How to Make a Private Playlist on Spotify

Some people like to share any new music they find with the entire world, announcing their discovery on all their social media. Others prefer to keep it to themselves. Spotify respects user privacy and provides you with the choice of making your playlists public or private. However, you may need to make this decision for each playlist, depending on your preference.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to make your Spotify playlists private in the Spotify mobile and desktop apps. Additionally, we’ll answer some of the most common questions related to the topic. Read on to find out how to update this privacy setting in Spotify.

How to Make a Private Spotify Playlist From an iPhone

Follow the instructions below to make your Spotify playlist private in the iPhone app:

1. Launch the Spotify app and log in to your account if you haven’t done so already.
   
2. Tap “Your Library” at the bottom of the screen.
   
3. Navigate to the “Playlists” tab and open the playlist you wish to make private.
   
4. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper-right corner.
   
5. Hit “Make Private.”
   

How to Make a Private Spotify Playlist From an Android Device

To make a Spotify playlist private on an Android device, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Spotify app and log in to your profile.
   
2. Navigate to the “Your Library” tab at the bottom.
   
3. Tap “Playlists” to view your playlists and select which one to make private.
   
4. Press the three dots at the top-right of your screen.
   
5. Select “Make Private.”
   

How to Make a Private Spotify Playlist From a PC

You can make a Spotify playlist private, not just with the Spotify mobile app but also with the desktop app. Here’s how to do that:

1. Head to the Spotify desktop app and log in to your account.
   
2. Select the playlist you’d like to make private from the left sidebar. You can view all your playlists under the “Playlists” section.
   
3. Click the profile icon to the upper-right corner.
   
4. Click “Private Session” to make the playlist private.
   

How to Make a Private Spotify Playlist From an iPad

You can make a Spotify playlist private on an iPad via the mobile app. Follow the steps below:

1. Launch Spotify.
   
2. Log in to your account if you’re not already logged in.
   
3. At the bottom of your screen, hit “Your Library.”
   
4. Select “Playlists.”
   
5. Open the playlist you want to make private.
   
6. In the top-right, hit the three dots.
   
7. Tap “Make Private.”
   

FAQ

Read this section to find out more about playlist privacy settings on Spotify.

Why Can’t I See the “Make Private” Option When Attempting to Make a Playlist Private?

Sometimes, you may see the “Make Public” option when attempting to make a playlist private on Spotify. That means that the playlist is already private, and you can only choose to make it public again.

What Does a Private Playlist Mean on Spotify?

Private playlists don’t show up to other users on your Spotify profile. Making a playlist private will make no difference in how you see your playlists. However, if you share a private playlist on social media or in a direct message, the recipients will be able to see, play, and share it. Furthermore, if your private playlist already has followers, they can still display it on their profiles.

Can I Make a Collaborative Playlist Private?

Yes, you can make any Spotify playlist private, even if it’s collaborative. If you do this, the playlist won’t display on your Spotify profile to other users. However, note that the playlist will still be visible on another user’s profile, and they will still be able to edit it.

Can Other Users See Which Playlists I’ve Played on Spotify?

By default, all Spotify users can view your public playlists and your recently-played playlists. You can hide your recently-played music by turning on a Private Session. The playlist creator won’t be notified if you listen to their playlist unless you follow it.

How Do I Turn On a Private Session on Spotify?

By default, Spotify shares your recently played music with your followers or any other user visiting your profile. However, not all users agree to share their personal preferences with others. If you’d like to keep this information secret, a Private Session can help. It lasts for six hours, during which any of your Spotify activities remain hidden from other users. Follow the steps below to turn on the Private Session on a mobile device:

1. Launch the Spotify app.

2. Tap the gear icon in the upper-right corner to access Settings.

3. Scroll down to the “Social” section.

4. Shift the toggle next to “Private Session.” If it’s green, the Private Session is on.

On the Spotify desktop app, the instructions are slightly different:

1. Open the Spotify desktop app.

2. Click the downward arrow icon in the top-right corner of your screen.

3. Click “Private Session.”

Bear in mind that the music you listen to in the Private Session will not influence your music recommendations, such as Discover Weekly or end-of-the-year personal recommendations. The session ends automatically when you restart the Spotify app or if you’re inactive for over six hours.

How Do I Make the Playlists I Create on Spotify Private Automatically?

Switching each playlist you create on Spotify to private manually can be cumbersome, so you may be wondering how to do this automatically. We’ve got good news: by default, none of your newly-created Spotify playlists show up on your profile; they are all private. However, you can change this setting via the Spotify desktop app. Follow the instructions below:

1. Open the Spotify desktop app and log in to your account.

2. Click the downward arrow icon in the top-right of the screen to access the dropdown menu.

3. Select “Settings.”

4. Scroll down to the “Social” section.

5. Shift the toggle button next to “Make my new playlists public.” If the toggle is green, your new playlists will be made public automatically. If it’s grey, they will be private.

Note: You can’t manage this setting via the Spotify mobile app, but the changes you make in the Spotify desktop app apply to all your devices.

Keep Your Music Private

Hopefully, our guide has helped you tailor your Spotify privacy settings to your preference. Remember that even if your Spotify playlist isn’t displayed on your profile, other users can find it if you share it or if the playlist has followers. To keep your music preferences truly private, consider creating a new private playlist that will have no followers and never share music from it.

What are your favorite public Spotify playlists? Share your top picks in the comments section below.