Creating a playlist takes three taps on iPhone or one click on Mac

Open Apple Music and tap the Library tab at the bottom right. Scroll down and tap Playlists, then tap the + icon in the top right corner. Name your playlist, choose whether it's public or private, then tap Create. You now have an empty playlist ready for songs.

On a Mac, open Apple Music, click Library in the sidebar, then right-click in the empty space below your existing playlists and select New Playlist. Name it and press Enter. The process is nearly identical on iPad.

Once created, your playlist appears in your Library. You can add songs to it immediately or come back later. Apple Music keeps your playlists synced across all your devices — a song you add on your iPhone shows up on your Mac within seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new playlist by opening Library, finding Playlists, and tapping the plus icon on iPhone, or right-clicking in the playlist area on Mac.
  • You can choose whether a playlist is private (visible only to you) or public (visible to anyone with a link) when you create it.
  • Add songs by tapping or right-clicking any song and selecting your playlist from the menu, or by dragging songs into the playlist on Mac.
  • Playlists sync automatically across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the web, so changes appear on all devices within seconds.
  • You can edit a playlist's name, description, and cover image by opening it and tapping or clicking the three-dot menu.

Adding songs to your playlist

Find a song you want to add. On iPhone, tap and hold the song title until a menu appears, then tap Add to Playlist. A list of your playlists shows up — tap the one you want. On Mac, right-click the song and select Add to Playlist, then choose from the list.

You can also add entire albums or artists. Tap and hold an album cover, select Add to Playlist, and choose your playlist. The same method works for artists — every song by that artist goes into the playlist.

On Mac, you can drag songs directly into a playlist in your sidebar. Click and hold a song, drag it over your playlist name, and release. This is faster if you're adding many songs at once.

Editing your playlist's appearance and details

Open your playlist and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top right (iPhone) or the three-dot menu next to the playlist name (Mac). Select Edit Playlist. From here you can change the name, add a description, and upload a custom cover image.

To change the cover image, tap Change Image and choose a photo from your library, take a new one, or let Apple Music suggest one based on the songs in your playlist. The image appears as the playlist's thumbnail everywhere you see it.

You can also change whether the playlist is public or private from this menu. Public playlists can be shared with others via a link; private playlists are visible only to you. Switching between the two does not delete the playlist or remove any songs.

Removing songs and deleting playlists

To remove a single song, open the playlist, tap and hold the song, and select Remove from Playlist. On Mac, right-click the song and choose Remove from Playlist. The song stays in your library — it only leaves this specific playlist.

To delete an entire playlist, open your Library, find the playlist, tap and hold it (iPhone) or right-click it (Mac), and select Delete Playlist. Confirm the deletion. This removes the playlist but not the songs themselves — they remain in your library.

You can also remove all songs at once by opening the playlist, tapping the three-dot menu, selecting Edit Playlist, and tapping Clear Playlist. This empties the playlist without deleting it.

Sharing playlists with others

If your playlist is set to public, you can share it. Open the playlist, tap the three-dot menu, and select Share Playlist. Choose how you want to share — via Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or a copied link. Anyone who receives the link can view the playlist and listen to the songs, but they cannot edit it unless you make them a collaborator.

To let someone edit your playlist, tap the three-dot menu, select Edit Playlist, and scroll down to Collaborators. Tap Add Collaborators and enter their Apple ID or phone number. They can now add, remove, and reorder songs in the shared playlist.

Collaborators see a pencil icon next to the playlist name, indicating they can make changes. You can remove a collaborator at any time from the same menu.

Organizing playlists with folders

If you have many playlists, you can group them into folders. On iPhone, tap Library, then Playlists, then tap Edit in the top left. Tap the plus icon and select New Folder. Name the folder, then tap Done. Drag playlists into the folder to organize them.

On Mac, right-click in your playlist area and select New Folder. Name it and drag playlists into it. Folders collapse and expand with a single click or tap, making it easier to find what you want if you have dozens of playlists.

You can rename or delete a folder the same way you would a playlist — tap and hold (iPhone) or right-click (Mac) and select the option you want. Removing a folder does not delete the playlists inside it; they move back to your main Playlists view.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reorder songs in my playlist?

Yes. On iPhone, open the playlist, tap Edit in the top right, then tap and drag the three horizontal lines next to each song to move it up or down. On Mac, click and drag songs to reorder them directly. Release to place the song in its new position.

What happens if I delete a song from Apple Music that's in my playlist?

If Apple Music removes a song from its catalog, it disappears from your playlist automatically. The song no longer plays, but the playlist itself remains. This is rare — most songs stay available indefinitely.

Can I make a playlist that other people can add songs to?

Yes, by adding them as collaborators. Open the playlist, tap the three-dot menu, select Edit Playlist, and scroll to Collaborators. They can then add, remove, and reorder songs alongside you.

Do my playlists work on the Apple Music website?

Yes. Log into music.apple.com with your Apple ID, and your playlists appear in the sidebar under Library. You can create, edit, and add songs to playlists on the web the same way you do on your phone or computer.

Can I download a playlist to listen offline?

Yes. Open the playlist, tap the three-dot menu, and select Download. The songs download to your device and play without an internet connection. Downloaded playlists take up storage space on your device.