BlockTheSpot usually stops working after a Spotify update because the update replaces the patched files or changes the code the patch targets. Check your Spotify version against the official config.ini, restore the original files, then re-apply the matching release. The archived project may not have a fix for newer builds, so decide whether to stay on a matching build.
The pattern is familiar. BlockTheSpot works for weeks, then one morning the ads are back, or the app shows a blank window, or the upgrade button reappears. Nothing changed on your computer, but Spotify updated itself in the background. This is the single most common reason a working install stops working, and it is a structural issue with how file-based patches work rather than a sign that you did something wrong.
BlockTheSpot relies on two things staying in place. The first is the file arrangement in the Spotify folder: a renamed original chrome_elf.dll, a new chrome_elf.dll, and a blockthespot.dll beside them. An update can replace or rewrite those files. The second is the code the signature-based edits target. When Spotify ships a new build, the code can move, and a signature that matched before may no longer match. In either case the patch is not applied as intended.
Those two effects produce different symptoms. A changed file arrangement often shows up as a launch failure or a blank window. A moved signature often shows up as one feature returning while the rest still works, such as ads coming back while the upgrade button stays hidden. Knowing which one you have helps you choose the right steps.
Before you change anything, record your current Spotify version. Look for the version or About information in the desktop app's settings, since the menu name can change between releases. Write it down. It is the reference point for the next steps, and it helps if you ask for help later.
Open the official config.ini and read the version in its header. At the time of our check, that version was 1.2.83.461. If your Spotify version is newer, the patch was not written against your build, and a mismatch is the most likely explanation for the failure. If your version matches, the cause is more likely to be the file arrangement than the build.
Quit Spotify, then follow the removal steps in our uninstall guide. Delete the patch files, rename chrome_elf_required.dll back to chrome_elf.dll, and start Spotify. This gives you a clean, unpatched baseline. If Spotify opens and behaves normally, the update itself is fine, and the problem was the patch's match with it.
If you want the patch back, follow the steps in the update guide. Use the official release files and the current config.ini, and check the hashes if you want to be sure. Then test. If the features return and the app behaves, you have a working state for now. If they do not, the release does not match your build, and the next section applies.
With the official repository archived, there may be no release that matches a recent Spotify build. In that case you have three realistic options. You can stay on a Spotify build that the patch matches, which means holding off on updates and accepting the security and feature trade-offs. You can wait and check the status page for changes. Or you can choose a different approach, and our alternatives page compares them. Each option has costs, and none is a guaranteed fix.
Some people try to stop automatic updates, using methods the community discusses. These methods vary, can cause other problems, and are not covered by the official README. They also mean you may miss security fixes and new features. If you decide to try one, research it carefully, test it on a non-critical setup first, and be ready to restore a working state. We do not recommend a specific method on this site.
Patches like this depend on someone reading the new Spotify code, finding the changed signatures, and publishing a matching release. That work takes time and is often done by volunteers. When a project is archived, that work may not happen in the original location at all. This is why the status and compatibility information matters more than any single fix guide.
A Spotify update is the most common reason BlockTheSpot stops working. Note your version, compare it with config.ini, restore the originals, and re-apply a matching release if one exists. If none does, choose between staying on a matching build, waiting, or using a different approach, and make that choice with the current status in mind.
A single record makes update problems far easier to diagnose. Keep a simple log with four columns: the date, the Spotify version before, the Spotify version after, and what changed in the app. Add the release tag you were using and whether the features worked. After a few updates, the log shows patterns, such as which updates tended to break the patch.
If the log shows that updates regularly break the patch, you have evidence for a decision. You can stay on a build that works, accepting the security and feature trade-offs, or you can choose a different approach. Make the decision with the log in front of you, rather than reacting to each failure.
If you ask for help after an update breaks the patch, the details that matter most are the old Spotify version, the new Spotify version, the release tag you used, the config.ini header, and the exact symptom. Say whether you tested with the original files restored, because that tells the helper whether the patch is the cause. A message with those details is far more likely to get a useful answer than "it stopped working".
A Spotify update can replace the patched files, or change the code that the patch's signatures look for. Either way, the patch no longer matches the app, and the features it controls can return or fail.
We cannot promise that. The official repository is archived, so the owner is not publishing new releases there. A fix would need a new release from a maintainer or a community fork, and you should verify any fork before using it.
That is a personal decision with trade-offs. Staying on a build that matches your config.ini keeps the patch in its tested state, but you may miss security and feature updates. Weigh that before you block updates, and read the status page first.