Spotify has begun asking some Premium Family plan members to prove they live with the plan manager by scanning a QR code on the manager's phone. Members get seven days after the notification to complete the scan, and anyone who misses the window or can't verify is barred from joining a different Family or Duo plan for 12 months, according to Spotify's support page.

"Plan members have 7 days to complete the QR code scan after getting the notification," the page states. "If a member misses the window or can't complete verification: They can't join a different Family or Duo plan for 12 months." They can still choose another plan, such as Premium Individual. 9to5Google reported that members who miss the deadline are pushed down to the free tier as soon as the window closes.

Spotify Rolls Out QR Code Checks for Family Plans; Members Who Miss Them Can’t Join Another Family Plan for a Year

Android Authority reported the checks on the morning of Oct. 19, citing Reddit users who received sudden re-verification prompts, particularly when they weren't at the same location as others on the plan. 9to5Google covered the QR system later that day. The scan only works in the mobile app, both people have to be in the same place, and the code changes every few seconds, which makes a screenshot hard to use.

Some users quickly found a way around it. Android Authority and 9to5Google said subscribers were getting the scan through by screen sharing over video calls and using more than one device.