Spicetify Custom Apps: Install, Configure, and Remove

What are Spicetify custom apps?

Custom Apps add a separate page to Spotify's desktop navigation instead of only changing an existing screen.

A custom app is a JavaScript application that runs inside the customized Spotify desktop client. The official examples include Lyrics Plus for synchronized lyrics, New Releases for followed artists and podcasts, and Reddit for music-related community feeds. Each app has its own folder and entry point, so its name must match the folder configured in Spicetify.

This is a different layer from the other common customization types. A theme changes colors and layout, an extension modifies existing Spotify behavior, a snippet applies a focused CSS change, and a custom app adds a larger standalone sidebar experience. Keeping those categories separate makes it easier to identify which item caused a problem after an update.

How to install a Spicetify custom app

Choose the official Marketplace route when the app is listed, or place a documented app folder in CustomApps before enabling it.

Confirm the base CLI works before adding an app. Open a new terminal, run `spicetify --version`, and close Spotify completely before applying configuration. Marketplace is optional; the CLI can enable a manually installed custom app without the catalog.

For a manual installation, use an app folder that contains the files named by the official documentation, including `index.js` and `manifest.json`. On Windows the documented location is `%appdata%\spicetify\CustomApps\`; on macOS and Linux it is `~/.config/spicetify/CustomApps/`. The folder name becomes the value used by the `custom_apps` setting.

1. 1

   Prepare the CLI and Spotify

   Verify the active CLI, sign in to the Spotify desktop client once, and close Spotify before applying changes.

   spicetify --version
2. 2

   Install or copy the app folder

   Open Marketplace from Spotify's sidebar, or place the documented folder containing index.js and manifest.json in the correct CustomApps directory.

3. 3

   Add the folder to the configuration

   Replace the placeholder with the exact folder name; do not use a display title that differs from the directory.

   spicetify config custom_apps <folder-name>
4. 4

   Apply and restart Spotify

   Apply with Spotify closed, reopen the desktop client, and check whether the new page appears in the sidebar.

   spicetify apply

Configure and test built-in examples

Start with one app, verify it, and only then add another folder to the configuration.

The official documentation uses `lyrics-plus`, `new-releases`, and `reddit` as examples. The folder name is the important part of each command. If an app is already present in the CustomApps directory, add its exact name and apply the configuration with Spotify closed.

You can configure more than one app in the same setting, but a smaller set is easier to troubleshoot. Test the sidebar link, the app's main content, and a normal Spotify playback session after each change. If one app fails, remove only that app first instead of deleting every customization.

Run `spicetify apply` after changing the list. An app may expose its own settings in Spotify's profile menu, but the exact options depend on its maintainer; do not assume a setting from one app exists in another.

How to remove custom apps from Spicetify

Remove the newest or failing app from the configuration first, then decide whether its local folder should also be deleted.

The official removal pattern uses a minus prefix before the folder name. This removes the app from the active `custom_apps` list without confusing the action with uninstalling the Spicetify CLI. Apply the change with Spotify closed and restart Spotify to confirm that the sidebar entry is gone.

Removing a name from the configuration does not necessarily delete the app files. Keep the folder if you may re-enable the app later; delete it only after confirming that you no longer need its local settings and after preserving any configuration you want to restore.

1. 1

   Remove the folder name

   Replace the placeholder with the exact configured folder name.

   spicetify config custom_apps -<folder-name>
2. 2

   Apply the smaller configuration

   Close Spotify, apply the setting, and open Spotify again.

   spicetify apply
3. 3

   Test the baseline

   Check the sidebar, search, playback, and the remaining customizations before removing additional items.

Troubleshoot a custom app that is missing or blank

Check the smallest layer that can explain the symptom before reinstalling the whole CLI.

If the app does not appear in the sidebar, verify the CustomApps path, the exact folder name, and the presence of `manifest.json`. Run `spicetify config custom_apps` to inspect the active setting, then apply again with Spotify closed. A normal restart is part of the documented troubleshooting sequence.

If the page appears but stays blank, preserve the complete error, check the app's `index.js`, and use Spotify's developer console only when the official app documentation asks for it. Syntax errors, an outdated app, or a Spotify interface change can affect one custom app without proving that the base CLI is broken.

After a Spotify update, first follow the site's update and backup-apply guidance. Reapply a clean backup or update the CLI only when the official compatibility information calls for it. Add Custom Apps back one at a time after the stock Spotify client and the base Spicetify workflow work normally.

• Confirm the app folder is under the documented CustomApps directory.
• Check that index.js and manifest.json exist and use the expected names.
• Inspect the active custom_apps value before adding another package manager or installer.
• Remove the newest app first and test the remaining configuration.
• Keep the full terminal or console error for the app maintainer.

Spicetify Custom Apps: Frequently Asked Questions