Creating a playlist takes three taps on your phone or a few clicks on your computer

Open Apple Music and tap the Library tab at the bottom right. Scroll down and tap Playlists, then tap the + icon in the top right corner. Name your playlist, choose whether it's private or shared, and tap Create. You now have an empty playlist ready for songs.

On a Mac or PC, open Apple Music, click Library in the sidebar, then click Playlists. Right-click in the empty space and select New Playlist. Name it and press Enter. The process is the same whether you're using macOS, Windows, or the web version at music.apple.com.

Once your playlist exists, adding songs is straightforward: find any song in Apple Music, tap or right-click it, and select Add to Playlist. Choose the playlist you just made. Songs appear in the order you add them, though you can rearrange them later by dragging.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new playlist by opening Library, tapping Playlists, and selecting the + icon on your phone, or right-clicking in Playlists on your computer.
  • You can make playlists private (only you see them) or shared (you can send the link to others, though they cannot edit it).
  • Add songs by finding them in Apple Music, tapping or right-clicking, and selecting Add to Playlist.
  • Rearrange songs by dragging them into a new order, and delete songs by swiping left on your phone or right-clicking on your computer.

The difference between private and shared playlists

When you create a playlist, Apple Music asks whether it should be private or shared. Private playlists appear only in your Library and in your account on any device you sign into. No one else can see them, find them, or access them.

Shared playlists generate a link you can send to friends, family, or colleagues. Anyone with the link can view the playlist, see all the songs, and listen to them if they have an Apple Music subscription. They cannot add songs, remove songs, or change the name — only you can edit a playlist you created. If you change your mind later, you can switch a playlist from private to shared, or vice versa, by opening it and tapping the three dots (on phone) or right-clicking (on computer) and selecting Edit Playlist.

Adding and removing songs from your playlist

The fastest way to add a song is to search for it in Apple Music, tap or right-click it, and choose Add to Playlist. A menu appears showing all your playlists. Tap or click the one you want. The song moves to the end of that playlist.

You can also add songs while browsing: tap the three dots next to any song in a playlist, album, or artist page, and select Add to Playlist. If you're on a computer, right-click the song instead. To remove a song from a playlist, open the playlist, find the song, and swipe left on your phone (or right-click on your computer) and select Remove from Playlist. The song stays in your Library and in Apple Music — it only leaves that specific playlist.

Deleting a playlist itself is different from removing a song. Open the playlist, tap the three dots, and select Delete Playlist. This removes the entire list but does not delete any of the songs from Apple Music or your Library.

Rearranging songs in the order you want

By default, songs appear in the order you added them. To change that order on your phone, open the playlist, tap Edit in the top right, then press and hold the three horizontal lines next to any song and drag it up or down. Tap Done when you're finished.

On a Mac or PC, open the playlist and drag songs up or down by clicking and holding them. The order updates when ready. You can also sort playlists by tapping or clicking the sort icon (usually three horizontal lines with arrows) at the top of the playlist, though custom drag-and-drop order is the most common way to organize.

Collaborative playlists: letting others add songs

Apple Music does not have a true collaborative playlist feature where multiple people can add and remove songs. Shared playlists are view-only for everyone except the creator. If you want friends to contribute songs, you have two options: you can ask them to send you song titles and add them yourself, or you can use a third-party app like Maroofy or Chosic that syncs with Apple Music and lets multiple people add songs to a shared list.

Some people create a shared playlist and ask friends to text or message them song requests, then add those songs themselves. This keeps the playlist curated and prevents unwanted additions, though it requires more work on your part.

Syncing playlists across your devices

Any playlist you create in Apple Music syncs automatically to every device where you're signed into your Apple account. Create a playlist on your iPhone, and it appears on your Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch within seconds. The same is true for songs you add or remove — changes show up everywhere.

This sync works only if you have an active Apple Music subscription. If your subscription lapses, you keep the playlists, but you cannot add new songs or edit them until you renew. Downloaded playlists (songs you save for offline listening) stay on each device separately, so a read on your phone does not automatically read on your iPad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export my Apple Music playlists to another music service?

Apple Music does not have a built-in export feature, but you can use third-party tools like Soundiiz or TuneMyMusic to convert playlists to Spotify, YouTube Music, or other services. These tools read your Apple Music playlists and recreate them elsewhere. The process usually takes a few minutes per playlist.

What happens to my playlists if I cancel my Apple Music subscription?

Your playlists remain in your Library, but you cannot add new songs or edit them while your subscription is inactive. Once you renew, you can edit again. Songs you downloaded for offline listening stay on your device, but you cannot stream new music.

Can I make a playlist from songs in a specific album or artist?

Yes. Open an album or artist page, tap the three dots, and select Add to Playlist. You can add all songs at once or add them individually. This is faster than searching for each song separately.

How many songs can I add to a single playlist?

Apple Music does not publish a hard limit, but playlists with thousands of songs may load slowly on older devices. Most people keep playlists between 50 and 500 songs for straightforward browsing, though larger playlists work fine.

Can I duplicate a playlist I already created?

Apple Music does not have a duplicate feature, but you can create a new playlist and manually add the same songs, or use a third-party tool. On your computer, you can also right-click a playlist and look for an option to duplicate it, though this varies by device.