Spotify has announced exciting improvements for their free users. These changes arrived in India on September 15, 2025. Previously, the free tier was forced into a shuffle-only format. Their limited playback controls made many frustrated. However, the Swedish platform announced they give users more options. They now get to choose which tracks are played next.

Plus, they can start the order of their playlists. These advancements individually help music flow more freely. They offer a chance to discover new songs without paying for Premium.

New features in listening options

Pick and Play

Tap on any song that you see on your homepage. That song will then play as a stand-alone song. This means no more random song jumps on a playlist.
Or, most importantly, you can pick your favorite song to play right away. Free users enjoy that they have this access quickly.

Search and Play

Type in the name of a song you want to hear into the search. Hit play, and listen right away. No limitations on the order you listen to a track, simply find and enjoy your favorite song. This adds to the daily search of songs.

Share and play

A friend or musician shares a link online for you to hear their song. Hit the link to stream/share the song together. Then share on social media! After listening to your friend or favorite figure, you can stream, and even listen to a song from their Instagram Stories because you can now share the song link from there!
These features help their 420 million free tier users enjoy music without barriers. Increased engagement means ads will appear more frequently.

Daily limits for the free user

The daily quota limits still ensure a value of control for Premium subscribers. Free users receive daily limits on non-shuffled listening. Once reaching that daily limit, the playback shifts to shuffling. And, each hour, there is a limit to how many skips you can receive for the free tier.

The unrestricted access remains paid exclusive. A Spotify representative shared this information with The Verge. The adjustments get free users some of perks. A Premium subscription always guarantees complete freedom. You can upgrade to an unlimited number of skips and listens.

Custom Playlist Covers

Spotify launched some creative tools also. Users can design covers for playlists in 128 markets. India gets to join in on this fun and creative update. You can add an image and text that’s simply unique. You can select colors and design elements. It is uniquely personalized with user’s touch. You only get to save one cover per track. Old cover designs will be replaced. This demonstrates the creativity of its users. Great to share an enhanced visual with your friends.

Why this matters!?

Free user updates go against struggling ad revenue for Spotify. Spotify’s goal is to increase revenue growth by 20%. Currently, ads account for less than 11% of revenue. More user engagement translates to more ad revenue. Free users give longer engagement in the app. This draws them to possibly upgrade to Premium. Rolling out globally as of right now. India goes first for this boost. Enjoy lossless audio if you are Premium subscribed.

Tips to get the most from free tier users

Search daily tracks for a refreshing search. Share playlists with the added cover feature. Track your time limit if you want to avoid shuffles. Use six skips wisely every hour. Check out the editorial playlists for variety. You can connect even more devices to play using better options. Update your app for the best performance. Consider a subscription trial for Rs 139.

Spotify is transforming a free listening experience in India. These enhancements are gonna make & keep music listening accessible. Free users are gonna have increased control like paid sub. You’re welcome to listen to your favorites and celebrate!

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