Spotify confirms in-person QR code checks for Family plan members

Spotify is asking some Premium Family subscribers to prove they live with the person who pays for the plan. According to Spotify's support page, selected members may need to scan a QR code shown on the plan manager's phone, and both people must be in the same place to do it.

The company has confirmed the change. Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström addressed it on the company's third-quarter earnings call and said it was a routine improvement rather than a crackdown.

Key facts

• Spotify says it may ask some Premium Family members to scan a QR code to confirm they share a home with the plan manager.
• Members have 7 days to finish the scan after they are notified, Spotify says.
• Missing the deadline means a member cannot join another Family or Duo plan for 12 months, according to Spotify.
• The scan works only in the mobile app, and both people must be together, Spotify says.
• Norström said the checks have no end date, The Verge reported.

How the QR check works

Spotify's support page lays out the steps. The plan manager opens the code in the app by tapping their profile picture, then Your Premium, then Manage. The member then scans it with the camera on their own phone.

The code is built to be scanned face to face. Spotify says it refreshes every few seconds, so a screenshot sent by text would not work. The company also says the check can only be done in the mobile app, with the manager and member in the same location.

Members get 7 days from the notification to complete the scan, according to Spotify. Anyone who runs out of time or cannot verify is barred from joining a different Family or Duo plan for 12 months, Spotify says.

The QR code is separate from Spotify's address checks. The company says it may ask members to confirm their full address when they join, when the manager moves or when it cannot verify where they live. Spotify says it does not track members' location.

What Spotify's leaders said

Norström said he confirmed the change during the third-quarter earnings call. "This is not as much a crackdown as it is actually a routine improvement," Norström said, The Verge reported.

Norström said the Family plan has been around for close to 12 or 13 years and accounts for a significant share of Spotify's subscribers. He also said the verification effort has no end date and will continue as a routine, according to The Verge.

Users noticed the change before the company spoke about it. Ars Technica reports that people posted about the QR prompt on Reddit before Spotify confirmed it.

Background

Spotify says Family plans are meant for people who live in the same household. The Verge notes that this is not Spotify's first attempt to limit Family plan sharing.

Investment analysts have been watching the issue. In an Oct. 15 report, Goldman Sachs analysts estimated that a meaningful share of family plan users are not true household members, according to Ars Technica.

Other streaming services have taken similar steps. Ars Technica reports that Netflix started enforcing its password-sharing rules in May 2023 and later reported 9.3 million added subscriptions.

Who is affected

The checks apply to some members of Premium Family plans, not every subscriber. Spotify has not said how many people have been asked to scan or in which countries.

Ars Technica notes the rule could hit real families who live apart, such as children away at college or spouses who travel for work. It is not known whether Spotify allows exceptions for those cases.

What it means for you

Family plan members who get the prompt will need to meet the plan manager in person within the deadline. Spotify gives members 7 days after the notification.

What happens to members who fail is not entirely clear. Spotify's page says members who miss a QR check can choose a different plan. News reports have described different outcomes, and Spotify's page says failed address checks move members to the free version.

Practical steps

• Scan in person: Get together with the plan manager and scan the code from their app with your phone's camera, Spotify says.
• Fix a failed scan: Spotify suggests updating the app on both phones, checking the date and time, restarting the app and scanning in person.
• Check the address: Plan managers can view or update the plan's address on their Family page, according to Spotify.
• Mind the deadline: Members have 7 days to complete the scan, Spotify says.

What happens next

Spotify's co-CEO said the effort will continue. Norström said the company will keep improving verification as people find ways around it, The Verge reported.

FAQ

How long do members have to scan the QR code? Spotify says members get 7 days after the notification.

What if a member misses the deadline? Spotify says the member cannot join a different Family or Duo plan for 12 months, but can choose a different plan.

Does a screenshot of the code work? No. Spotify says the code changes every few seconds, so it has to be scanned in person.

Does Spotify track members' locations? Spotify says it does not track members' location and checks only their address.

Is this a crackdown? Norström said it is a routine improvement, not a crackdown.