“A Windows Store Installation of Spotify was found” Error

When you try to install the Spotify desktop app by running the standalone installer, the following error may appear:

Spotify Installer

A Windows Store installation of Spotify was found in your system. Please uninstall that version first, or update through the Windows Store.

The error persists even if you delete the Spotify application data folder under “%LocalAppData%\Packages\“.

Cause

The above error happens if the Store version of Spotify is already installed on the computer. If you have previously installed and uninstalled Spotify, the uninstallation may have left over some folders and registry entries.

Solution

To resolve the error “A Windows Store installation of Spotify was found in your system,” follow these steps:

Step 1: Uninstall existing Spotify installation

1. Open Settings → Apps & Features
2. Type “spotify” in the search box.
3. Select Spotify from the list and click Uninstall.
   

If Spotify is missing from the Apps & Features (or Programs and Features) and yet the error appears, it means the previous uninstallation has left over some files/registry keys. Follow the next method in that case.

Step 2: Remove Spotify Store App Using PowerShell

Even if the Spotify app is missing in Apps & Features, the following procedure should work (if the Spotify package is intact).

1. Launch PowerShell as administrator.
2. Run the following command to remove Spotify

   Get-AppxPackage *spotify* -allusers | remove-appxpackage

   (or)

   Get-AppxPackage SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic -allusers | remove-appxpackage

The above command should remove the leftover registry entries and application data files.

Attempt to run the Spotify setup file now.

If that doesn’t do the trick, follow the next method.

Step 3: Delete Spotify App Repository Key

It’s suggested that you perform this step after attempting “Step 2.”

1. Start the Registry Editor (regedit.exe)
2. Go to the following location:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\Repository\Families\SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic_zpdnekdrzrea0

3. Right-click “SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic_zpdnekdrzrea0” and choose Delete.
   Some users may see the following error when deleting the key:

   Error Deleting Key
   
   Cannot delete SpotifyAB.SpotifyMusic_zpdnekdrzrea0. Error while deleting key.

   

   If you receive the above error, start Windows in Safe mode and delete the above registry key.

4. Exit the Registry Editor.

Attempt to run the Spotify setup file now.

It should work!