Want to download Spotify music on a Mac for offline listening? Whether you are running macOS 10.15 Catalina, macOS 15 Sequoia, or the newest updates, you can easily download music for uninterrupted listening via two main options depending on what you need.
Spotify Premium users can download playlists and albums directly inside the official Spotify app for offline listening. However, those downloads are encrypted and can only be played within Spotify. If you want to save Spotify songs as local MP3, FLAC, WAV, or other common audio files, you need a different solution because Spotify does not provide direct music file downloads.
This guide explains how to download Spotify music on macOS Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia, and newer macOS versions such as Tahoe.
Part 1. Quick Comparison of Downloading Spotify Music on macOS (10.15 to 26)
For looking for a fast answer, here is a breakdown of the two most effective ways to download Spotify music on a Mac:
| Feature | Official Spotify App | DRmare Spotify Converter |
|---|---|---|
| Compatible macOS Versions | macOS 12/13/14/15/26 | macOS 10.15/11/12/13/14/15/26 |
| Account Required | Spotify Premium ($11.99/mo) | Spotify Free or Premium |
| Output Format | Encrypted OGG Vorbis | DRM-free MP3, FLAC, WAV, M4A, AIFF |
| App Dependency | Requires Spotify App | Integrated Web Player (No app needed) |
| Device Playback | Authorized Spotify Apps Only | Any MP3 Player, USB, or Offline Device |
| Download Limits | Up to 10,000 songs per device | Unlimited local downloads |
Part 2. Official Way to Download Spotify Music on macOS Monterey to macOS Tahoe
The most straightforward and officially supported way to download Spotify music for offline listening on your macOS device, covering versions from Monterey (12) all the way up to the latest, macOS Tahoe (26), is with a Spotify Premium subscription.
You can directly go to the Spotify download page and click the Download for macOS to download the Spotify app on macOS 12, macOS 13, macOS 14, macOS 15, and macOS 26. After that, it's easy to download songs, playlists, albums, and podcasts in this app with your Spotify Premium subscription for offline use.
Spotify System Requirements for macOS
- macOS 12: (Monterey)
- macOS 13: (Ventura)
- macOS 14: (Sonoma)
- macOS 15: (Sequoia)
- macOS 26: (Tahoe)
Download Spotify Music on macOS Monterey/Ventura/Sequoia/Tahoe
Step 1. Open the Spotify application on your macOS device. Ensure you're logged in with your active Spotify Premium subscription.
Step 2. Find the playlists or albums you wish to download. Unfortunately, Spotify Premium does not allow individual song downloads directly; you must download an entire playlist or album or add single songs to a playlist before downloading.
Step 3. Click the "Download" toggle switch (often represented by a downward arrow) to initiate the download. The toggle will turn green, and a green downward arrow will appear next to the downloaded content once complete.
Step 4. To ensure you only play downloaded content and avoid using data, you can enable "Offline Mode" on Spotify.
Limitations:
- Premium Subscription Required: This feature is exclusive to Spotify Premium subscribers.
- DRM Protection: The downloaded files are encrypted and can only be played within the Spotify application. You cannot transfer them to other devices or use them with other media players.
- 30-Day Online Check: You need to go online at least once every 30 days to keep your downloads active. If your subscription expires or you don't go online, your downloaded music will become inaccessible.
- Device Limit: You can download up to 10,000 songs on each of up to 5 different devices.
Important Update for macOS Catalina (10.15) and Big Sur (11) Users
If you already have the Spotify desktop app installed on a Mac running macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or macOS 11 (Big Sur), you can continue using your current version and follow the steps above to download Spotify songs for offline listening.
However, if you do not have the app installed yet, please note that the current standard Spotify desktop app now requires macOS 12.0 (Monterey) or later (compatible with both Apple Silicon and Intel processors). The standard installer will fail on older operating systems. If your Mac is on macOS 10.15 or 11, you can use one of these alternative methods:
- Use the Web Player (Online): Listen Spotify music instantly via Safari or Chrome.
- Install a Legacy Version: Download an older, compatible installer directly from Spotify's legacy servers.
- Use a Web-Integrated Downloader: You can follow the steps in Part 3 to download music from Spotify Web Player with the help of DRmare Spotify Music Converter.
Tips:
If you manage to download a Catalina or Big Sur legacy installer and your Mac blocks it with a "Developer cannot be verified" warning, simply right-click the installer icon, select Open, and click Open Anyway.)
Part 3. Better Way to Download Spotify Music on macOS 10.15 to macOS 26
Even though downloading Spotify music on a Mac is straightforward, you'll encounter certain restrictions. If you're looking for more flexibility, such as converting Spotify songs to common audio formats like MP3 for playback on any device, or if you don't have a Premium subscription, third-party Spotify music converters are your solution.
DRmare Spotify Music Converter is your go-to software for grabbing Spotify content on Mac. It lets you swiftly download individual songs, playlists, albums, audiobooks, and podcastsat an impressive 15X faster speed. What's more, it works seamlessly with both Free and Premium Spotify accounts, meaning you don't need to upgrade your subscription. You can directly download Spotify tracks to MP3, FLAC, WAV, M4A, AIFF, and other local formats, making them playable on any device without the Spotify app.
How to Download Spotify Music on macOS 10.15/11/12/13/14/15/26 without Premium
Before getting started, please download and install DRmare Spotify Music Converter on your Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15 or above versions. Declare again that you don't have to update to the Spotify Premium account. This Spotify music downloader can download Spotify songs without a Premium.
- Step 1Add Spotify music/playlists to DRmare
After you launch DRmare Spotify Music Converter, there are two methods for you to add Spotify tracks to it. You can browse and find Spotify songs from the Spotify Web Player and click the 'Add' > 'Add to List' button to load them to the conversion window. Alternatively, you can copy and paste the URL of Spotify into the search box and then click the 'Download' button to add Spotify files automatically.
- Step 2Set Spotify output parameters for downloading (Optional)
This step is optional, you can directly skip it to the next step. Please hit on the 'DRmare Spotify Music Converter for Mac' from the Apple menu bar and choose the 'Preferences' > 'Conversion' to open the setting interface. Now you can set Spotify output format as MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, or M4B and customize audio codec, bit rate, sample rate according to your needs.
- Step 3Download Spotify playlists on Catalina to Tahoe
Once all settings are done well, please click the big 'Convert' button at the bottom-right corner of the main interface, and then it will start the downloading process of Spotify music. In general, it works at 15X speed to download songs from Spotify to your macOS computer. After conversion, you can locate all downloaded Spotify playlists on your macOS computer by clicking the 'Converted' option. And you can start to play Spotify music on macOS device offline.
Part 4. In Conclusion
Downloading Spotify music on your macOS device, whether you're running Catalina (10.15), Big Sur (11), Monterey (12), Ventura(13), Sonoma (14), Sequoia (15), or Tahoe (26), is now smoother than ever. Spotify Premium users can easily download playlists and albums directly within the app for offline listening.
For more flexibility, especially if you're a Spotify Free user or want DRM-free files for any device, DRmare Spotify Music Converter is ideal. It lets you download any Spotify content to universal formats like MP3, at fast speeds, without needing a Premium subscription. Choose the method that best suits your needs to keep your favorite Spotify tracks available, wherever you go.
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