By Kavita Mistry 
Spotify has introduced a big update for its free users, removing one of the biggest restrictions on the platform. Previously, users at the free level had to skip through playlists and fast-forward through tracks just to get to the song they desired. With this move, users can at least select and listen to any song they desire, gaining a bit more control over their experience with minimal cost to themselves.
The update means free Spotify listeners no longer need to shuffle through random tracks to find a song. Free users were forced to listen to whatever track came up next, and even when they skipped, they were quickly stopped by the six-skips-per-hour limit.
With the latest change, Spotify is making the experience more straightforward. Now, users can search for a track and play it instantly without fighting with shuffle. This is especially helpful when a friend sends over a link to a specific song, because now you can hear it right away instead of skipping around.
The Limits You Need to Know
Spotify offers free users a limited number of on-demand plays each day. Once that’s used up, the app goes back to its older rules, which means shuffle-only playback and just six skips per hour.
In an official response shared with The Verge, Spotify spokesperson Luke Mackay said, “Each user has a daily allocated amount of on-demand time. Once this limit is reached, users will then be limited to six skips per hour.” Ads remain part of the free experience as well. For features like unlimited skips, offline downloads, and ad-free streaming, Spotify Premium remains the only option.
For free listeners, this small change makes a big difference. You may still run into limits and ads, but at least now you can hit play on the song you want without shuffling through random tracks.