You can make your Spotify playlist private by clicking the three dots on the playlist.
To make the change, select "Make Private" from the three-dot menu.
You can also create a private listening session if you'd prefer not to share activity with your Spotify friends.
While Spotify is often used for sharing playlists with friends, there may be some playlists or listening behaviors that you want to keep private. That's where Spotify's Make Private option comes in handy.
Once you make a Spotify playlist private, your followers will no longer be able to view the playlist, and it won't appear in any searches.
You can make a Spotify playlist private in both the desktop app for Mac and PC as well as the mobile app for iPhone and Android.
Note: You can only make playlists you've created private — if the playlist is owned by someone else, you can't edit those settings.
Alternatively, you can set up a private listening session so that your friends won't be able to see what you're listening to during that time.
Here's how to make a playlist private, or start a private listening session.
How to make a Spotify playlist private on the desktop app
1. Open Spotify on your Mac or PC.
2. Open the playlist you'd like to make private by searching for it, or selecting it from the left-hand sidebar.
3. Click the three dots to the left of the large green Play button, just below the playlist's name.
Click the three dots. Devon Delfino/Insider
4. Click Make Private. If you instead see a button that says Make Public, the playlist is already private.
Choose Make Private. Devon Delfino/Insider
Quick tip: If you ever change your mind, you can open the same menu again and select Make Public.
How to make a Spotify playlist private on the mobile app
1. Open the Spotify app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Open the playlist you want to make private by searching for it or finding it in the Your Library tab.
3. Tap the three dots under your playlist name.
Tap the three dots. Devon Delfino/Insider
4. Tap Make Private. A pop-up message should automatically appear and confirm saying that you've made the playlist private.
Choose Make Private. Devon Delfino/Insider
Quick tip: If you only see an option that says Make Public, then the playlist is already private. And to make a playlist public again, you'd tap the three dots and select Make Public.
How to set up a private listening session on Spotify
Your listening activity can be viewed by friends using the Friend Activity section of the app.
Setting up a private session prevents that. Here's how to start a private listening session:
1. Open the Spotify app on your desktop computer.
2. Click your profile name, located toward the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Choose Private session.
Choose Private session. Devon Delfino/Insider
Marissa PerinoMarissa Perino is a former editorial intern covering executive lifestyle. She previously worked at Cold Lips in London and Creative Nonfiction in Pittsburgh. She studied journalism and communications at the University of Pittsburgh, along with creative writing. Find her on Twitter: @mlperino. Read more Read less Devon DelfinoDevon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at @devondelfino. Read more Read less
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