If you're using the free tier of Spotify on a Windows PC, you already know the pattern: a few tracks in, the music cuts to an ad, and banner promos crowd the Home screen. This guide covers every practical way to block Spotify ads on PC using BlockTheSpot — the graphical installer, the command-line method, and the config file options for people who want more control — plus what to check if something doesn't go as expected.
What BlockTheSpot actually does
Unlike a browser extension, BlockTheSpot doesn't run alongside Spotify — it patches the desktop client's own files directly, so ad code paths, banner elements, and "Upgrade to Premium" prompts never load in the first place. That also means it can block the background telemetry requests Spotify sends, which a browser-based blocker can't reach at all. Because it's a one-time patch rather than a running background process, there's no extra service using memory or CPU while you listen.
Method 1: The installer (recommended for most people)
This is the simplest path and the one we recommend for most users.
Step 1: Close Spotify completely
Quit Spotify from the taskbar or system tray before patching — the installer needs the app files to be unlocked to apply the patch. If Spotify is still running in the background, the install script won't be able to overwrite the files it needs to.
Step 2: Download and verify the installer
Grab the installer from the official download page, then extract the ZIP file to a folder of your choice. Before running anything, it's good practice to check the published SHA-256 checksum against the file you downloaded — the download page lists it right next to the button, and mismatched hashes are the clearest sign a file has been tampered with or corrupted in transit.
Step 3: Run install.bat as administrator
Right-click install.bat and choose "Run as administrator." Administrator rights are needed because the patch writes to files inside the Spotify installation folder, which normally sits under a protected system directory. The patch applies in a few seconds — no Spotify Premium, no account changes, no password entry required at any point.
Step 4: Relaunch Spotify
Reopen Spotify. Audio ads between tracks, banner ads on the Home and search screens, and upgrade nags should all be gone immediately.
Method 2: PowerShell / command-line install
If you'd rather run the patch from a terminal — useful for scripting a reinstall, or if you just prefer typing a command over clicking through an installer — BlockTheSpot can be applied the same way via PowerShell. Open PowerShell, navigate to the folder where you extracted the download (cd path\to\extracted-folder), and run the included script directly rather than double-clicking it. This calls the exact same patch logic as install.bat; the batch file is really just a friendly wrapper around a PowerShell call so people who don't want to open a terminal manually don't have to.
If PowerShell blocks the script with an execution-policy error, that's Windows' default protection against running unsigned scripts, not a sign anything is wrong with the file — it's the same prompt you'd see running any unsigned local script. Reading the script's contents before relaxing that policy is exactly the kind of verification open-source distribution is meant to make possible.
Customizing behavior with config.ini
BlockTheSpot doesn't only offer an all-or-nothing toggle. A config.ini file included with the patch controls which individual features are active — for example, keeping telemetry blocking on while leaving something else untouched, if you have a specific reason to. Most people never need to open it, since the defaults block everything covered on our features breakdown, including the background telemetry blocking that runs alongside ad removal, but it's there, in plain text, for anyone who wants finer control instead of an opaque settings menu.
If you also use Spicetify to customize Spotify's look, patch with BlockTheSpot first and layer Spicetify on top afterward — see our guide on using BlockTheSpot alongside Spicetify for the recommended order and what to re-check after updates.
Ads came back after a Spotify update
Spotify ships frequent client updates, and an update can occasionally overwrite the patched files, making ads reappear. If that happens, re-running the installer resolves it in most cases — this is expected maintenance, not a sign anything is broken. If ads are still present after reinstalling, or Spotify fails to open at all, see our dedicated guide to fixing BlockTheSpot when it stops working, which covers black-screen issues, failed launches, and how to fully uninstall if needed.
What about macOS, Linux, or mobile?
This guide covers Windows, which is the primary supported platform. If you're on a Mac, a Linux distro, Android, or iPhone, see our full platform compatibility breakdown for what's actually possible on each.