How to Install BlockTheSpot (2026 Method)

Before you start

Four checks save most of the trouble people run into. First, confirm you have the Windows desktop version of Spotify, not the Microsoft Store version, because the official README says the patch is for the desktop application only. Second, read the discontinued explainer, since the official repository is archived. Third, find your Spotify version so you can compare it with the one the config targets. Fourth, decide how you will get back to the original files, because you should keep a copy before you change anything.

Check your Spotify version against config.ini

Open the official config.ini and read the first lines. The header names the Spotify version the file was written for, which at the time of our check was 1.2.83.461. In the desktop app, look for the About or version information in the settings menu, because the menu name changes between releases. A match is the best case. A mismatch does not always break the patch, but you should expect that it may.

Step 1: Close Spotify completely

Quit Spotify from the system tray, and check Task Manager to confirm no Spotify process is still running. The files you are about to change cannot be replaced while Spotify holds them open. Leaving a process running is one of the most common reasons an install appears to do nothing.

Step 2: Open your Spotify folder

Press the Windows key, type %APPDATA%\Spotify, and open the folder it points to. This is the folder where the Spotify desktop app keeps its program files. Do not confuse it with your account data. Nothing you change here touches your login or your Premium status.

Step 3: Rename chrome_elf.dll

Find chrome_elf.dll in that folder and rename it to chrome_elf_required.dll. This keeps Spotify's original file safe, so you can put it back later. If the rename fails because a file with that name already exists, stop and read our troubleshooting hub before you overwrite anything. A leftover file from a previous attempt is a common cause, and overwriting it can make restoring the original harder.

Step 4: Copy in the release files

From the official releases page, download chrome_elf.dll and blockthespot.dll from the release tagged 2026.02.12. Then download the current config.ini from the repository. Copy all three files into the same %APPDATA%\Spotify folder. The README describes this layout directly: the new chrome_elf.dll sits beside the renamed original and the patch file. We describe the steps as the README gives them and do not claim more about the internals than the project documents.

Step 5: Start Spotify and check the result

Open Spotify. Play a track and listen for the usual ad break. On the home screen, look for the banner and upgrade elements you normally see. If Spotify opens and the ads are gone, the install worked for your build. If Spotify does not open, shows a blank window, or the ads are still there, go to the troubleshooting hub and match your symptom to a guide.

Verify your files before you copy them

Checksums are the simplest way to confirm a file is the one that was published. GitHub records a SHA-256 hash for each release asset. We checked the two files in the 2026.02.12 release on 7 October 2026 by downloading them and computing their hashes. The results matched GitHub's recorded digests exactly.

Compare your downloaded files with these values in PowerShell using Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 path\to\file.dll. If the hash differs, do not install that file. Download again from the official releases page, or ask in the project's community if the release has changed. Our file verification guide covers the full method, including building from source.

Common mistakes

• Installing with Spotify still running. Close it fully, then start the steps again.
• Mixing files from different releases. Use the chrome_elf.dll and blockthespot.dll from the same release, plus the matching config.ini.
• Skipping the rename. If you copy the new chrome_elf.dll over the original without renaming, you lose your way back.
• Using the Microsoft Store version. The README says the patch is for the desktop version.
• Downloading from a random site. Get the files from the official releases page only.

If you already patched before

If you have an older install, do not layer the new files on top. Use the update guide, which removes the previous patch files first, then places the new ones. That keeps the folder in a known state.

About the legacy method

Some older guides describe a batch file or PowerShell installer and a settings file instead of the file-replacement steps above. The current official README uses the manual method, and we have not verified the older installers against an archived release. Do not run an old installer from a third-party site. Our legacy method page explains why these guides differ from the current instructions.

After it works

Keep your original chrome_elf.dll and note the release you used. Read our config.ini guide to understand what the file does, and bookmark the status page, since a Spotify update is the most common reason a working install stops working.

Troubleshooting the install itself

Most install problems happen before the app starts. A file is in the wrong folder, a rename did not complete, a download was incomplete, or a file was blocked by security software during the copy. Check each in turn: confirm the folder path, confirm the rename, confirm the file sizes, and confirm the hashes. Only then test the app.

• The file size does not match the table above: download again.
• The hash does not match: do not use the file.
• The rename failed because a file already exists: stop and read the troubleshooting hub before overwriting anything.
• A file disappeared after copying: check the security history, and read the Defender guide.

Keeping the install reversible

Every install step should leave you able to revert. Keep the original file, keep the record of what you copied, and keep the version check. An install you can reverse is an install you can trust enough to test.