Creating a new playlist on Spotify
To create a playlist, open Spotify on your phone, computer, or web browser and look for the Create Playlist button. On a phone, this is usually a plus sign (+) in a circle at the bottom of the screen or in the menu. On a computer, you'll find it in the left sidebar under "Your Library" — click the plus icon next to "Playlists". On the web version, the same plus icon appears in the left sidebar.
When you click it, Spotify will ask you to name your playlist and optionally add a description. The name can be anything: a mood ("Late Night Drives"), an artist ("All Taylor Swift"), a genre ("90s Hip Hop"), or just something personal. The description is optional but helpful if you want to remember later why you made it. After you type the name, click Create and your empty playlist appears.
Your new playlist is private by default, meaning only you can see it. If you want other people to find and follow it, you can change this later in the playlist settings — but you don't have to do anything right now.
Key Takeaways
- Create a playlist by clicking the plus icon next to "Playlists" in your library, give it a name, and click Create.
- Add songs by searching for them, playing them and using the menu, or dragging songs from other playlists into your new one.
- Reorder songs by dragging them up or down the list, and remove songs by clicking the three-dot menu next to each track.
- Change your playlist from private to public in the settings if you want other people to follow it and see what you've added.
- You can add the same song to multiple playlists without taking up extra storage space on your device.
Adding songs to your playlist
Once your playlist exists, you need to fill it. The easiest way is to search for a song, artist, or album, then add it. When you find a song you want, tap or click the three-dot menu next to it and select Add to Playlist. A list of your playlists appears — select the one you just made. The song is now in your playlist.
You can also add a song while you're listening to it. If a track is playing and you like it, tap the heart icon (or plus icon, depending on your device) to save it, then add it to a specific playlist from the song's menu. Another option: if you're looking at an album or another playlist, you can select multiple songs at once and add them all to your playlist in one action.
There's no limit to how many songs you can add, and adding a song to your playlist doesn't remove it from anywhere else. The same track can live in five different playlists at once without taking up extra space.
Organizing and editing your playlist
After you've added songs, you can arrange them in any order you want. On a phone, press and hold a song until it highlights, then drag it up or down the list. On a computer, click and drag the song to its new position. This is useful if you're building a playlist for a specific mood or activity — you might want upbeat songs first, then slower ones later.
To remove a song, tap or click the three-dot menu next to it and select Remove from This Playlist. The song stays in Spotify and in your library; it just leaves this particular playlist. You can also rename your playlist or change its description anytime by clicking the playlist name at the top and selecting Edit Details.
If you want to delete the entire playlist, open its menu and select Delete Playlist. This removes the playlist but not the songs themselves — they remain in your library and in any other playlists where you added them.
Making your playlist public or collaborative
By default, your playlist is private and only you can see it. If you want to share it with friends or make it public so anyone on Spotify can find it, open the playlist and tap the three-dot menu at the top. Select Make Public. Now other people can search for it, follow it, and see which songs you've added.
You can also make a playlist collaborative, which means friends you invite can add and remove songs themselves. This is useful for group playlists — a road trip playlist where everyone contributes, or a party playlist that guests can help build. To turn on collaboration, go to the playlist menu and select Make Collaborative. You can then share the link with friends, and they'll be able to edit it.
Keep in mind that once a playlist is public or collaborative, you can't make it private again on most devices — you can only delete it and create a new one. So think about whether you want others to see it before you flip the switch.
Adding playlists to your library
When you find a playlist made by someone else — a friend, an artist, or Spotify itself — you can add it to your library so it appears in your sidebar. This doesn't copy the playlist; it just creates a shortcut to it. When you tap or click the heart icon or plus icon next to a playlist name, it's added to your library under "Playlists".
Following a playlist means you'll see updates when new songs are added to it. If it's a collaborative playlist, you'll also be notified when friends add tracks. You can unfollow a playlist anytime by clicking the heart or plus icon again — this removes it from your library but doesn't affect the original playlist.
Syncing playlists across your devices
Any playlist you create on your phone automatically appears on your computer and the web version, as long as you're signed into the same Spotify account. Changes you make on one device — adding a song, reordering tracks, changing the name — show up on all your devices within a few seconds.
If you're offline on your phone, you can still create playlists and add songs, but they'll sync to your other devices once you're back online. Downloaded playlists (songs you've saved to your phone for offline listening) stay on that device even if you delete them from your account on other devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a song to multiple playlists at once?
Not in a single action, but you can add the same song to as many playlists as you want one at a time. Search for the song, tap the three-dot menu, select Add to Playlist, and choose each playlist you want it in. The song appears in all of them without taking up extra space.
What happens if I delete a song from a playlist?
The song is removed only from that playlist. It stays in your library, in your saved songs, and in any other playlists where you added it. Deleting from a playlist never removes a song from Spotify entirely.
Can I see who added songs to a collaborative playlist?
On most devices, you can see which songs were added by which person if you tap the three-dot menu next to a track in a collaborative playlist. However, this feature varies depending on whether you're using the phone app, desktop app, or web version.
How do I read a playlist to listen offline?
Open the playlist and toggle the read icon (usually a downward arrow) at the top. Spotify downloads all the songs to your device so you can listen without an internet connection. Downloaded playlists take up storage space on your phone, so you may need to delete some if space runs low.
Can I sort my playlists alphabetically or by date created?
Spotify doesn't have a built-in sort feature for your playlists in the sidebar. You can arrange them manually by dragging them in your library on some devices, but the order is set by you, not by Spotify's sorting options.