Creating a playlist takes three steps: open Apple Music, tap the Library tab, and select "New Playlist"

A playlist is a collection of songs you arrange in any order you want. On Apple Music, you create one by opening the app, going to the Library tab at the bottom of your screen, and tapping the plus sign next to "Playlists". Name your playlist anything you like — "Road Trip", "Focus Work", "90s Hits" — and tap "Create". The playlist exists but is empty until you add songs to it.

Once created, you add songs by finding them anywhere in Apple Music — in search results, in an album, in someone else's playlist — and tapping the three dots next to the song title. A menu appears with the option "Add to Playlist". Tap it, select your new playlist from the list, and the song moves into it. You can add the same song to multiple playlists, and removing it from one playlist does not remove it from others.

The order of songs in your playlist matters only if you want it to. When you play a playlist, Apple Music starts at the top and plays down. If you want to rearrange songs, open your playlist, tap "Edit" in the top right, then drag songs up or down by their handles (three horizontal lines on the left). Tap "Done" when you finish.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new playlist by opening Apple Music, tapping Library, and selecting the plus sign next to Playlists.
  • Add songs to a playlist by tapping the three dots next to any song and choosing "Add to Playlist".
  • Rearrange songs within a playlist by tapping Edit, dragging songs by their handles, and tapping Done.
  • You can add the same song to multiple playlists without affecting the original song or other playlists.
  • Playlists sync across all your devices if you are signed into the same Apple Music account.

Adding songs from different sources

You do not have to search for each song individually. If you are listening to an album and want to add several songs to a playlist, tap the three dots next to each one. The three-dot menu appears on every song, in every album, in every search result, and in every playlist Apple Music shows you. This menu is the fastest way to add anything to your playlist.

You can also add entire albums or playlists to your library, but that is different from adding them to your own playlist. When you add an album to your library, you own a copy of it in Apple Music. When you add songs from that album to your playlist, you are selecting specific tracks. If you want all the songs from an album in your playlist, you can tap the three dots next to the album name itself and choose "Add to Playlist" — this adds every song on the album at once, in album order.

Sharing and collaborating on playlists

Apple Music lets you share a playlist with other people in two ways. You can send them a link to view and listen to your playlist without editing it, or you can invite them to edit the playlist with you. To share a link, open your playlist, tap the three dots in the top right, and select "Share Playlist". Choose how you want to send it — text, email, social media — and the recipient gets a link they can tap to listen.

To let someone edit your playlist with you, tap the three dots, select "Invite People", and enter their phone number or email address. They receive an invitation and can add, remove, and rearrange songs once they accept. Both of you see changes in real time. This works only if both people have Apple Music subscriptions.

Deleting and managing playlists

To delete a playlist you created, open it, tap the three dots in the top right, and select "Delete Playlist". Confirm that you want to delete it. The playlist disappears, but the songs themselves stay in your Apple Music library — deleting a playlist does not delete the songs from Apple Music.

If you want to remove just one song from a playlist without deleting the whole playlist, open the playlist, tap "Edit", swipe left on the song you want to remove, and tap the trash icon that appears. Tap "Done" when you finish. You can also long-press a song in your playlist and select "Remove from Playlist" from the menu that appears.

You can create as many playlists as you want, and they all sync to your other devices automatically. If you create a playlist on your iPhone, it appears on your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch within seconds, as long as you are signed into the same Apple Music account on all devices.

Using playlists across devices

Your playlists follow you everywhere you use Apple Music. Create a playlist on your iPhone and it shows up on your Mac. Edit it on your iPad and the changes appear on your Apple Watch. This happens because Apple Music stores your playlists in the cloud — on Apple's servers — not just on one device.

The only requirement is that you sign into Apple Music with the same Apple ID on every device. If you use different Apple IDs on different devices, each one has its own separate playlists. To check which Apple ID you are using, open Apple Music, tap the For You tab, and look at the top of the screen — your name and Apple ID appear there.

Playlists versus library and favorites

Apple Music gives you three ways to organize music: your library, your favorites, and your playlists. Your library is everything you have added to Apple Music — all the albums, songs, and playlists you have saved. Your favorites are songs you mark with a heart icon; tapping the heart next to any song adds it to a special "Loved" playlist that Apple Music creates automatically. Your playlists are collections you create and arrange yourself.

The difference matters because your library is passive — it just holds everything — while playlists let you organize by mood, activity, or any other reason you choose. You might add an album to your library but only put three songs from it into your "Morning Coffee" playlist. You might mark a song as a favorite and also add it to three different playlists. Each tool serves a different purpose, and you can use all three at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see playlists other people created?

Yes. Apple Music has playlists created by Apple Music staff, musicians, and other users. You can search for them, listen to them, and add songs from them to your own playlists. You cannot edit someone else's playlist unless they specifically invite you to collaborate on it.

What happens to a playlist if I cancel my Apple Music subscription?

Your playlists stay in your account, but you cannot listen to the songs in them. If you resubscribe later, your playlists are still there with all the songs you added. If you do not resubscribe, the playlists remain but become inaccessible.

Can I move a song from one playlist to another?

You cannot move a song directly, but you can add it to a new playlist and then remove it from the old one. Open the song, tap the three dots, select "Add to Playlist", choose your new playlist, then go back to the old playlist and remove the song using the Edit button.

How many songs can I add to a single playlist?

Apple Music does not publish a limit, but playlists can hold thousands of songs without problems. Most people create playlists with 20 to 200 songs, but there is no technical reason you cannot make one with 1,000 or more.

Do I need Apple Music to create a playlist?

Yes. Playlists are a feature of Apple Music, so you need an active subscription to create and edit them. You can listen to playlists other people share with you without a subscription, but you cannot create your own.