Set up your Spotify app

About 5 minutes, once. Free.

RoomDJ plays music through your own Spotify account. Spotify only lets a small app like this have 5 users, so instead of everyone squeezing into mine, each teacher makes their own free "Spotify app". It sounds technical. It is mostly copy and paste.

You need:

Spotify Premium (Spotify's rule for playing music in an app like this).
The computer that plays music in your classroom.
This address, to paste in step 2: https://roomdj.com/host/

1. Open the Spotify developer dashboard

Go to developer.spotify.com/dashboard.
Log in with the Spotify account that has Premium.
The first time, Spotify asks you to accept its developer terms (and may ask you to confirm your email). Do that and come back to the dashboard.

2. Create the app

Click Create app.
App name: anything, like RoomDJ for Room 12. App description: anything, like Music for my class.
Redirect URI: paste https://roomdj.com/host/ exactly, with the slash at the end, then click Add.
Where it asks which APIs or SDKs you plan to use, tick Web API and Web Playback SDK.
Agree to the terms and click Save.

3. Put yourself on the guest list

Spotify blocks everyone who is not on your app's list, you included.

In your app, open Settings, then the User Management tab.
Add your name and the email address of your Spotify account (the one you log in to Spotify with).

4. Copy your Client ID

In your app's Settings (Basic Information), find Client ID: 32 letters and numbers.
Copy it. That's the only thing RoomDJ needs.

Never copy the Client secret. RoomDJ will never ask for it, and nobody else needs it either.

5. Sign in to RoomDJ

On your classroom computer, go to roomdj.com/host.
Pick My own Spotify app and paste your Client ID.
On your own computer, tick Stay signed in on this computer. Never on a shared Chromebook.
Click Sign in with Spotify, then Agree on Spotify's page.

That's it. Open today's room, put the class code on the board, and your class can start suggesting songs. RoomDJ remembers your Client ID on that computer, so next time it's one click.

If something goes wrong

Spotify says "Invalid redirect URI": The address in step 2 does not match. In your app's Settings, click Edit and make the Redirect URI exactly https://roomdj.com/host/ (https, no www, slash at the end). Save, then try again.
RoomDJ says your account "is not added to that Spotify app": Do step 3 again with the email of the Spotify account you are logging in with. A different email (school vs. personal) is the usual cause.
RoomDJ says the Client ID is not right: Copy it again from Settings: it is exactly 32 letters and numbers, no spaces.
The music will not start: Check that the account has Premium, then click Start music on the RoomDJ page once (browsers need one click before they play sound).

Sharing with a coworker

The easiest way: send them this page so they make their own app. Or add up to 4 coworkers to your app's User Management list (step 3, with their Spotify email) and give them your Client ID. Each of you still gets your own RoomDJ settings, bans and favorites.

Your privacy

RoomDJ never sees your Spotify password. You log in on Spotify's own page.
Your Spotify login stays on your computer for playing music. RoomDJ's server does not keep it.
Students never touch Spotify. They search and vote on RoomDJ's own page, and only your computer plays.
To cut RoomDJ off any time: Sign out in RoomDJ, or remove it at spotify.com/account/apps.

RoomDJ is free and is not made by or affiliated with Spotify. More in Privacy & legal.