listening, those audio files stay locked inside the app. You can't just drag them into CD burners and hit "Burn."
To get around this, you need a two-step approach: converting the tracks into standard DRM-free audio files first, and then burning them using standard software. Here is the exact process I used, along with a few hands-on tips I picked up along the way.
How to Convert Spotify Playlist to CD-Compatible Audio Files
Since Spotify won't let you export raw files directly, you'll need an audio converter to decrypt the encryption. During my testing, I used DRmare Spotify Music Converter on both Windows and Mac to handle the conversion. It can bypass Spotify's DRM and convert songs, albums, or playlists into popular formats like MP3, WAV, FLAC, and M4A for CD burning without any loss in quality.
One thing I really appreciate about the latest version of DRmare is that it comes with a built-in Spotify Web Player. This means you don't even need to have the official Spotify app installed on your computer anymore. Here is how simple the new workflow is:
How to Download Spotify Playlist for CD Burning
Step 1. Launch DRmare, and you'll see the integrated Spotify web interface right inside the program. Simply log into your Spotify account (both Free and Premium accounts work great).
Step 2. Browse your library or search for any album or playlist as you normally would. Once you open a playlist, you'll notice a floating "+" (Add) button on the side. Click it, and DRmare will automatically load all the tracks into the conversion queue.
Step 3. Go to the Menu preferences to pick your output format. For a standard Audio CD (the kind that plays in any car or home stereo), WAV or 320Kbps MP3 are your best options. In my testing, choosing WAV preserved full audio fidelity, while 320Kbps MP3 provided excellent quality with smaller file sizes.
Step 4. Hit the Convert button. The software processes the tracks in high-speed batches while retaining all key ID3 tags (track names, artists, and album artwork).
Once complete, you'll find your unencrypted audio files waiting in your designated output folder, ready to be burned.
Quick Note:
If you're using a modern laptop without a built-in optical drive, like a recent MacBook or thin ultrabook, be sure to plug in an inexpensive external USB CD/DVD drive before moving to the next part.
How to Burn a CD from Spotify for Free
Now that you have DRM-free Spotify files, you don't need to purchase specialized burning software. Here are the easiest methods to burn Spotify playlists to CD for different operating systems:
Burn CDs from Spotify by VLC [Cross-Platform]
- Pop a blank CD-R into your drive and open the VLC media player on your computer.
- Go to Media > Convert / Save (or File > Convert / Stream on Mac).
- Click the Disc tab, select Audio CD, and browse to select your optical drive.
- Add your converted Spotify files, choose your destination, and hit Convert/Save to start writing to the disc.
Burn CD from Spotify via Windows Media Player [Windows]
- Insert a blank CD into your PC and open Windows Media Player.
- Click the Burn tab in the top-right panel.
- Drag your converted Spotify audio files straight from your computer folder into the Burn List.
- Click the small menu icon in the top-right corner of the Burn panel, ensure Audio CD is selected, and click Start burn.
Burn Spotify Playlist to CD via Music App [Windows & macOS]
- Open the Apple Music app. Go to File > Import to bring your converted Spotify tracks into your local library.
- Create a new playlist (File > New > Playlist) and drag those tracks inside.
- Insert a blank CD disc into your CD burner on your Mac and choose the Open Music option in the pop-up dialog.
- Locate the playlist you just created. Then right-click it and hit Burn Playlist to Disc.
- Select Audio CD in the format options (checking Include CD Text ensures track titles display on your car stereo) and click Burn.
Burn Spotify Songs onto a CD through Burn [macOS]
- Download and open Burn (a classic open-source macOS app).
- Go to the Audio tab, click the + icon, and select your converted Spotify files.
- Choose your CD type from the dropdown menu and hit Burn.
FAQs about Burning CDs from Spotify
How many Spotify tracks can I fit on a single CD?
A standard Audio CD holds up to 70 to 80 minutes of play time (roughly 700 MB). That usually translates to about 15 to 20 full-length tracks per disc.
Can I upload a CD back into Spotify later?
Yes! You can rip the audio tracks from a CD using Music or Windows Media Player into MP3 format. Then, in your Spotify Desktop app settings, enable "Show Local Files" and select the folder with your ripped tracks to listen to them inside Spotify.
Why do you need to burn CD from Spotify?
Burning music to a CD offers offline access, superior audio quality, and compatibility with physical CD players. It's ideal for road trips, outdoor events, or when you want a break from streaming.
What should I do if the burning process fails?
If your burn fails, try reducing the burning speed (e.g., set it to 8x or 4x instead of Maximum) in your burning software—older car stereos read slower-written discs much better. Also, ensure you are using a clean CD-R rather than a CD-RW disc.
Final Words
Making physical CDs from digital streaming platforms might feel like a fun throwback, but having a physical backup or a custom mix for older car stereos is genuinely satisfying. Thanks to DRmare's integrated web player, grabbing your favorite songs takes just a few clicks, making the entire process from streaming Spotify track to physical CD smooth and hassle-free.
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