Service guide
How to close your Spotify account
Route checked by TraceErase on · Page last updated
On this page
The short answer
Spotify’s UK help article says closing the account deletes your data, with an emailed reactivation link that works for 7 days. After that window, Spotify says data is deleted permanently across its apps, though some may be kept where the law requires it or Spotify has another valid reason. TraceErase read Spotify’s help article and privacy policy on 7 October 2026 and has not signed in to run the flow.
At a glance
- Organisation
- Spotify ABThe privacy policy states Spotify AB is controller; it has no separate UK section.
- What this page covers
- Spotify listener account (free and Premium). Podcast creator and artist tools are not covered.
- How the route was checked
- Checked by TraceErase on 7 October 2026 against the organisation’s own pages (listed under Sources). The signed-in steps have not been run, so menu names can differ from what you see, and the organisation may have changed its pages since. You follow the steps yourself.
- Official websites
- spotify.com
Which request do you want?
Closing an account, erasing data, stopping marketing and getting a copy of your data are four different things. This table shows what each one means and whether TraceErase has checked its route for this organisation.
| Request | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Close the account | Ends your use of the service. It is not the same as asking the organisation to erase everything it holds. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Ask for your data to be erased | A request under UK data protection law to delete personal data. The right is not absolute, and the organisation can keep what it must. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Stop marketing | Asks the organisation to stop using your data for direct marketing. It is separate from closing the account. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Get a copy of your data (SAR) | A subject access request: you ask what the organisation holds about you and for a copy of it. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Correct inaccurate data | Asks the organisation to fix personal data that is wrong. | Checked by TraceErase |
| Complain about how data was handled | A data protection complaint to the organisation, and then to the ICO if you are not satisfied. | Checked by TraceErase |
Before you start
Spotify gives you a choice between leaving and downgrading. Switching to the free plan is a separate option that keeps the account, whereas closing removes it.
Spotify’s privacy policy states that Spotify AB is the controller and has no separate UK section. This page covers the listener account (free and Premium). Podcast creator and artist tools are not covered.
Billing is a separate matter from closing. If you pay through an app store or a third party, you need to cancel that billing yourself to stop charges.
- Cancel app-store or third-party billing separately. Closing the account does not stop charges made through them.
- Consider the free plan. If you only want to stop paying, switching plan keeps the account.
- Know what is lost. Purchased audiobooks and tickets for future live events are lost.
- Mind the 7 days. The emailed reactivation link is valid for 7 days after closing. After that, data is deleted permanently across Spotify apps.
- Plan for your email address. The email address can be reused only after 14 days.
- Download your data first if you want a copy. The download your data tool is on the Account Privacy page.
Close the account
Done through the website. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Open the account closure page from the help article while signed in.
- Choose to close the account and delete your data and follow the prompts.
- Use the emailed reactivation link within 7 days if you change your mind.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab)
Limits to know about
- Switching to the free plan is a separate option that keeps the account.
Based on: source 1
Ask for your data to be erased
Done through the website or email. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Closing the account deletes your data; follow the closure steps.
- For other deletion requests, contact the data protection officer.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab) · Official contact address on the organisation’s page: privacy@spotify.com
Limits to know about
- Some data may be kept where the law requires it or Spotify has another valid reason.
Stop marketing
Done through the website. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Change marketing communications on the Notification Settings page.
- Turn off tailored ads in the Tailored Ads setting on Account Privacy.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab)
Based on: source 2
Get a copy of your data (SAR)
Done through the website or email. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Use the download your data tool on the Account Privacy page.
- Or contact the data protection officer.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab) · Official contact address on the organisation’s page: privacy@spotify.com
Based on: source 2
Correct inaccurate data
Done through the website. You need to sign in to your account first.
- Edit your profile details in your account, or contact Spotify.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab)
Based on: source 2
Complain about how data was handled
Done through email or post. No sign-in is needed.
- Write to the data protection officer first.
- Contact the data protection regulator that applies to you.
The organisation’s own page (opens in a new tab) · Official contact address on the organisation’s page: privacy@spotify.com
Limits to know about
- The policy names the Swedish regulator and does not mention the UK Information Commissioner.
Based on: source 2
Closing, erasing and downgrading
Closing the account is the erasure route for most people: Spotify’s article says closing the account and choosing to delete your data does the deletion, with a 7-day reactivation window. For other deletion requests, the policy points to the data protection officer. Spotify says some data may be kept where the law requires it or it has another valid reason.
Switching to the free plan is not erasure. The account and its data stay.
Copy of your data, marketing and complaints
For a copy of your data, the policy points to the download your data tool on the Account Privacy page, or to the data protection officer. For marketing, there are two settings: marketing communications on the Notification Settings page, and tailored ads on Account Privacy.
If you want to complain, the policy suggests writing to the data protection officer first. The policy names the Swedish regulator and does not mention the UK Information Commissioner, so the guide on following up or complaining explains the UK route.
What to expect afterwards
What changes or is lost
- Data is deleted permanently across Spotify apps after the 7 day window.
- Purchased audiobooks and tickets for future live events are lost.
Changing your mind. Reactivation link valid for 7 days after closing.
What may be kept. Some data may be kept where legally required.
What TraceErase does here, and what you do
- You follow the organisation’s steps above on its own site or app, and send any request yourself. TraceErase does not log in to your accounts, does not hold your passwords and does not send requests to Spotify for you.
- TraceErase shows the guidance it checked and the date, prepares an editable draft request from a template, and keeps a record of what you sent and when, with provisional response dates worked out from the dates you enter.
- A directory listing is not proof that you have an account, and following these steps is not proof that the organisation has erased anything. The organisation decides its own reply.
Sources
The organisation’s own pages that TraceErase checked this guide against, and the day each was read.
- support.spotify.com/uk/article/how-can-i-close-my-spotify-account/ (opens in a new tab) · read 7 October 2026Spotify UK help article describes closing the account and deleting data, a 7 day reactivation window and a 14 day wait before reusing the email.
- www.spotify.com/uk/legal/privacy-policy/ (opens in a new tab) · read 7 October 2026Spotify privacy policy names Spotify AB as controller and describes download, edit, erasure, marketing settings and a data protection officer contact.
General information, not legal advice. Organisations change their pages, so check the source for anything that matters to you.
Questions
What happens to my data when I close my Spotify account?
Spotify says closing the account deletes your data, and that it is deleted permanently across Spotify apps after the 7-day window. Purchased audiobooks and tickets for future live events are lost, and some data may be kept where the law requires it.
Can I reactivate a closed Spotify account?
Yes, but only for 7 days. Spotify emails a reactivation link when you close the account, and it is valid for 7 days.
Does closing my Spotify account stop my payments?
Not if you pay through an app store or another third party. Cancel that billing separately if you want to stop charges.
Who is responsible for my Spotify data?
Spotify’s privacy policy states that Spotify AB is the controller. It has no separate UK section.
Keep track of your request
A free TraceErase account includes the directory, request drafts and a case record with dates. A plan is a separate, later choice, and creating an account does not start a purchase.