What a TikTok playlist is and why you'd make one
A TikTok playlist is a collection of videos you save together under a name you choose. Unlike your Likes or Bookmarks — which are private lists TikTok creates for you — a playlist is something you control completely. You decide which videos go in it, what you call it, and whether other people can see it.
You might create a playlist to organize videos by topic (cooking tutorials, dance trends, pet videos), to save content you want to watch later, or to share a curated collection with friends. Once you make a playlist, you can add videos to it whenever you find something that fits, and you can change the playlist's privacy settings so only you see it or so anyone on TikTok can browse it.
Key Takeaways
- You create a new playlist by tapping the bookmark icon on any video, then selecting "Create playlist" instead of saving to an existing one.
- Give your playlist a name and choose whether it is private (only you see it) or public (anyone can find and watch it).
- You can add videos to a playlist from the video's menu, and you can edit or delete playlists from your profile at any time.
- Public playlists appear on your profile and can show up in TikTok's search and discovery features, so choose your privacy setting carefully.
How to create your first playlist
Open any video on TikTok and look for the bookmark icon — it looks like a ribbon or flag on the right side of the screen, below the video. Tap it once. A menu will appear with options including "Add to playlist" or "Save video." Tap "Create playlist."
A dialog box will open asking you to name your playlist. Type a clear, descriptive name — something like "Cooking Ideas" or "Funny Dog Videos" works better than something vague. Below the name field, you will see two options: "Private" and "Public." Private means only you can see and access the playlist. Public means anyone on TikTok can find it, watch the videos in it, and share it. Choose the setting that matches what you want, then tap "Create."
The video you were watching will automatically be added to your new playlist. You are now ready to add more videos to it whenever you find ones that belong.
Adding videos to an existing playlist
When you find a video you want to add to a playlist you already made, tap the bookmark icon again. This time, instead of "Create playlist," you will see a list of your existing playlists. Tap the name of the playlist where you want the video to go. A checkmark will appear next to that playlist's name, confirming the video has been added.
You can add the same video to multiple playlists if it fits more than one theme. For example, a video of a dog doing tricks could go into both a "Pet Videos" playlist and a "Funny Moments" playlist. Just tap the bookmark icon and select both playlists.
Finding and watching your playlists
To see all your playlists, go to your profile by tapping the person icon at the bottom right of the screen. Scroll down until you see a section labeled "Playlists" or "Saved." Tap on any playlist name to open it and watch the videos inside in order.
If you made a public playlist, it will appear on your profile for other people to see and click on. They can watch all the videos in it, but they cannot add videos to it or change its name — only you can edit your own playlists. If your playlist is private, only you will see it on your profile, and no one else can access it even if they have a link to your account.
Editing or removing videos from a playlist
To remove a single video from a playlist, open the playlist and find the video you want to delete. Tap the three dots (menu icon) next to or on the video, then select "Remove from playlist." The video stays on TikTok — it is only removed from that particular playlist.
If you want to remove multiple videos at once, some versions of TikTok let you tap "Edit" at the top of the playlist, then select the videos you want to delete and confirm. If you do not see an Edit button, you will need to remove videos one at a time using the three-dot menu.
Changing a playlist's name or privacy setting
To edit a playlist's name or change who can see it, go to your profile and find the playlist. Tap the three dots next to the playlist name, then select "Edit playlist." You can now change the name to something new and toggle between Private and Public. Tap "Save" when you are done.
Changing a playlist from Private to Public means it will suddenly appear on your profile and become searchable on TikTok. Changing it from Public to Private removes it from your profile and hides it from other users. The videos inside stay the same — only the visibility changes.
Deleting a playlist entirely
If you no longer want a playlist, go to your profile, find it, and tap the three dots next to its name. Select "Delete playlist" and confirm. The playlist disappears, but all the videos that were in it remain on TikTok — deleting a playlist does not delete the videos themselves.
You cannot undo a deletion, so if you think you might want the playlist back later, consider making it private instead of deleting it. That way the videos stay organized and you can make it public again whenever you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can other people add videos to my public playlist?
No. Only you can add or remove videos from your playlists. Other people can watch a public playlist and share it, but they cannot edit it or add their own videos to it. If you want to collaborate on a collection of videos with someone else, you would need to share individual video links instead.
What is the difference between a playlist and my Likes?
Likes are automatic — TikTok creates that list for you whenever you tap the heart icon. Playlists are something you create and name yourself, so you can organize videos by topic or theme. You can also make playlists public, while your Likes are always private to you.
How many videos can I put in one playlist?
TikTok does not publish a hard limit on playlist size, so you can keep adding videos as long as you want. However, very large playlists may load more slowly. If a playlist gets unwieldy, consider splitting it into two smaller ones with more specific names.
If I delete a video from TikTok, does it disappear from my playlists too?
Yes. If you delete a video you posted, it is removed from everywhere on TikTok, including from any playlists where it was saved. If someone else deletes a video and you had saved it to a playlist, that video will also disappear from your playlist.
Can I rearrange the order of videos in a playlist?
Most versions of TikTok do not let you manually reorder playlist videos — they appear in the order you added them, with the newest additions at the top. If you need videos in a specific order, you may need to delete and re-add them in the order you want.