Music Skins not working.

[teastme12]

I am using Windows 11. I was using RetrOcOlOr skin's music player, and it was working fine until recently, it suddenly stopped detecting my Spotify. I am using the Spotify player that was downloaded from the website, not the default Windows one. I tried using other music player skins, but none of them worked. I tried the same Rainmeter version and the same skins on Windows Sandbox on the same computer, and it was working fine in the sandbox. However, on the main computer, none of the music players are detecting Spotify. I tried clean installing Rainmeter multiple times.

[xenium]

I am using Windows 11. I was using RetrOcOlOr skin's music player, and it was working fine until recently, it suddenly stopped detecting my Spotify. I am using the Spotify player that was downloaded from the website, not the default Windows one. I tried using other music player skins, but none of them worked. I tried the same Rainmeter version and the same skins on Windows Sandbox on the same computer, and it was working fine in the sandbox. However, on the main computer, none of the music players are detecting Spotify. I tried clean installing Rainmeter multiple times.

The RetrOcOlOr player uses the NowPlaying measure (was previously a plugin measure).
Recently ,on Windows 11, there have been some reported issues with skins using NowPlaying with Spotify.

Try using the WebNowPlaying plugin instead of NowPlaying.
To do this, follow the steps below:

1-Install WebNowPlayingRedux.rmskin and the latest version of the WebNowPlaying plugin will be installed automatically:
https://github.com/keifufu/WebNowPlaying-Rainmeter/releases/tag/2.0.7
2-Right click on the RetrOcOlOr player and choose Edit skin.
Replace where you see:
Plugin=NowPlaying.dll
with
Plugin=WebNowPlaying

Save the file and then refresh the skin.
Now the skin should work (including the progress bar that was not supported by NowPlaying)

[Yincognito]

Alternatively to Xenium's solution, if for some reason his approach is not preferred (though I can't see why it wouldn't)...

I don't use Spotify or the skin you mentioned, so I can't advise on that, but if it works in the sandbox and not on the main computer while having the same environment on the Rainmeter related side, this would suggest that a clean install (i.e. no traces of the previous installation) of Spotify is needed. Additionally, to replicate what the sandbox does, any updates or stuff that would potentially alter the initial (and presumably working) installation and its (registry or otherwise) settings would probably be best left disabled (or blocked). I don't know if it helps, but that's what I would do in a similar situation.

[teastme12]

The RetrOcOlOr player uses the NowPlaying measure (was previously a plugin measure).
Recently ,on Windows 11, there have been some reported issues with skins using NowPlaying with Spotify.

Try using the WebNowPlaying plugin instead of NowPlaying.
To do this, follow the steps below:

1-Install WebNowPlayingRedux.rmskin and the latest version of the WebNowPlaying plugin will be installed automatically:
https://github.com/keifufu/WebNowPlaying-Rainmeter/releases/tag/2.0.7
2-Right click on the RetrOcOlOr player and choose Edit skin.
Replace where you see:
Plugin=NowPlaying.dll
with
Plugin=WebNowPlaying

Save the file and then refresh the skin.
Now the skin should work (including the progress bar that was not supported by NowPlaying)

Hi, I tried WebNowPlaying as well, but no positive result. And as stated above, works perfectly on sandbox, but in my main computer it does not behave as expected. They worked perfectly even 3 days ago, suddenly without any reason stopped working, clean installation did not solve the problem.

[teastme12]

Alternatively to Xenium's solution, if for some reason his approach is not preferred (though I can't see why it wouldn't)...

I don't use Spotify or the skin you mentioned, so I can't advise on that, but if it works in the sandbox and not on the main computer while having the same environment on the Rainmeter related side, this would suggest that a clean install (i.e. no traces of the previous installation) of Spotify is needed. Additionally, to replicate what the sandbox does, any updates or stuff that would potentially alter the initial (and presumably working) installation and its (registry or otherwise) settings would probably be best left disabled (or blocked). I don't know if it helps, but that's what I would do in a similar situation.

I tried clean install multiple times, manually checking every single temporary folders for any residuals after uninstallation. However, I did not check Registry as I don't have clear idea of where Rainmeter's registry would be. So if you can help me on that, it would be awesome.

[Yincognito]

However, I did not check Registry as I don't have clear idea of where Rainmeter's registry would be. So if you can help me on that, it would be awesome.

Wel, it's not a simple thing and you have to be VERY careful when editing the registry, but, in essence, it's mainly about searching for the name (or parts of the name) of the software / company from the regedit.exe's menu, then removing the keys / "folders" that the software created (after uninstalling the software, of course). It would take a while, and you should only do it if you're confident that the removed key is indeed what should be removed.

P.S. Sometimes, some software also leave traces on the hard drive, e.g. folders or files that the uninstall process doesn't remove. They should be deleted as well, for a proper clean uninstall. Normally, there are uninstallation tools (like, say, Revo Uninstaller) that do all these things, but for that to work, you'd have to "record" what the software does when installing as well, with the help of the said uninstaller.

[teastme12]

Wel, it's not a simple thing and you have to be VERY careful when editing the registry, but, in essence, it's mainly about searching for the name (or parts of the name) of the software / company from the regedit.exe's menu, then removing the keys / "folders" that the software created (after uninstalling the software, of course). It would take a while, and you should only do it if you're confident that the removed key is indeed what should be removed.

P.S. Sometimes, some software also leave traces on the hard drive, e.g. folders or files that the uninstall process doesn't remove. They should be deleted as well, for a proper clean uninstall. Normally, there are uninstallation tools (like, say, Revo Uninstaller) that do all these things, but for that to work, you'd have to "record" what the software does when installing as well, with the help of the said uninstaller.

I'm gonna do the registry "search" method to try and remove the registries, let's see how far it goes. I am not comfortable with using uninstallers though.

[Yincognito]

I'm gonna do the registry "search" method to try and remove the registries, let's see how far it goes. I am not comfortable with using uninstallers though.

Alright. Don't bother with the MRU registry keys though, as they're only temporary / most recent stuff. And of course, exercise caution, as already mentioned (you could even do a system restore point, or a backup of various parts or all the registry via File > Export in regedit.exe, before you begin - just to be on the safe side). Such "exports" can be "restored" by simply double clicking on the previously exported .reg file.

[teastme12]

Alright. Don't bother with the MRU registry keys though, as they're only temporary / most recent stuff. And of course, exercise caution, as already mentioned (you could even do a system restore point, or a backup of various parts or all the registry via File > Export in regedit.exe, before you begin - just to be on the safe side). Such "exports" can be "restored" by simply double clicking on the previously exported .reg file.

Hi, update here. Deleted every single registry I could find related to rainmeter, rebooted pc and reinstalled rainmeter (latest version 64bit one). No luck, every single skin works except the music skins. Guess I'll just wait until next rainmeter release or something. But thanks for your support!

[Yincognito]

Hi, update here. Deleted every single registry I could find related to rainmeter, rebooted pc and reinstalled rainmeter (latest version 64bit one). No luck, every single skin works except the music skins. Guess I'll just wait until next rainmeter release or something. But thanks for your support!

Well, in my initial reply, I referred to doing the above (i.e. uninstalling, removing all traces, then reinstalling) for Spotify, not (just) Rainmeter. Anyway, if Xenium's advice didn't work for you, mine was just a potential alternative that, judging by what happened in your sandbox environment, could have worked, if lucky and done properly.