Whether you're a free or premium Spotify user, you can take advantage of the service's vast library of songs and powerful desktop and mobile apps to create the best playlists for any occasion.
Follow these steps to create a new Spotify playlist on the desktop app:
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In the menu at the top of the screen, select File > New Playlist.
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Keep the default playlist name, or enter a new name and title and then select Save. You also have the option to upload an image or add a description.
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The name of your playlist appears in the left vertical pane.
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Use the search field to find specific titles and then select Add. Or, select and drag titles into the playlists in the right vertical pane.
To add an album to a playlist, navigate to the album, then select More [three dots] in the upper-right corner > Add to Playlist. Or, select and drag the album artwork to the corresponding playlist.
To create playlists on the Spotify mobile app:
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Open the app, then go to the lower-right corner and select Your Library.
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In the upper-right corner, select the plus [+] icon, then enter a name for your playlist.
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Select Create > Add Songs.
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Choose from suggested titles to build your playlist or search for specific songs. Select the plus [+] icon to add suggested songs to your playlists.
To add an image and a description to your newly created playlist, you'll have to do it from the desktop app.
When you come across a song you want to add while browsing or listening, select More [three dots] next to the song > Add to playlist > choose your playlist.
You can also remove songs in bulk from Spotify. In the desktop app, open the playlist, and then hold the Ctrl/Command key [depending on whether you're using Windows or Mac, respectively] while selecting each track to remove. Right-click one of the titles and choose Remove from this playlist.
In the mobile app, go to the playlist and select More [three dots] > Edit. Then, tap the minus [-] icon next to each song you'd like to remove.
When you create a playlist, it's set to public by default, meaning that anyone who searches for any terms you included in the name of your playlist may find it in their search results and then follow and listen to it. However, they can't make any change to your playlist by adding or removing new tracks.
To keep your playlist private or permit other users to edit your playlist, configure the playlist settings on the desktop or mobile apps.
To make a playlist secret or hidden from your profile in the desktop app, go to the left vertical pane, right-click the name of your playlist, and select Remove from profile.
In the mobile app, go to the playlist and select More [three dots] > Remove from Profile. You can also choose to Make private, which blocks access to the playlist for everyone, including those who have ever liked or followed it.
To make a playlist public or visible in your profile in the desktop app, go to the left vertical pane, right-click your playlist's name, and then select Add to profile.
In the mobile app, go to the playlist and select More [three dots] > Add to profile.
To make a playlist collaborative for all followers or subscribers in the desktop app, go to the left vertical pane, right-click the name of your playlist, then choose Collaborative playlist.
In the mobile app, go to the playlist and select More [three dots] > Make collaborative.
The more playlists you create, the more likely you'll want to keep them organized and perhaps even duplicate them so you can build on them as new playlists.
Playlist folders help you group similar playlists, so you don't have to spend too much time scrolling through your playlists. Here's how to create a playlist folder.
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In the desktop app, go to File > New Playlist Folder, or right-click the playlist in the playlist menu and select Create Folder.
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Enter a name.
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Use your cursor to drag and drop your playlists into your new folder.
If you already have a great playlist that you want to use as inspiration for another, you can duplicate it so you don't have to waste time manually rebuilding your playlist. Right-click on any playlist name you want to copy and select Create Similar Playlist. A new one will appear in your playlist section with the same name and a [2] to differentiate it from the original playlist.
At this time, you can only create folders and similar playlists from the desktop app, but any folders you create will appear in your Playlists section in the mobile app as long as you've signed in to your account.
Whether you added a track by mistake or started to dislike a particular track after listening to it too many times, you can remove it from your playlist anytime. On the desktop app, right-click the track to remove, then select Remove from this playlist.
In the mobile app, tap the section of the play list that says You Added or We Added, select the three dots next to the track you want to delete, and then select Remove from this playlist.
One of the best ways to discover new tracks to add to your playlist is by actively listening to your playlist's radio. It's like a radio station that contains similar tunes to the ones included in your playlist.
To get to your playlist's radio in the desktop app, go to the left pane, right-click the playlist name, and select Go to Playlist Radio. Then, choose Play to start playing the radio. You also have the option to select More [three dots] to go to the radio playlist or add all tracks to a playlist.
This feature is no longer available in the mobile app.
Whether you stopped listening to a particular playlist or need to cut down on the number of playlists you have, it's possible to delete an entire playlist without removing every track separately. You can delete playlists from within the desktop app and the mobile app. Deleting Spotify playlists that you find yourself ignoring most often is ideal for keeping your playlist section tidy and organized.
In the desktop app, right-click the playlist's name and select Delete. Select Delete again to confirm. After deleting a playlist, you can't undo the action, so be sure you want to delete the playlist.
In the mobile app, navigate to the name of your playlist and select More [three dots] > Delete playlist. Select Delete in the next window to confirm.
If you pay for a Spotify Premium membership, you have another option to round out your playlists. The Enhance feature will add one recommended track to your playlist after every two tracks you include, resulting in up to 30 additions.
To activate Enhance, open a playlist you've already created and select Enhance above the track listing. Spotify will automatically add the recommended music. [Enhanced displays when the feature activates.]
Tap Enhance again to reset the list to include only the songs you've added.
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