I’ve been working with Spotify’s local API endpoints and ran into some issues. Last week I could successfully make requests to the local webserver token endpoint using port 4371, but after updating my Spotify client to the latest version, those same requests stopped working.
// This used to work before the update
fetch('https://localhost:4371/remote/status.json')
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data))
.catch(error => console.error('Connection failed:', error));
The weird thing is that on my laptop with an older Spotify version, the API calls still work fine. I also tried connecting to different local addresses but keep getting connection timeouts. Has anyone else experienced this issue? Did Spotify remove their local web API in recent updates?
Been fighting this same issue for months. The local API’s still there, but Spotify messed with CORS and SSL handling in newer versions. Your code’s probably choking on stricter security policies, not a missing API.
I fixed it by switching to HTTP requests and adding the right headers. Some versions also randomly change which port they bind to. Scan ports 4370-4390 to see what responds.
What’s annoying is they broke existing integrations with zero documentation. I built fallback logic that tries multiple ports and protocols. It’s hacky but works across different client versions until they get their act together.
Had this exact problem last month building a music sync tool. The local API isn’t gone, but it’s unreliable garbage now. Spotify treats it like a forgotten side project.
Port switching, random SSL changes, CORS issues - it’s a nightmare to maintain. I wasted weeks on retry logic and port scanning just to keep basic requests working.
Ditched the whole local API approach and moved to Latenode. Now I connect directly to Spotify’s official Web API through automated workflows. No more broken endpoints after updates, no more guessing which port works.
I can pull track data, control playback, sync playlists - all the stuff the local API promised but never delivered reliably. The workflows handle auth automatically and don’t break when Spotify updates.
Saved me tons of debugging time and my integrations actually work now.
happened to me too after the update. make sure the web server is still enabled in settings – sometimes it gets turned off. also check your firewall or antivirus; it might be blocking it. i fixed mine by doing a full restart of spotify.
yeah, spotify really messed up this time. the local webserver keeps going down, even if it’s on in settings. i ended up downgrading my client to get things running again, but that’s not a good solution for the long run.
This burned me hard six months ago with a desktop app using those local endpoints. The API isn’t officially dead, but Spotify keeps breaking it with each update. I found out the hard way that newer versions sometimes kill the web server component during updates. Try uninstalling Spotify completely and doing a fresh install - usually fixes the corrupted local server stuff. Also check if you’ve got multiple Spotify instances or the web player running at the same time. The local API gets confused about which process should handle requests. I ended up building a version detector that falls back to the official Web API when local endpoints crap out, since relying on undocumented features was too risky for production.
The user is experiencing issues connecting to Spotify’s local API endpoints (port 4371) after updating their Spotify client. The API calls worked previously but now result in connection timeouts. The problem is not limited to a single address; multiple local addresses yield the same result. The user suspects the API might have been removed or altered in a recent update, but their older Spotify version on a different machine still functions correctly.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
The issue isn’t that the local API has been entirely removed, but rather that Spotify’s handling of this undocumented API has changed significantly and unpredictably with recent updates. These changes frequently involve port switching, altered SSL handling, and unexpected CORS restrictions. Relying on this unofficial and unsupported API is inherently risky, as Spotify provides no guarantee of stability or backward compatibility. Subsequent updates can introduce breaking changes without notice.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Migrate to the Official Spotify Web API: The most reliable and sustainable solution is to stop using the unstable local API and transition to Spotify’s official Web API. This requires implementing OAuth 2.0 for authentication. This method avoids the constant instability and breaking changes associated with the undocumented local API.
Implement OAuth 2.0: This involves creating a backend server to handle the token exchange (which requires your client secret – keep it secure!). Your frontend application will redirect the user to Spotify’s authorization endpoint, receive an authorization code, and send it to your backend for token exchange. The backend will then return the access token, which the frontend can use to access the Spotify Web API.
Use the Access Token for API Calls: Once you obtain the access token from your backend, use it in the Authorization header of all requests to the Spotify Web API. Remember that access tokens expire, so you’ll need to implement token refresh functionality.
Consider using a Third-Party Service (Optional): Services like Latenode handle the complexities of OAuth 2.0 and provide easy-to-use APIs to access Spotify data. This eliminates the need for setting up and maintaining your own backend server for handling authentication and token management.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Incorrect Callback URL: Ensure that the redirect_uri specified in your OAuth 2.0 configuration precisely matches the URL of your callback route. Even minor discrepancies can prevent successful authentication.
CORS Issues (Backend): Verify that your backend server is configured correctly to handle CORS requests from your frontend application. The Access-Control-Allow-Origin header must be set appropriately.
Client Secret Security:Never expose your client secret in your frontend code. Always store it securely on your backend server.
Token Expiration: Implement robust token refresh logic to avoid intermittent authentication failures due to expired access tokens.
Error Handling: Implement comprehensive error handling in both your frontend and backend code to gracefully manage issues during the OAuth 2.0 flow and API requests.
Rate Limiting: Be mindful of Spotify’s API rate limits. Implement retry logic and error handling to manage situations where your application exceeds the allowed request frequency.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Step-by-Step Guide:
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!