Spotify’s support page says it may ask some Premium Family members to scan a QR code in person with the plan manager. The check proves they live together. A member who misses the 7-day window can’t join any other Family or Duo plan for 12 months.
Android Authority reports that Family members are now getting these prompts, based on user reports. It describes the move as a crackdown on plan sharing. How many members are being asked is not something Spotify’s page explains.
How the Spotify Family QR code check works
The check only works in the Spotify mobile app, and everyone involved needs the latest version. Spotify’s page lays out two steps.
- The plan manager opens the QR code on their phone, under profile picture > Your Premium > Manage.
- The member scans that code with their own phone’s camera.
Both people have to be in the same place for the scan. Spotify’s troubleshooting notes say the code changes every few seconds, which is why it has to be scanned in person.
Members get 7 days from the notification to finish the scan. Android Authority says the prompts show up particularly when a member isn’t at the same location as the plan manager.
What happens if you miss it
Under the QR rules, a member who misses the window or can’t verify is barred from a different Family or Duo plan for 12 months. Spotify points them to its other plans at spotify.com/premium instead. Android Authority says unverified users get moved down to the free tier.
The address check on the same page works slightly differently. If Spotify can’t confirm a member’s address, it emails them. They then have 7 days to enter their full address.
If that fails, or the window passes, the member loses access and switches to the free version. They can rejoin the same Family or Duo plan. They can’t join any other Family or Duo plan for 12 months from the failed check.
Spotify asks for an address when a member joins, when the manager moves, and whenever it can’t confirm the address on file.
Spotify says it isn’t tracking you
The same support page makes a point of saying location isn’t monitored.
We don’t track your location. We only check your address to verify.
— Spotify, Address and verification for Family plan support page
Yet the QR check works as a location test by another name. It only passes when two phones are physically together. The page doesn’t explain how Spotify picks which members to ask.
This is where genuine households can get caught out. Think of a student away at college or a parent travelling for work. Split households may also struggle to meet in person within 7 days. The 12-month bar from other Family and Duo plans applies to them just the same.
Android Authority reports that some users get around the check by screen-sharing the code between devices. We aren’t going to walk through that.
Spotify has tried this before
According to Android Authority, Spotify trialled GPS checks for Family plans in 2018. It updated its terms in 2019 to require periodic location checks, then softened that after pushback. Android Authority’s view is that the goal is to push sharers onto individual plans and lift revenue per user.
It’s not the only recent change that tilts toward paying more. Spotify has also tested holding back new albums from free users.
What to do if you get the prompt
Don’t ignore the notification, because the 7-day clock starts when it arrives. Update the app first, then arrange to meet the plan manager before the window closes.
Sources: Spotify Support, Android Authority
