Spotify drops shared plan users to free tier after missed QR scan

Spotify has introduced a new verification step for users on Duo and Family subscriptions. To maintain their paid status, plan members must physically meet the account manager and scan a QR code on their device.

The company has set a seven-day deadline for this process. If a user fails to complete the scan by the end of that window, their account will be downgraded to the free tier. Additionally, the user will be prohibited from joining any other Duo or Family plan for the next 12 months.

Support documentation confirms the new requirement. The policy update follows reports from users on Reddit who said they had already received the prompts to scan the verification code.

The move enforces a long-standing rule that all members of a Family plan must live at the same address. While the rule exists in principle, analysts suggest enforcement has been minimal in practice. Goldman Sachs estimated in an October 15 report that a meaningful share of family plan users are friends sharing costs rather than actual household members.

The firm noted in its report, Music in the Air: 10 Years On, that there is additional monetization upside from tightening household verification. They argued that most plans require members to reside together, but the gap between the written rule and actual usage has been wide.

The new QR scan requirement targets this gap. However, the strict interpretation of the residency rule may impact households that do not fit the standard model. Families with a child away at college or a spouse who travels for work may find their plans revoked if they cannot meet in person to scan the code.

The verification process could affect more users than just those sharing accounts with friends. Families who believed they were using the plan as intended may now face the same barrier to maintaining their subscription.