Creating a playlist on YouTube takes three steps: sign in to your account, click your profile icon, and select "Create a playlist" from the menu
A YouTube playlist is a collection of videos you save together under one name. You can watch them in order, add or remove videos later, and share the playlist with other people. Playlists stay on your account until you delete them, so they work as a permanent way to organize content you want to revisit.
The fastest way to start is from your YouTube homepage. Sign in with your Google account, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and look for "Create a playlist" in the dropdown menu. YouTube will ask you to name the playlist and choose whether it's public (anyone can find and watch it), unlisted (only people with the link can see it), or private (only you can see it).
Once you create the playlist, you can add videos to it immediately. The next time you watch any YouTube video, you'll see a "Save" button below the video title — click it and select your playlist from the list.
Key Takeaways
- You create a playlist by signing in, clicking your profile icon, and selecting "Create a playlist" from the menu that appears.
- YouTube lets you set each playlist as public, unlisted, or private, controlling who can find and watch it.
- You add videos to a playlist by clicking the "Save" button under any video and choosing which playlist to add it to.
- You can reorder videos in a playlist by dragging them, and remove videos by clicking the three-dot menu next to each one.
- Playlists automatically play videos in the order you arrange them, and you can turn on autoplay to continue watching related videos when the playlist ends.
Where to find the "Create a playlist" option
The "Create a playlist" button lives in your profile menu, not on the main YouTube page. Click your profile picture — it's a small circle in the top right corner of any YouTube page — and a dropdown menu will appear with several options. Look for "Create a playlist" in that list.
If you don't see it immediately, scroll down in the dropdown menu. YouTube sometimes groups it below other options like "Settings" or "Help." Once you click "Create a playlist," a box will pop up asking you to name it and choose its privacy setting.
Naming your playlist and choosing privacy settings
When you create a playlist, YouTube asks for a title and a privacy level. The title can be anything — "Cooking Videos," "Workout Music," "Things to Watch Later" — and you can change it anytime by going back to the playlist and clicking the edit icon.
The privacy setting determines who can see your playlist. Public playlists appear in search results and on your profile, so anyone on YouTube can find them. Unlisted playlists don't show up in search, but anyone with the link can watch them — useful if you want to share a collection with specific people. Private playlists are visible only to you, even if someone has the link.
You can change the privacy setting later by opening the playlist, clicking the three-dot menu next to the title, and selecting "Edit playlist." This is helpful if you start with a private playlist and later decide to share it.
Adding videos to your playlist
Once your playlist exists, adding videos is straightforward. While watching any YouTube video, look for the "Save" button below the video title — it looks like a bookmark or flag icon. Click it, and a list of your playlists will appear. Select the one you want to add the video to, and YouTube saves it immediately.
You can also add videos from search results or recommendations without opening them first. Hover over a video thumbnail and click the three-dot menu, then select "Add to playlist" and choose which one.
There's no limit to how many videos you can add to a single playlist, and you can add the same video to multiple playlists. If you add a video by mistake, open the playlist, find the video, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select "Remove from playlist."
Organizing and reordering videos in your playlist
YouTube lets you arrange videos in any order you want. Open your playlist, and you'll see all the videos listed. Click and drag any video to move it up or down the list — the order you set is the order they'll play when you watch the playlist.
If you have a long playlist, you can also use the three-dot menu next to each video to move it to the top or bottom without dragging. This is faster when you're reorganizing a playlist with dozens of videos.
You can remove videos one at a time by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting "Remove from playlist," or you can delete the entire playlist by opening it, clicking the three-dot menu next to the title, and selecting "Delete playlist." Deleting a playlist doesn't remove the videos from YouTube — it only removes your collection.
Sharing your playlist with others
If your playlist is public or unlisted, you can share it with other people. Open the playlist and look for the "Share" button near the top. Click it to copy a link, which you can then paste in a message, email, or social media post.
Anyone who clicks that link can watch the videos in your playlist, but they can't edit it or add videos to it — only you can change what's in your playlist. If you want someone else to be able to edit it, you'll need to create a separate playlist and have them add videos themselves.
For public playlists, you can also share individual videos from the playlist. Click the three-dot menu next to any video and select "Share," which gives you options to copy a link or share to social media.
Using autoplay and watch settings
When you start playing a playlist, YouTube automatically plays the videos in the order you arranged them. At the bottom right of the video player, you'll see a toggle for "Autoplay" — when it's on, YouTube continues playing related videos after your playlist ends. When it's off, playback stops after the last video in your playlist.
You can also pause and resume a playlist at any time. If you stop watching halfway through a video, YouTube remembers where you left off and asks if you want to resume the next time you open the playlist.
If you want to shuffle your playlist instead of playing videos in order, look for the shuffle icon (two crossed arrows) near the play button. This randomizes the order for that viewing session without changing how the videos are arranged in your playlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add videos to a playlist from my phone?
Yes. Open any video in the YouTube app, tap the "Save" button (usually a bookmark icon below the title), and select your playlist. The process is the same on Android and iPhone.
What happens if I delete a video from YouTube that's in my playlist?
The video disappears from your playlist automatically. If the creator deletes the video or makes it private, it will no longer play when you watch your playlist, though it may still appear in your list as unavailable.
Can I make a playlist that only certain people can see?
Yes. Set your playlist to "Private" and only you can see it, or set it to "Unlisted" and share the link only with people you choose. Public playlists appear in search results and on your profile.
How many videos can I add to one playlist?
YouTube doesn't set a hard limit, but playlists with thousands of videos may load slowly. Most people keep playlists between 10 and 500 videos for easier browsing.
Can I download a playlist to watch offline?
YouTube Premium members can download individual videos from a playlist to watch offline, but you can't download an entire playlist at once. The YouTube app lets you save videos for offline viewing if you have a Premium subscription.