Delete a Playlist You Created
To delete a playlist you made yourself, open Spotify on your phone, tablet, or computer and find the playlist in your library. Right-click the playlist name (on desktop) or tap the three dots next to it (on mobile), then select "Delete playlist" from the menu. Spotify will ask you to confirm — select "Delete" again, and the playlist is gone permanently.
On mobile, the three-dot menu appears to the right of the playlist name when you're looking at your library. On desktop, you can also click the three dots that appear when you hover over the playlist. Either way, the delete option is near the bottom of the menu that opens.
Once deleted, the playlist cannot be recovered. If you shared the playlist with other people before deleting it, they will no longer be able to see it or add songs to it, but they may have already saved songs from it to their own playlists.
Key Takeaways
- You can only delete playlists you created yourself — you cannot delete playlists made by other people, even if you follow them.
- The delete option is in the three-dot menu next to the playlist name on mobile, or in the right-click menu on desktop.
- Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone, so make sure you want to remove the playlist before confirming.
- If you want to keep the songs but remove the playlist, you can unfollow it instead of deleting it.
- Shared playlists disappear for all followers once you delete them, though they may have saved individual songs elsewhere.
What Happens to Songs When You Delete a Playlist
Deleting a playlist does not delete the songs themselves from Spotify. The songs remain in Spotify's catalog and in your "Liked Songs" if you saved them there. Only the playlist container — the folder that organized those songs together — is removed.
If you want to keep the songs but get rid of the playlist, you have two options. You can unfollow the playlist instead of deleting it, which removes it from your library but keeps it on Spotify. Or you can move the songs you want to keep into a different playlist before you delete the original one.
Delete a Playlist on Mobile vs. Desktop
The steps are slightly different depending on which device you use, but the result is the same.
On iPhone or Android: Open Spotify and go to your library. Find the playlist you want to delete. Tap the three vertical dots (or three horizontal lines, depending on your Spotify version) next to the playlist name. Scroll down and tap "Delete playlist." Confirm by tapping "Delete" again.
On Mac or Windows: Open Spotify and find the playlist in your library on the left side. Right-click the playlist name. Select "Delete" from the menu. Confirm the deletion when Spotify asks.
If the three-dot menu does not appear on mobile, make sure you are looking at your own library, not someone else's profile. You can only delete playlists you created.
Why You Cannot Delete Someone Else's Playlist
Spotify only lets you delete playlists you created. If you follow a playlist made by another user or by Spotify itself, you can unfollow it to remove it from your library, but you cannot delete it.
Unfollowing works the same way: find the playlist, tap or click the three-dot menu, and select "Remove from Your Library" or "Unfollow." The playlist stays on Spotify and the creator can still see it, but it disappears from your own library.
This design prevents users from accidentally removing playlists that other people depend on. If you want to stop seeing a playlist without removing it entirely, unfollowing is the right choice.
Recover a Deleted Playlist
Spotify does not have a built-in recovery feature for deleted playlists. Once you confirm the deletion, the playlist is gone and cannot be restored through the app or your account settings.
If you deleted a playlist recently and remember most of the songs, you can create a new playlist and add them back manually. You can also check your Spotify listening history or search for the artist names to rebuild the list. If the playlist was collaborative and other people added songs to it, you could ask them what they remember adding.
For this reason, if you are unsure about deleting a playlist, unfollow it first instead. You can always follow it again later if you change your mind.
Deleting Playlists on Spotify Web Player
If you use Spotify through a web browser instead of the app, the process is the same as desktop. Go to your library, find the playlist, right-click it, and select "Delete." Confirm when prompted.
The web player works identically to the desktop app for this task, so the steps do not change. Make sure you are logged into your own account — you cannot delete playlists from someone else's account even if you have access to their login.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a playlist I created but someone else is following?
Yes. When you delete a playlist, it disappears for everyone who was following it. They will no longer see it in their library or be able to add songs to it. If they saved individual songs from the playlist to their own playlists, those songs remain in their collections.
What if I accidentally deleted a playlist?
Spotify does not restore deleted playlists. If you remember the songs that were in it, you can create a new playlist and add them back. Check your listening history or search for artist names to find the tracks again.
Can I delete a collaborative playlist?
Yes, but only if you created it. If you are a collaborator on someone else's playlist, you cannot delete it — you can only remove yourself by unfollowing it. The creator can delete the playlist at any time, which removes it for all collaborators.
Does deleting a playlist remove the songs from my Liked Songs?
No. Deleting a playlist only removes the playlist itself. Any songs you liked individually remain in your "Liked Songs" library. The playlist was just a way to organize them together.
Can I undo a playlist deletion?
No. Spotify does not have an undo feature for deleted playlists. If you are not sure you want to delete a playlist, unfollow it instead — you can follow it again later if you change your mind.