If ads still play after you installed BlockTheSpot, check four things in order: Spotify was fully closed during the install, the three files are in %APPDATA%\Spotify, chrome_elf.dll was renamed correctly, and your Spotify build matches the version in the official config.ini. A Spotify update is the most common reason ads return later. Restore the originals and re-apply the matching release to test again.
This is the most common complaint about any file-replacement patch, and it has several possible causes. The symptom looks the same in each case: a track ends, an ad plays, and the patch seems to have done nothing. The difference lies in which part of the patch is not taking effect. Some causes are about the install, and some are about the build. Working through them in order is quicker than guessing.
Before you start, be clear about what the patch covers. According to its config.ini, it blocks specific URL paths and applies signature-based edits to interface code. Audio ad blocking depends on the adsEnabled edit inside the xpui-snapshot.js section. If that edit does not match your build, audio ads can return even when the URL block list is working.
If Spotify was running, some files were locked and the replacement may not have completed. Quit Spotify from the system tray, confirm in Task Manager that no Spotify process remains, then start the install again. This is the simplest fix and the one most often skipped.
Open %APPDATA%\Spotify. You should see chrome_elf.dll, chrome_elf_required.dll, blockthespot.dll, and config.ini. If the patch files are in a different folder, or the Spotify folder you opened is not the one the app uses, nothing will change. Check that the folder you opened is the one with the Spotify program files in it.
The original chrome_elf.dll must be renamed to chrome_elf_required.dll, and the new chrome_elf.dll must sit in its place. A common mistake is to copy the new file over the original without renaming it first, which means the original is lost and the way back is harder. If the files look wrong, restore the originals using our uninstall guide, then repeat the install carefully.
This is the check that matters most now. The config.ini header names the Spotify version it was written for, which at the time of our check was 1.2.83.461. Compare that with your installed version. A mismatch does not always break the patch, but signature-based edits depend on exact code, and a changed build can leave the ad edit unapplied. Our status page explains what the archived repository means for newer builds.
If ads started returning after a recent Spotify update, the update is the most likely cause. Spotify can replace the patched files, and the code may have moved. The steps for this case are in our stopped-after-update guide, and the re-apply steps are in the update guide.
Audio ads and banner ads are handled by different parts of the patch. Audio ad blocking depends on the adsEnabled edit and the related URL paths. Banner coverage depends on the URL block list and on interface patches, such as the upgrade button entries. If audio ads are gone but a banner still appears, the cause may be a path or an interface element the patch does not cover in your build. Our coverage page explains what the project targets and what to check.
A folder that holds files from two different releases can behave unpredictably. If you have used several versions, remove the patch files, restore the original, and install one release cleanly. Mixing chrome_elf.dll and blockthespot.dll from different releases is a common cause of confusing results.
To see whether the patch is doing anything, play a track you know has an audio ad break, then note whether the ad appears. Repeat the test after each change. Keep one variable at a time, and record the Spotify version and the config.ini version you used. That record makes it much easier to tell whether a fix worked or whether something else changed.
If you have completed every check and the ads remain, the patch and your build probably do not match. At that point the honest options are to stay on a matching build, wait for a compatible patch, or choose a different approach. Our alternatives page compares the realistic options, and the discontinued explainer sets out what the archived status means for fixes.
A useful report about ads still showing includes the Spotify version, the config.ini header version, the release tag, the date you installed, the screens where ads appear, and the steps you took after the install. If you tested with the originals restored, say so. That information lets the people helping you narrow the cause quickly, instead of asking you for it one piece at a time.
Write down which kind of ad you saw. An audio ad between tracks, a banner on the home screen, and a video ad in a different screen point to different parts of the patch. Clear notes make the next step easier, because the audio ad mechanism and the banner mechanism are not the same.
A Spotify update is the most common reason for ads to come back after they were blocked. Before you assume the patch is broken, check whether your Spotify version still matches the config.ini header. If it does not match, the patch may have stopped finding the parts of Spotify it expects. Our update guide covers the steps to take after an update, and the status page shows the tested version.
Note the Spotify version, the time you noticed the ads, and whether the ads are audio, banner, or video. Then restore the original files and listen to a few tracks. If the ads are still there without the patch, the cause is not BlockTheSpot. If they appear only with the patch in place, the patch or its version match is the thing to check first.
The most likely reasons are that the patch files are not in the correct folder, Spotify was running during the install, or your Spotify build no longer matches the signatures in config.ini. Check each of those first, then re-apply the matching release.
They can. An update can replace the patched files or move the code the patch targets. The fix is usually to restore the originals and re-apply the matching release and config.ini.
Banner coverage depends on which URL paths and interface patches match your build. A page that loads its content from a path not on the block list can still show promotions until the list or patch is updated.