The simplest way to add people on Spotify
You add people on Spotify by sending them a link to your profile or by following their profile if you already know their username. Spotify does not have a "friend request" system the way Facebook does — when you follow someone, they see you in their follower list, but they do not have to approve it first. The person you follow will know you are following them, and they can follow you back if they want to.
The fastest method is to find the person's profile, tap or click the follow button, and you are done. You can also share your own profile link with someone and ask them to follow you. Both directions work equally well, and there is no difference in what you can see or do together once you are following each other.
Key Takeaways
- Following someone on Spotify does not require their permission — you can follow anyone whose profile you find, and they will see you in their followers list.
- You can search for people by their username, email address, or display name, depending on what information you have.
- The easiest way to add someone is to ask for their Spotify username or profile link and search for them in the app or on the web.
- Once you follow someone, you can see what they are listening to, view their playlists, and add songs from their playlists to your own.
How to find and follow someone by username
Open Spotify on your phone, tablet, or computer and tap or click the search icon (the magnifying glass). Type the person's Spotify username into the search box. Usernames are the handles people choose when they create their account — they are not the same as their display name, so you need the exact username.
When the person's profile appears in the search results, tap or click on it to open their profile page. You will see a follow button — on a phone it usually says "Follow" in large text, and on a computer it is a button near the top of the profile. Tap or click it, and you are now following them. Their profile will now appear in your "Following" list, and they will see you in their followers.
How to search for someone by email address
If you do not know someone's username but you know their email address, you can search for them that way. Open the search box and type their full email address. Spotify will show you the profile connected to that email if it exists and if that person has not hidden their profile from search.
Some people set their profiles to private, which means they will not show up in search results. If you search for someone and cannot find them, they may have chosen this setting. You can ask them directly for their username or profile link instead, and they can send you a direct link that works even if their profile is hidden from general search.
How to share your own profile so others can follow you
Open your own profile by tapping or clicking your profile icon (usually in the top right corner of the app or website). Look for a share button — on phones it is often three dots or a square with an arrow pointing out. Tap or click it and select "Share Profile" or "Copy Link."
You can then paste that link into a text message, email, or social media post. Anyone who clicks the link will see your profile and can follow you from there. This is often easier than asking someone to search for your username, especially if your username is hard to spell or remember.
What you can do once you are following someone
Once you follow someone, their profile appears in your Following list, and you can see what they are listening to in real time if they have not turned off activity sharing. You can view all their public playlists, see which songs they have liked, and add any of their songs or playlists to your own library.
You can also see when they follow new people or create new playlists. If you want to stop seeing someone's activity or remove them from your Following list, you can unfollow them at any time by opening their profile and clicking the Follow button again — it will change to say "Follow" instead of "Following."
How to create a collaborative playlist with someone
If you want to work together with someone on a playlist, you can make it collaborative. Create a new playlist or open an existing one you own. Look for the three dots or menu icon on the playlist page, tap or click it, and select "Make Collaborative" or "Invite Collaborators."
Spotify will give you a link you can send to the other person. When they click the link and open it in Spotify, they can add, remove, and reorder songs in that playlist just like you can. Both of you will see changes in real time, and both names will appear on the playlist as creators. This is different from following — it gives the other person actual editing power over the playlist.
Troubleshooting: Why you cannot find someone
If you search for someone and cannot find them, the most common reasons are: their username is spelled differently than you thought, their profile is set to private, or they have not created a Spotify account yet. Ask the person directly for their exact username or ask them to send you their profile link.
If someone says they have a Spotify account but you still cannot find them after they give you their username, they may have deactivated their account or changed their username recently. You can ask them to check their account settings to confirm their current username, or ask them to send you a direct profile link from their own phone or computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the other person have to follow me back for us to be connected?
No. Following on Spotify is one-way — you can follow someone without them following you back. You will see their activity and playlists either way. If you both follow each other, you will see each other's activity, but it is not required.
Can I see what someone is listening to right now?
Yes, if they have not turned off activity sharing in their privacy settings. When you follow someone, you can see their current song and what they are listening to. They can turn this off in Settings under "Social Features" if they want privacy.
What is the difference between following someone and adding them to a collaborative playlist?
Following lets you see their activity and playlists, but you cannot change anything they have created. A collaborative playlist gives them permission to edit the playlist alongside you. You can follow someone without ever making a collaborative playlist with them.
If I unfollow someone, will they know?
They will see that you are no longer in their followers list, but Spotify does not send them a notification that you unfollowed them. They would only know if they check their followers list and notice you are gone.
Can I follow someone if their profile is private?
If their profile is completely private, you cannot find them through search. However, if they send you a direct link to their profile, you can follow them from that link even if search is turned off. Ask them to share their profile link directly with you.