The simplest way to add a friend on Spotify
You can add friends on Spotify in three ways: by searching their username, by connecting your Facebook account, or by sharing your Spotify profile link with them. The fastest method is to search for their username directly in the app or on the web player, then tap or click the "Follow" button next to their name.
When you follow someone on Spotify, you can see what they're listening to in real time (if they haven't turned that off), and they can see your activity too. Following is not the same as sending a friend request — there's no approval step. Once you hit follow, you're connected when ready.
The person you follow doesn't get a notification that you followed them, though they can see you in their followers list if they check. This means you can follow artists, podcasters, and people you know without them knowing you're watching their listening habits.
Key Takeaways
- Search for someone's username in Spotify and click the Follow button to connect with them when ready — no approval needed.
- You can see what friends are listening to right now if they haven't disabled activity sharing in their privacy settings.
- Connecting your Facebook account lets Spotify show you which of your Facebook friends already use Spotify, but you still have to follow them individually.
- Your profile link can be shared with anyone, and they can follow you from that link without needing to search for your username.
- Following someone on Spotify does not let you message them or see their saved playlists unless they make those playlists public.
How to search for and follow someone by username
Open Spotify on your phone, tablet, or computer. At the top of the screen, tap or click the search icon (it looks like a magnifying glass). Type the person's Spotify username — not their real name, but the handle they chose when they created their account. If you don't know their username, ask them directly or check if they've shared it on social media.
When you type their username, Spotify will show results. Look for the person's profile picture and name, then tap or click the Follow button next to it. The button will change to say "Following," and you're now connected. You'll start seeing their activity on your Home feed if they have activity sharing turned on.
If the search doesn't find them, double-check the spelling of their username. Spotify usernames are case-sensitive and can't have spaces — they might use underscores or numbers instead. If you're still stuck, ask them to send you their profile link instead, which is faster and more reliable.
Using your Facebook account to find Spotify friends
If you connected your Facebook account to Spotify when you signed up, you can see which of your Facebook friends already use Spotify. Open Spotify on your phone or computer, go to your profile (tap your name or picture in the top right), and look for a "Friends" or "Social" section. Tap or click "Find Friends" or "Connect with Facebook."
Spotify will show you a list of your Facebook friends who have Spotify accounts. You can follow any of them by tapping or clicking the Follow button next to their name. This is useful if you have a lot of friends on Facebook and want to discover who among them is already on Spotify, but you still have to follow each person individually — there's no "follow all" option.
If you didn't connect Facebook when you signed up, you can add it later in your account settings. Go to Settings, scroll to "Social," and select "Connect to Facebook." Spotify will ask for permission to see your Facebook friends list, and then you can use the Friends feature.
Sharing your profile link so others can follow you
The easiest way to let someone follow you is to share your Spotify profile link. Open Spotify, go to your profile (tap your name or picture), and look for a share button — it usually looks like three dots or a share icon. Tap or click it and select "Share Profile" or "Copy Link."
You can now paste that link in a text message, email, or social media post. When someone clicks the link, it opens your Spotify profile, and they can follow you with one tap or click. They don't need to know your username, and they don't need to search for you. This method works even if your username is hard to spell or remember.
Your profile link is public, so anyone with the link can see your profile and follow you. They can see your public playlists and what you're listening to (if you have activity sharing on), but they can't see your saved songs or private playlists unless you share those specifically.
Controlling what friends can see about your listening
By default, Spotify shows your friends what you're listening to in real time. If you want to turn this off, open Spotify, go to Settings, and scroll down to "Social Features." Look for "Listening activity" or "Show my listening activity" and toggle it off. When you do this, your friends can still follow you, but they won't see what you're playing.
You can also make your profile private, which hides your public playlists and listening history from people who aren't your followers. Go to Settings, find "Private Session," and turn it on. When Private Session is active, Spotify won't save your listening history or show it to anyone, and it won't affect your recommendations.
Keep in mind that turning off activity sharing doesn't hide your profile or stop people from following you — it just hides what you're listening to. If you want to stop someone from seeing your activity without unfollowing them, turning off activity sharing is the way to do it.
What you can and cannot do with Spotify friends
Following someone on Spotify lets you see their activity and their public playlists, but it doesn't give you access to their private playlists or saved songs. You also can't message friends through Spotify — there's no direct messaging feature in the app. If you want to talk to a friend about music, you'll need to use text, email, or another messaging app.
You can see what your friends are listening to in the "Friend Activity" section on your Home feed, and you can click on their profile to see their public playlists. You can also follow the same playlists they follow, which is a good way to discover new music. However, you can't see their saved songs or their private playlists unless they share those playlists with you directly by sending you a link.
If you want to collaborate on a playlist with a friend, you can create a collaborative playlist and share the link with them. They can then add songs to the playlist, and you'll both see the changes in real time. This is different from following — it's a way to work together on music rather than just watching what each other listens to.
Unfollowing someone or blocking them
If you want to stop following someone, open their profile and tap or click the "Following" button. It will change back to "Follow," and you'll no longer see their activity. Unfollowing is when ready, and the person won't get a notification that you unfollowed them.
Spotify doesn't have a built-in block feature, but you can turn off activity sharing (so no one sees what you're listening to) or make your profile private (so people can't see your playlists). If someone is harassing you through Spotify or another platform, report them to Spotify's support team through the app's settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I message my Spotify friends?
No, Spotify doesn't have a messaging feature. You can see what your friends are listening to and follow their playlists, but you can't send them direct messages through the app. You'll need to use text, email, or another messaging app to talk to them.
Do people know when I follow them on Spotify?
No, Spotify doesn't send notifications when someone follows you. However, they can see you in their followers list if they check their profile. If you want them to know you followed them, you'll need to tell them yourself.
What's the difference between following someone and being friends?
Spotify uses the word "follow" instead of "friend." When you follow someone, you can see their activity and public playlists. There's no separate "friend" status or approval process — following is the only way to connect with people on Spotify.
Can I see what my friends are listening to right now?
Yes, if they have activity sharing turned on. You'll see their current song in the "Friend Activity" section on your Home feed. If they turn off activity sharing in their settings, you won't see what they're listening to, even though you're still following them.
How do I share a playlist with a friend?
Open the playlist, tap or click the three-dot menu, and select "Share." You can copy the link and send it to them through text or email. If you want them to add songs to the playlist too, create a collaborative playlist instead — tap the three dots, select "Make Collaborative," and share the link.