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Spotify changed the way we consume music. It's no longer common to have stationary MP3 files on your PC. Instead, we rely on internet-connected services that could potentially shut down at any minute, taking our music library with them. To make sure your music is available no matter what, you may be wondering how to download a song from Spotify as an MP3 and store it locally.
How to download songs on Spotify? Use a Spotify downloader
While you can download songs from Spotify using its premium feature, you may have noticed that it doesn't download to MP3. Instead, it stores them in an encrypted format that can't be used by other media players. This is no good for our purposes.
Thankfully, though, advanced third-party software can download Spotify songs to the MP3 format without any issues. We'll be showing you two Spotify music downloaders that can achieve this today, but first a word on the legality of this process.
Is it legal to download an MP3 from Spotify?
It's illegal to directly download Spotify songs as an MP3 in most countries. Doing so would require circumventing Spotify's DRM and encryption, breaking copy protection laws.
However, many countries have a stipulation in their copyright laws that allow users to record songs from streaming services for private use. According to the tools used today, by recording a song rather than downloading it, you get a similar result, yet are not compromising Spotify's DRM or encryption.
However, it's important to note Winbuzzer's statement here does not constitute legal advice and we are not lawyers. You should check the relevant laws of your country or consult a legal professional if necessary. You use the tools outlined below at your own risk:
How to Download MP3 files from Spotify with Sidify
While you can record Spotify songs with any audio recorder, Sidify makes it far more convenient. It will save cover art and metadata while reducing the entire process to a few clicks. Here's how to record / download songs from Spotify using the tool:
- Download and install Sidify Music Converter
Go to the download page of Sidify Music Converter and press the “Download” button to retrieve its Windows installer. Follow the instructions in its setup until it is installed and open on your PC.
- Drag and drop your Spotify song or playlist to Sidify
- Select the songs you want to download, and press “OK”
- Press the settings cog in the top-right of Sidify
- Set the output format and folder
In your settings window, make sure you have the following settings for best quality:
– Output Format: MP3
– Bit Rate: 320 kbps
– Output Settings: Your preferenceClose the Settings window when you're done.
- Press “Convert” in the bottom-right
Step description
- Click the “No, thank you” button on the premium pop-up
- Wait for Sidify to record the songs and open their containing folder
As Sidify has to wait for the entire song to play from start to finish, downloading an entire playlist is going to take a while. Once a song is complete, however, you can press the folder icon next to it to find the MP3 file.
- Play your Spotify songs in MP3 with any media player
How to Download Spotify Songs as MP3 using Tunefab Music Converter
TuneFab is a Spotify to MP3 converter that works similarly to Sidify, recording your songs, but does so in the browser. Once you're logged in, this makes it a little bit more seamless to download Spotify songs. It also works on Mac, which may be useful for some of our readers.
- To go the TuneFab Music Converter site and press “Try it Free”
You can find the Spotify tool here. keep in mind that the free trial of the software only allows you download the first three minutes of each song, and is valid for 30 days, so you'll have to pay eventually.
Once it has been downloaded, run the installer, follow the steps, and then open the program.
- Press “Open the Spotify web player”
- Click “Log In”
- Sign in to your Spotify account
- Press the hamburger menu next to the minimize button and click “Preferences”
- Open the “Advanced” tan and modify your settings
You should set them to the following:
– Output Format: MP3
– SampleRate(hz): 44100
– Bitrate(kbps): 320
- Switch to the “General” tab, browse to your output location, and hit “Save”
- Select your playlist and press the plus icon
- Tick the songs you want to download and press “Convert 7 items”
- Wait for your Spotify songs to download and press “Open Folder”
- Play your Spotify MP3 files with any music player
Extra: How to Record System Audio with Stereo Mix
If you'd rather not rely on a third-party Spotify downloader, check out our how to record system audio guide. You can simply play your music through Stereo Mix and record it with Audacity.
Extra: How to Record Audio on Windows 11 or Windows 10
To make your own music, you can follow our tutorial on how to record audio in Windows 11 instead. It'll get you started recording voice so that you can produce it at a later date.
