'Spotify Codes' Introduce Easy Song and Playlist Sharing Through Scannable Artwork

Spotify this week has launched a new discovery tool called "Spotify Codes," which gives users a way to easily share and find new music within the Spotify app on iOS and Android. The feature works by generating a unique code that users can take a picture of, guiding them directly to the piece of content that the code represents.

Users can generate a Spotify Code for any song, artist, album, or playlist available on Spotify by tapping the ellipses context menu, which will attach a Spotify Code to the bottom of the artwork in question. The Spotify Code can be saved to the Camera Roll to share on social media, or users can show the code to their friends nearby.


Scanning a Spotify Code is similar to any QR reader app, requiring users to take a picture of the code they want to scan, which will then direct them to the track, singer, album, or playlist that the code represents. Spotify has added in a quick-access camera button for this reason in the new update, located to the right of the search bar.

The music streaming company said that Spotify Codes won't just be for easy playlist sharing among friends, but could open up a new way for brands to promote and engage with Spotify users through commercials, print ads, and billboards.

Scan a code on your friend’s phone to follow his or her party playlist, share your Spotify profile on your social channels, or take a screenshot and import a code posted by your favourite artist to hear their latest single. You can also scan a Spotify Code printed on a flyer, poster or even a billboard.

But Spotify Codes are not just great for sharing new music with friends and loved ones, they also present an innovative and exciting new way for artists, labels and brands to instantly engage with fans through Spotify. We’re excited to see the creative ways in which they are used.

Last month, rumors suggested that Spotify is in development on its first-ever hardware device that could result in a "category defining product akin to Pebble Watch, Amazon Echo, and Snap Spectacles." The Apple Music rival has been long absent from the Apple Watch, but a new partnership with app developer Andrew Chang will see an official Spotify app make its way to Apple's wearable device sometime in the future.

For Spotify Codes, the company said that the new feature is currently rolling out globally to all users on both the Spotify iOS app [Direct Link] and on Android.