YouTube playlists let you group videos into a single list you can watch in order
A playlist on YouTube is a collection of videos you save together under one name. When you play a playlist, YouTube runs through each video in the order you arranged them, then stops or loops back to the beginning. You can create playlists to organize videos by topic, save content to watch later, or share a curated list with other people.
Playlists are different from the "Watch Later" feature, which is a single default list YouTube creates for you automatically. A playlist is something you name and control yourself. You can make as many playlists as you want, keep them private so only you see them, or make them public so anyone with the link can watch.
Key Takeaways
- You create a new playlist by clicking your profile icon, selecting "Create a new playlist", and giving it a name and privacy setting.
- Add videos to a playlist by clicking the "Save" button under any video and choosing which playlist to save it to.
- You can rearrange videos in a playlist by opening it, clicking "Edit playlist", and dragging videos into a new order.
- Private playlists are visible only to you; unlisted playlists can be watched by anyone with the link; public playlists appear in search results.
- You can delete a playlist or remove individual videos from it at any time without affecting the original videos on YouTube.
How to create a new playlist on YouTube
Start by signing into your YouTube account. Click your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen — it appears as a small circle with your initial or profile picture inside it. A dropdown menu will open.
Look for the option that says "Create a new playlist" and click it. YouTube will open a form asking you to name the playlist and choose a privacy setting. Type a name that describes what the playlist contains — for example, "Cooking Tutorials" or "90s Music Videos". The name can be changed later if you want.
Below the name field, you will see three privacy options: Private, Unlisted, and Public. Private means only you can see the playlist. Unlisted means anyone with the link can watch it, but it will not show up in search results or on your channel. Public means the playlist appears in search results and on your channel for anyone to find. Select the option you want and click "Create".
Adding videos to your playlist
Once your playlist exists, you can add videos to it. Find any video on YouTube you want to save. Below the video title, you will see a row of buttons. One of them says "Save" with a bookmark or flag icon next to it. Click that button.
A menu will pop up showing all your playlists. Click the name of the playlist you want to add the video to. The video is now saved to that playlist. You can add the same video to multiple playlists if you want — adding it to one playlist does not remove it from another.
If you have not created a playlist yet, you can create one directly from this menu. Click "Create new playlist", name it, choose your privacy setting, and YouTube will add the current video to it automatically.
Rearranging videos in your playlist
The order videos appear in your playlist matters if you plan to watch them in sequence. To change the order, open the playlist by clicking on it from your profile menu or from your channel page. Once the playlist is open, look for a button that says "Edit playlist" — it usually appears near the top right of the playlist.
Click "Edit playlist" and the videos will become movable. You can now click and drag any video up or down the list to reorder them. Drag a video to where you want it to appear, and YouTube will shift the other videos automatically. When you are done rearranging, click outside the list or press the back button, and your changes are saved.
Removing videos from a playlist
If you decide a video no longer belongs in a playlist, you can remove it without deleting the video from YouTube itself. Open the playlist, click "Edit playlist", and look for a small X or trash icon next to the video you want to remove. Click that icon and the video disappears from the playlist when ready.
Removing a video from a playlist does not delete it from YouTube or from your other playlists. The video stays on YouTube and in any other playlists you added it to. Only that one playlist loses it.
Deleting an entire playlist
To delete a playlist you no longer want, open it and click the three-dot menu icon, usually in the top right corner. Select "Delete playlist" from the menu. YouTube will ask you to confirm that you want to delete it. Click "Delete" again to confirm.
Deleting a playlist removes the list itself, but it does not delete any of the videos that were in it. Those videos remain on YouTube and in any other playlists you saved them to. You are only removing the collection, not the content.
Sharing a playlist with other people
If your playlist is set to Unlisted or Public, you can share it with other people. Open the playlist and look for a "Share" button, usually near the top of the page. Click it and YouTube will give you a link you can copy and send to anyone. People who click that link can watch all the videos in your playlist in the order you arranged them.
If your playlist is Private, the Share button will not work — only you can see it. To let other people watch it, you must change the privacy setting to Unlisted or Public first. Open the playlist, click the three-dot menu, select "Edit playlist", and change the privacy setting. Then you can share the link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add videos to a playlist while watching them?
Yes. While a video is playing, click the "Save" button below the video title and choose which playlist to add it to. You do not have to stop watching or go back to the search results.
What happens if I delete a video from YouTube that is in one of my playlists?
The video disappears from the playlist automatically. If the video was deleted by the creator or removed by YouTube, the playlist will show a message that the video is no longer available, and you will not be able to watch it from the playlist.
Can I make a playlist that other people can edit?
No. Only you can edit a playlist you created. Other people can watch a shared playlist and add videos to their own playlists, but they cannot change the order of your videos or remove videos from your list.
How many videos can I add to a single playlist?
YouTube does not set a hard limit on playlist size. You can add hundreds or thousands of videos to one playlist if you want, though very large playlists may load more slowly.