The fastest way to copy a playlist

Open the playlist you want to copy in Spotify. Tap or click the three dots next to the playlist name, then select "Copy link to playlist" or "Share". Paste that link into a message or note so you have it. Then open your own library, create a new playlist with whatever name you want, and use the "Add songs" button to search for and add the tracks one by one — or if the original playlist is public, you can follow it instead, which adds all its songs to your library without creating a separate copy.

The method you choose depends on whether you want a snapshot of the playlist as it exists right now, or whether you want your version to stay in sync if the original owner adds new songs later. Following keeps the connection; copying breaks it.

Key Takeaways

  • Following a public playlist adds all its songs to your library and updates automatically when the owner adds new tracks, but you cannot remove individual songs from your view.
  • Creating a new playlist and manually adding songs takes longer but gives you full control to remove, reorder, or add your own tracks.
  • You can only copy playlists that are set to public; private playlists cannot be followed or shared outside the owner's account.
  • Spotify has no built-in "duplicate playlist" button, so the copy method depends on whether you want the songs or the connection to the original.

Following versus copying: what each one does

Following a playlist means you subscribe to it. Every song the original owner adds shows up in your library automatically. You see the playlist in your "Following" section, and if the owner removes a song, it disappears from your view too. You cannot delete individual songs from a followed playlist — you can only unfollow the whole thing.

Copying means creating a brand new playlist in your account and adding the songs yourself. Once you do this, your version is completely separate. If the original owner adds ten new songs next week, your copy stays the same. You can remove songs, reorder them, or add your own without affecting the original.

Most people follow playlists they like and want to stay current with. They copy playlists when they want to customize them or when the original is private and they cannot follow it.

How to follow a public playlist

Open the playlist. At the top, you will see a "Follow" button (it looks like a plus sign or says "Follow" depending on your device). Tap or click it. The button changes to show you are now following, and all the songs appear in your library under "Following".

Following works on any device where you use Spotify — phone, computer, or web browser. The playlist stays in sync across all of them. If you change your mind, tap the button again to unfollow.

How to manually copy songs to a new playlist

Create a new playlist in your account. On most devices, you can right-click in your library or tap a menu button and select "Create Playlist". Give it a name. Then go back to the original playlist and select each song (or select multiple at once if your device allows it) and choose "Add to Playlist". Pick the new playlist you just created.

On a phone, this usually means opening the original playlist, tapping the three dots next to a song, and selecting "Add to Playlist". On a computer, you can often drag songs directly into your new playlist if both windows are open side by side, which is faster than the menu method.

This approach takes time if the playlist has hundreds of songs, but it gives you a clean break from the original. You own every decision about what stays and what goes.

Why you cannot copy private playlists

A private playlist is visible only to the person who created it. Spotify does not allow you to follow or share a link to a private playlist, so you cannot copy it through the normal methods. If someone sends you a private playlist link, it will not work.

If a friend has a private playlist they want to share with you, ask them to change it to public temporarily, or ask them to send you a list of the song names so you can build your own version. Some people also share playlists by exporting them to a text file or CSV, which you can then use to search for and add songs in bulk — but Spotify itself does not have a built-in export feature, so this requires a third-party tool.

What happens when you copy a collaborative playlist

A collaborative playlist is one where multiple people can add and remove songs. If you follow a collaborative playlist, you see all the changes everyone makes in real time. If you copy it instead, you get a snapshot of the songs that were in it at the moment you copied, and your version does not change when others edit the original.

If you want to join a collaborative playlist so you can add your own songs, ask the owner to add you as a collaborator rather than copying it. That way your additions show up for everyone. To add a collaborator, the owner opens the playlist, taps the three dots, and selects "Make Collaborative" or "Add Collaborators" depending on the device.

Copying playlists between accounts or devices

If you have two Spotify accounts and want to copy a playlist from one to the other, the process is the same: follow or manually add the songs in the second account. Log into the second account, find the playlist from the first account (using a shared link if it is public), and either follow it or create a new playlist and add the songs.

Spotify does not sync playlists across accounts automatically. Each account is separate, so you have to move songs manually. If you want to merge two accounts entirely, you would need to contact Spotify support, but they cannot combine playlists — you would have to choose one account to keep and manually rebuild your playlists in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I copy a playlist from someone else without them knowing?

If the playlist is public, yes — you can follow it or copy it without the owner being notified. Spotify does not send a notification when someone follows a public playlist. If it is private, you cannot access it at all.

What is the difference between saving a song and adding it to a playlist?

Saving a song adds it to your "Liked Songs" library. Adding a song to a playlist puts it in a specific playlist you created or follow. You can save the same song and also add it to multiple playlists — they are separate actions.

If I copy a playlist and then the original gets deleted, what happens to my copy?

Your copy stays exactly as it is. Deleting the original playlist does not affect any copies or followers. If you were following the original and it gets deleted, the playlist disappears from your "Following" section, but any songs you had already saved to your library remain.

Can I copy a playlist from Spotify's official playlists?

Yes. Spotify's official playlists like "Today's Top Hits" are public, so you can follow them or copy the songs to your own playlist. Following is usually easier since these playlists update constantly with new songs.

How do I copy a playlist to a different music service like Apple Music?

Spotify does not have a direct export feature, but third-party tools like Soundiiz or TuneMyMusic can read a Spotify playlist and recreate it in Apple Music, YouTube Music, or other services. You paste the Spotify link into the tool, and it searches for each song in the destination service and builds a matching playlist.