Creating a new playlist takes three steps and takes less than a minute

Open YouTube and sign in to your account. Find any video you want to add to your playlist — it can be a movie, documentary, music video, or educational content from your library's collection or anywhere else on YouTube. Click the Save button below the video player (it looks like a bookmark or plus sign). A menu will appear asking you to create a new playlist or add the video to an existing one. Select Create new playlist, give it a name, choose whether it's public or private, and click Create. That video is now in your new playlist.

Once you have created a playlist, you can add more videos to it from anywhere on YouTube using the same Save button. You can also go back to your playlist anytime to reorder videos, remove ones you no longer want, or change the playlist's name and privacy settings. Your playlists stay on your account as long as you keep them — they do not expire or disappear on their own.

Key Takeaways

  • Click the Save button on any YouTube video, select Create new playlist, name it, and choose public or private to make a new playlist in under a minute.
  • You can add videos to your playlist from anywhere on YouTube by clicking Save and selecting the playlist name from the dropdown menu.
  • Private playlists are visible only to you; public playlists can be shared with others or found by anyone searching YouTube.
  • Reorder, rename, or delete videos in your playlist anytime by opening the playlist and clicking the three-dot menu next to each video.

Where to find the Save button on different devices

On a computer or laptop, the Save button sits directly below the video player on the right side, next to the Share button. Click it and the menu appears when ready. On a phone or tablet using the YouTube app, tap the three vertical dots (the menu icon) above the video title, then tap Save to playlist. The process is the same — you can create a new playlist or add to an existing one.

If you are watching YouTube in a web browser on your phone, the Save button is in the same spot as on a computer. If you cannot find it, make sure you are signed into your YouTube account — the Save button only appears when you are logged in. Signing in takes a few seconds and uses the same email and password as your Google account.

Public versus private playlists

When you create a new playlist, YouTube asks whether it should be public or private. A private playlist is visible only to you — no one else can see it, search for it, or access it even if they have the link. A public playlist can be shared with friends, family, or anyone else. You can send them the link directly, or they can find it by searching your channel.

You can change a playlist from private to public (or back again) anytime after creating it. Open the playlist, click the three-dot menu at the top, and select Edit playlist. Change the privacy setting and save. This is useful if you start with a private playlist to test it out, then decide to share it with others later.

Adding videos from your library's collection

If your library offers free streaming through YouTube or a YouTube-based service, the process is identical. Find the video in your library's collection, click Save, and add it to your playlist. The video stays in your playlist as long as it remains available through your library — if your library removes it from their collection, the link in your playlist will no longer work, but the playlist itself remains.

Some libraries organize their content through a dedicated YouTube channel or a branded streaming platform that uses YouTube's player. Either way, the Save button works the same way. You can mix videos from your library with videos from anywhere else on YouTube in the same playlist, so you might create a playlist of documentaries that includes both your library's collection and other educational videos you find.

Organizing and editing your playlist

Once you have added videos to your playlist, you can rearrange them by opening the playlist and dragging videos up or down the list. On a phone, tap the three horizontal lines (the drag handle) next to each video title and drag it to a new position. On a computer, hover over a video and the drag handle appears automatically.

To remove a video from your playlist, open the playlist, click the three-dot menu next to the video you want to remove, and select Remove from playlist. The video stays on YouTube — it is only removed from your playlist. You can also delete an entire playlist by opening it, clicking the three-dot menu at the top, and selecting Delete playlist. This action cannot be undone, so make sure you want to remove it before confirming.

Sharing your playlist with others

To share a public playlist, open it and click the Share button. YouTube generates a link you can copy and send to anyone. You can also share it directly to email, text, or social media using the options YouTube provides. When someone opens the link, they see your playlist and can watch the videos in order or jump to any video they want.

People who view your public playlist cannot edit it or add videos to it — only you can make changes. If you want others to contribute videos, you would need to share your login information, which is not recommended for security reasons. Instead, you can create a shared document or group chat where people suggest videos, and you add them to the playlist yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a video to multiple playlists at once?

No, the Save button adds a video to one playlist at a time. However, you can add the same video to as many different playlists as you want by clicking Save multiple times and selecting a different playlist each time. This is useful if you have playlists organized by topic or mood and a single video fits more than one.

What happens to my playlist if I delete my YouTube account?

Your playlists are tied to your YouTube account. If you delete your account, your playlists are deleted as well. If you want to keep a record of videos in a playlist, you can take screenshots or write down the video titles and links before closing your account.

Can I read a playlist to watch offline?

YouTube Premium members can read individual videos to watch offline, but playlists themselves cannot be downloaded as a group. You would need to read each video separately. If your library offers offline viewing through their streaming service, check their app or website for that option.

How many videos can I add to one playlist?

YouTube does not publish a hard limit on playlist size, but playlists with thousands of videos may load slowly. For practical purposes, most people keep playlists between 10 and 200 videos. If you have a very large collection, splitting it into multiple themed playlists usually works better.