How to Uninstall BlockTheSpot and Restore Spotify

When you might want to uninstall

There are good reasons to remove BlockTheSpot. Spotify may have stopped starting or showing its interface after an update. You may want to test whether a problem comes from the patch or from Spotify itself. You may have decided the trade-off is not worth it, or you may simply want the official app back. In each case, the goal is the same: return the program folder to the state Spotify shipped with.

The official uninstall steps

The project's README gives two routes. The first is to remove the BlockTheSpot files and undo the rename. The second is to reinstall Spotify. Both work. The first is faster and keeps your current Spotify installation. The second is the clean option if you suspect something else has gone wrong.

Route 1: Remove the files and undo the rename

1. Quit Spotify. Close it from the system tray, and confirm in Task Manager that no Spotify process is still running.
2. Open the Spotify folder. Press the Windows key, type %APPDATA%\Spotify, and open it.
3. Delete the three BlockTheSpot files. Remove chrome_elf.dll, blockthespot.dll, and config.ini. Be careful here: the file you delete is the patched chrome_elf.dll, not the original.
4. Restore the original. Rename chrome_elf_required.dll to chrome_elf.dll.
5. Start Spotify. The app should open in its unpatched state, with the ads back.

The order matters. If you delete chrome_elf_required.dll instead of renaming it, you lose the original file. Keep it until the rename is done.

Route 2: Reinstall Spotify

If the first route does not work, or you are not sure what is in the folder, reinstall Spotify. Download the desktop installer from Spotify's official site, uninstall the current app through Windows settings, and install the fresh copy. The new install does not include BlockTheSpot, so the ads return. This route also removes any leftover files from earlier attempts. Our clean reinstall guide covers the steps.

Before you reinstall: keep your account safe

Uninstalling does not touch your Spotify account, playlists, or Premium status, which are held on Spotify's servers and tied to your login. Still, make sure you know the email and password you use, and that you can sign in on the web player before you reinstall. A reinstall should never be the first time you try to remember a login.

What uninstalling does not do

• It does not remove a separate program. BlockTheSpot is a set of files in the Spotify folder, not an installed application with its own entry in Windows settings.
• It does not change your account. The patch does not store anything in your account, so removing it does not alter it.
• It does not touch other tools. If you also use a customization tool, such as Spicetify, check that tool's own removal steps.

Check that the uninstall worked

After you start Spotify, play a track with an ad break and check the home screen. Ads and upgrade prompts should return, which confirms the patch is gone. If you still see the patched behaviour, the three files may not have been removed, or the rename may not have happened. Go back to step 3 and check the folder again, with Spotify closed.

After an uninstall

If you plan to reinstall BlockTheSpot later, the install guide has the current steps, and the status page shows whether the official release matches your Spotify build. If you have decided not to use BlockTheSpot, our alternatives page lists other options, and our safety guide explains what to look for in any tool that modifies Spotify.

Summary

Uninstalling BlockTheSpot means deleting its three files, renaming the original back, and starting Spotify. A reinstall works too. Your account and playlists are not affected either way.

Keeping a backup before you start

Before you change anything, copy the Spotify folder somewhere safe, or at least copy the original chrome_elf.dll to a separate folder with a clear name. A backup makes a mistake reversible. If you rename the wrong file, you can restore it from the copy. The copy is also useful if you later want to compare the original with a patched file.

Keep the backup until you are sure the app works the way you want. Delete it only after several days of normal use, and only if you are confident you no longer need the original files.

Uninstalling on a shared computer

If other people use the same Windows account or the same computer, tell them before you change Spotify. A patched app behaves differently from an unpatched one, and an unexpected change can confuse someone who is not expecting it. If the computer is shared across accounts, remember that each Windows user may have its own Spotify installation or settings, so check each profile separately.

A quick checklist after uninstalling

• Spotify starts and plays a track without the patch.
• The Spotify folder contains only the original files and no BlockTheSpot files.
• You can sign in to your account on the app and on the web player.
• You have noted the date and the Spotify version, in case you want to compare later.

Restoring the original chrome_elf.dll, step by step

1. Quit Spotify completely, including any tray icon, and end its processes in Task Manager.
2. Open %APPDATA%\Spotify in File Explorer.
3. Delete the patch's chrome_elf.dll, blockthespot.dll, and config.ini.
4. Rename chrome_elf_required.dll back to chrome_elf.dll.
5. Start Spotify and confirm it opens, signs in, and plays a track.

The order matters. Deleting the patch's files before you rename the original back avoids a state where two files claim the same name. If you skip a step, Spotify may not start, and that is the first thing to check if you see a launch error.

What to do if the restore does not fix the problem

If Spotify still fails after the restore, look for leftover files, such as a second copy of chrome_elf.dll or a renamed file you did not expect. Compare the folder with the list above. If the folder looks correct and the app still fails, the problem is probably not the patch. Our clean reinstall guide covers the next step, and it explains what a reinstall will and will not remove.