Spotify updates lyrics feature with offline access and translations

On Wednesday, Spotify announced changes to its built-in song lyrics feature, introducing global translations, offline access, and a relocation of the feature within its app. The new offline lyrics capability will only be offered to Premium subscribers—Spotify’s paid subscription tier. By restricting offline access to paying customers, the company hopes the feature could encourage free users to upgrade their accounts. Meanwhile, a feature called lyric previews will roll out globally to both free and paid customers on the iOS and Android apps for smartphones and tablets.

As part of the update, Spotify is relocating lyrics to a position directly beneath the album artwork or the short, looping video that plays alongside the music. According to Spotify, user tests suggested that moving lyrics to this position increased engagement with the feature. Users will still be able to share their favorite lyrics snippets to social media from the Now Playing View interface.

Additionally, lyrics translations, which were first introduced in 2022, will now be globally available. This represents an expansion from the 25 markets supported last year. When translations are available, users can tap the translate icon on the lyrics card to see the translation appear beneath the original lyrics, which will default to whatever the device’s language is set to.

The updates follow other tweaks the streamer has made to lyrics over the years, hoping to leverage the feature as a tool to push free users to become subscribers. That effort began with Spotify trying to paywall lyrics in 2024, before loosening its grip later in the year after numerous complaints. Historically, Spotify had been slow to roll out lyrics across its app, largely due to licensing issues. After years of consumer demand for the feature, the company finally rolled out real-time lyrics to global users in 2021. This rollout followed a smaller launch in a couple of dozen markets the year prior, as well as tests that spanned back to 2019. Before this, Spotify had partnered with Genius, a former partner, for a “behind the lyrics” feature that combined partial lyrics with song trivia.

Why it matters

Spotify is using its lyrics feature as a strategic lever to convert free users into paid subscribers by gating new, high-utility features like offline access behind the Premium paywall.