Spotify doesn't let you back up your library. There's a data download feature in your privacy settings, but it gives you a ZIP of JSON files with your streaming history. Not your actual library. Not something you can restore from.
If you want a real backup - one that saves your playlists, liked songs, followed artists, saved albums, and podcast subscriptions in a format you can actually use later - you need a different approach.
What Spotify's data download actually gives you
Go to Settings > Privacy > Download your data, and Spotify will email you a ZIP file in a few days. Inside you'll find your streaming history, search queries, and some account data.
What you won't find: a list of your liked songs you can import back. Or your playlists in any restorable format. Or your followed artists. The data download is for transparency, not portability. It tells you what Spotify knows about you, but it doesn't give you your library in a way that's useful if you need it back.
Why you'd want a backup
Most people don't think about backups until something goes wrong. But there are real reasons to keep a copy of your library:
Accounts get banned. It happens more than you'd think, and Spotify doesn't give you a way to export your music on the way out. One day you're fine, the next you're locked out of everything you've saved since 2014.
You might also switch accounts later for a new email, a new country, or a relationship that ended. A backup means you skip the part where you rebuild from scratch.
And sometimes Spotify just changes things. Pricing, features, regional restrictions. A local file means your collection exists whether Spotify decides to keep it or not. Thirty seconds to create, sits on your hard drive forever.
How to back up with Tuneferry
Tuneferry's backup mode saves your entire library to a .tuneferry file on your computer.
Here's what's inside:
- Every playlist with its full track list and track order
- All your liked songs
- Every artist you follow
- Every album you've saved
- All your podcast and show subscriptions
The file is self-contained. You don't need the original account to restore from it.
To create a backup:
- Go to tuneferry.com
- Connect your Spotify account
- Switch to backup mode
- Click backup and save the file
The whole thing takes about a minute for most libraries. Larger collections with hundreds of playlists might take a few minutes longer.
Restoring from a backup
When you need your library back, switch Tuneferry to restore mode. Upload your .tuneferry file, connect the account you want to restore to, and pick what to bring back.
You can restore everything or just specific pieces. Maybe you only want your playlists. Maybe you just need your liked songs. You choose.
The restore works on any Spotify account. It doesn't have to be the same one you backed up from. New account, different email, different country - doesn't matter.
What other tools offer
Most Spotify tools focus on cross-platform transfers (Spotify to Apple Music, etc). They don't do local backups.
| Tool | Local file backup | Restore from file | Liked songs | Full library |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuneferry | Yes (.tuneferry file) | Yes, to any account | Yes | Yes |
| TuneMyMusic | No | No | Partial | No |
| Soundiiz | CSV export only | No | No | No |
| Spotify data download | JSON (not restorable) | No | No | No |
Soundiiz offers CSV exports of playlists, but those are just text lists of track names. You can't import them back into Spotify automatically. Spotify's own data download gives you JSON files that are even less useful for restoration.
None of the alternatives give you a file you can actually restore from.
How often should you back up?
Depends on how much your library changes. If you add new music daily, a monthly backup keeps things reasonably current. If your library is mostly stable, a backup every few months is fine.
The backup file is small (a few hundred KB for most libraries) so storage isn't a concern. Keep a copy on your computer and maybe one in cloud storage or an external drive.
Common questions
What format is the backup file?
A .tuneferry file containing JSON data. It includes all track URIs, playlist metadata, and library state.
Can I open the file and read it?
Yes. Rename it to .json and open in any text editor. It's human-readable.
Does the backup include my listening history? No. Spotify doesn't expose listening history through their API. The backup covers your saved library: playlists, liked songs, artists, albums, and podcasts.
How big is the file? Typically 100-500 KB, even for large libraries. It's metadata, not audio files.
What does it cost? $6.99 for 30 days of access. Backup and restore are both included.
Start your first backup
Head to tuneferry.com and save your library to a file. It takes less than a minute and you'll have a portable copy of everything you've collected on Spotify.