How to Copy a Playlist on Spotify: Methods, Limits, and What to Know First
Spotify doesn't have a single "duplicate playlist" button sitting in an obvious place — but copying a playlist is genuinely possible, and there are several ways to do it depending on whether you're copying your own playlist, someone else's, or moving content between accounts. Understanding how each method works helps you pick the right approach for your situation.
Why You Might Want to Copy a Spotify Playlist
The need to copy a playlist comes up more often than you'd think:
- You want to duplicate your own playlist as a starting point for a new one
- You found a friend's or public playlist you want to save and customize
- You're trying to transfer playlists between Spotify accounts
- You want a backup of a playlist you didn't create (and can't edit)
Each of these scenarios works a bit differently within Spotify's ecosystem.
How to Save Someone Else's Playlist to Your Library
This is the simplest case. If someone shares a playlist with you — or you find one publicly — you can add it to your library without copying it:
- Open the playlist on Spotify (mobile or desktop)
- Tap or click the heart icon or select "Add to Your Library"
- The playlist now appears in your sidebar or library
Important distinction: this doesn't copy the playlist — it links to the original. If the creator deletes or modifies it, your version changes too. You also can't edit the tracks.
To get a truly independent copy you can edit, you need a different approach.
How to Duplicate Your Own Spotify Playlist
Spotify doesn't have a native "duplicate" feature, but you can replicate a playlist manually:
- Create a new playlist and give it a name
- Open your original playlist
- Select all tracks — on desktop, click the first song, then press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac)
- Right-click and choose "Add to playlist", then select your new playlist
On mobile, the process is more tedious since there's no select-all. You'd need to add songs individually or use the desktop app for bulk actions.
This gives you a fully editable, independent copy of the playlist under your account.
How to Copy Someone Else's Playlist as Your Own Editable Version 🎵
If you want to take a public playlist and make it your own — one you can rearrange, add to, or trim — the cleanest method on desktop:
- Open the shared or public playlist in Spotify
- Click the three-dot menu (more options)
- Look for "Add to other playlist" or add individual songs in bulk using the same select-all method described above
- Dump everything into a new playlist you've created
Alternatively, some users right-click directly on the playlist title in the sidebar and find options that may include adding all tracks to another playlist, depending on the current version of the Spotify desktop app.
Third-party tools like Soundiiz or TuneMyMusic can also copy playlists between accounts or platforms — these are especially useful when migrating from another music service or managing multiple accounts.
Copying Playlists Between Two Spotify Accounts
This is where things get more complicated. Spotify doesn't natively support account-to-account playlist transfers. Your options:
| Method | Works For | Editing After Copy | Requires Third-Party Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Save to library | Public/shared playlists | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Manual track copy (desktop) | Own or others' playlists | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Third-party transfer tools | Cross-account, cross-platform | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Collaborative playlist | Shared editing | ✅ (both users) | ❌ No |
Third-party tools work by accessing Spotify's API with your permission, reading the track list from one account, and recreating it on another. They don't move files — they just rebuild the playlist using Spotify's own track database. The result is a new playlist populated with the same songs. 🔄
Variables That Change How This Works for You
The right method depends on factors specific to your setup:
Device: The desktop app has more bulk-selection capabilities than mobile. If you're only using Spotify on your phone, manual copying is much slower.
Account type: Free accounts can still copy playlists using these methods, but some third-party tools require a Premium account for API access.
Playlist size: A 20-song playlist is easy to copy manually. A 500-song playlist makes the desktop select-all method nearly essential — or points toward a third-party tool.
Ownership of the original: Playlists you own are easiest to duplicate. Spotify-generated playlists (like Discover Weekly or Daily Mixes) cannot be copied directly — they're algorithmically assembled and not structured like a standard user playlist.
Cross-platform needs: If you're copying from Spotify to Apple Music or YouTube Music, third-party transfer services are the only real option.
What Spotify's Collaborative Playlists Actually Do
Worth clarifying: collaborative playlists let multiple Spotify users add and remove tracks from a shared playlist — but that's not the same as copying. It's real-time shared editing of one playlist, not two separate editable versions. This can work well when two people want to build something together, but it means changes from either person affect everyone.
The Part That Depends on Your Situation
The mechanics of copying are straightforward once you know which method applies. But the right choice — manual desktop copy, library save, collaborative setup, or third-party tool — depends on the size of the playlist you're working with, which devices you use day-to-day, whether you're staying within one account or moving between two, and how much control you need over the result afterward. Those details are specific to your setup, and they're what actually determine which path makes the most sense. 🎧