I want to create a web page where clicking a button will start playing a track directly in the user’s Spotify desktop application. The goal is to control the existing Spotify client running on the computer, not to create a web-based player.
I’ve tried several approaches but none give me the result I’m looking for:
Spotify Web API integration
Embedded Spotify widget
Direct URL redirection
The key requirement is that the music should play through the desktop app itself, not through the browser. I don’t want my website to act as a playback device. Has anyone found a solution for this type of integration?
Had the exact same issue with my playlist manager. Here’s what worked best: use Spotify’s Web API device targeting with the right permissions. Request ‘user-modify-playback-state’ scope when they authenticate, then hit PUT /me/player/play with the device_id pointing to their desktop client. First call GET /me/player/devices to find available devices and filter for the desktop app. This skips all the browser security headaches since you’re just making regular HTTPS calls instead of weird custom protocols. Works great on Windows, Mac, and Linux - no permission popups or extra software needed.
honestly, just use spotify’s desktop app protocol handlers. skip the api stuff - open spotify://play/track/[track-id] in a new window or iframe. works on most systems and you don’t need to mess with authentication like the web api. you’ll get a permission popup the first time, then you’re good to go.
I hit this exact issue building a music discovery app. The spotify:// protocol works but browsers often block it. Here’s what actually worked for me: use a two-step process. First, authenticate with Spotify’s Web API to get permissions. Then use the Web Playback SDK’s transfer function to push audio to their desktop client. The key is calling transferMyPlayback() with their desktop device ID after you start playback through the web API. Your webpage becomes the remote control while their desktop app handles the actual playback. You’ll need getMyDevices() to find their desktop client, but once it’s set up it works great across all browsers without those annoying popups.
To initiate playback in the Spotify desktop app from your web page, utilize the spotify:// URI scheme. Construct a Spotify URI and trigger it through a call in your webpage, such as window.location.href = ‘spotify:track:TRACK_ID’. Alternatively, you can programmatically click a hidden anchor element containing the URI. Ensure that the Spotify app is installed and the user is logged in; some browsers may prompt to open Spotify after the first attempt. This method avoids using the Web API, allowing direct deep links that the OS can handle.
Here’s another option: build a hybrid solution that mixes the Web API with local communication. Set up a simple local server or use WebSocket connections to bridge your webpage and desktop app. You’ll need to create a small companion program that runs alongside Spotify and listens for commands from your web interface. The companion program then uses Spotify’s Connect API or automation libraries to control the desktop client directly. I built something like this for a project last year and found it way more reliable than URI schemes, especially across different operating systems. Takes more work upfront but gives you better control over playback and error handling.