How to Make a Collaborative Playlist on Spotify

If you ask us, sound quality is certainly not the main reason why Spotify is the No. 1 streaming service. Sure, the platform has been around since 2008, but we still believe it’s the sharing, collaborative, community-driven features that keep Spotify at the top to this day.

We’re talking about features such as Spotify Blend, Spotify Wrapped, the Playlist in a Bottle, and Spotify Collaborative Playlist – innovative, cool, and actually useful! 

This article will focus on the Spotify Collaborative Playlist feature with step-by-step instructions on how to make a collaborative playlist on Spotify. Let’s go!

How to Create a Collaborative Playlist on Spotify: TL;DR Answer

The fastest way to create a Spotify Collaborative playlist is to open your Spotify app (desktop or mobile), select “Your Library,” then the “+” icon, create a new playlist, tap the three dots on the new playlist, click “Invite collaborators,” and send the copied link to your friends. The link is valid for seven days.

What Is a Collaborative Playlist on Spotify?

Spotify Collaborative Playlist is a playlist that can be edited by multiple Spotify users. It’s a collection of songs like any other playlist, except anyone with the invitation link can add new songs or remove the existing ones.

The Collaborative Playlist Spotify feature is available to Premium and Free users through desktop and mobile apps. The option is not available through the Spotify Web Player.

It works like this: you create a playlist like any other, hit the three-dot symbol, and select “Invite collaborators” from the menu. This creates the invite link for collaboration. The moment one person accepts the invite, the playlist is officially collaborative.

Anyone who uses this link will become a collaborator, with a limit of 1,000 people per playlist. And to clarify, everyone who joins a Spotify Collaborative Playlist can songs, rearrange the order of tracks, and remove songs as they please. Complete editing access.

This can make things hectic, which is why Spotify added additional options for the playlist creator to remove people from their playlists. Based on my experience with collaborative playlists, you should make sure that anyone who gets an invite actually wants to participate because there are no levels of control here, except that the invite link expires after 7 days.

Also, know that while you can leave a collaborative playlist on Spotify in a single click, all the songs you added will remain in the playlist. If you want them gone, you have to manually delete them. 

Related: How to Clear Queue on Spotify

How to Make a Collaborative Playlist on Spotify: Desktop

Here is how to create a new Spotify Collaborative Playlist from your desktop or laptop computer. Note that the steps are very similar for mobile users, but more on that in the next section.

1. 1. Log into your Spotify account via the Spotify desktop app. 
2. 2. Go to “Your Library” and click on the “+” icon. 
3. 3. Select “Create a new playlist”. 

4. 4. Click the “…” icon and select “Invite collaborators”.

4. 6. A message saying “Link copied to clipboard” will pop up. 

4. 7. Share this link via a text message, social media, Whatsapp, or email. The link is valid for 7 days.

Anyone who accepts the invite within 7 days will have access to your collaborative playlist. They will be able to add new songs, edit the track order, or remove the existing tracks.

For more ideas on playlist names, check our Spotify tips and our list of the best playlist names.

How to Make a Collaborative Playlist on Spotify: Mobile [iOS + Android]

Here is how to create a new Spotify Collaborative Playlist from your mobile device. We can verify the steps are valid both for iOS and Android devices because our team tested the steps on both operating systems.

1. 1. Open the Spotify app on your mobile device. 
2. 2. Go to “Your Library” at the right-bottom side of the screen. 

1. 3. Tap the “+” icon in the top right corner.

1. 4. Select “Playlist” from the menu. 

5. 5. Name your new playlist and hit “Create“. 

5. 6. Tap the “…” symbol on the playlist.

5. 7. Select “Invite collaborators”. 

5. 8. Select your option for inviting collaborators, including direct links, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Note that links expire in 7 days.

Now you know how to use the collaborative playlist Spotify feature from start to finish. But did you know that you can also turn a pre-existing Spotify playlist into a collaborative playlist? Let’s continue! 

How to Turn an Existing Playlist Into a Spotify Collaborative Playlist: Desktop and Laptop

To turn a Spotify playlist on your computer into a collaborative one, you will need to be the creator of that playlist. Here’s how it goes. 

1. 1. Log into your Spotify account via the Spotify desktop app. 
2. 2. Go to “Your Library”.
3. 3. Click on “Playlists”. 
4. 4. Select the playlist that you would like to make collaborative.
5. 5. Click the three dots (“…“).
6. 6. On the dropdown menu, click the “Invite Collaborator” option.
7. 7. A link will be copied to your clipboard. Send it to the people you want to add as collaborators.
8. 8. Once the person receives the link and clicks on it, they can start contributing.

How to Turn an Existing Playlist Into a Spotify Shared Playlist: Mobile

Just like with the desktop/laptop option, you will need to be the creator of the Spotify playlist you wish to make collaborative. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. 1. Log into your Spotify account via the Spotify mobile app. 
2. 2. Go to “Your Library” in the bottom-right corner.
3. 3. Tap on “Playlists”. 
4. 4. Select the playlist that you would like to make collaborative. 
5. 5. Tap the three-dots icon.
6. 6. Tap “Invite collaborators”. 
7. 7. A list of options will appear. Select “Copy link”. A message will pop up saying, “Copied to clipboard”. Your Spotify playlist link should now be copied to the clipboard and is ready to be shared with others. 
8. 8. Share your collaborative playlist link any you want. It’s valid for 7 days.

Create a Spotify Collaborative Playlist With the Jam Session Feature

Spotify Jam is a social listening feature that allows Spotify Premium subscribers to create a real-time listening session for their friends and family. Anyone can join a Jam session, regardless of their Spotify account type.

This is how you start a Spotify Jam session:

• 1. Open the Spotify app on your mobile or desktop device.
• 2. Tap the Connect icon in the bottom-left corner of the Now Playing screen (bottom-right on desktop).
• 3. Select “Start a Jam“.
• 4. Hit the “Share link” green button.
• 5. Share the link with your friends or have them scan the QR code. Or, turn the Bluetooth on so your friends can just tap on your phone with their phone with the Spotify app installed to join the Jam.

You can also start a Jam session by tapping the three-dot menu on a playlist and selecting Start a Jam.

Once other users have joined your Jam session, they can add songs to the queue, skip songs, and pause the music.

You can also see who added each song to the queue. Premium users can join a Spotify Jam Session even if they aren’t in the same space as the user who created the Jam session. They can join the Spotify Jam Session anywhere in the world.

Related article: How to Make a Collaborative Playlist on Apple Music

Third-Party Apps to Boost Your Spotify Collaborative Playlist

If you’re looking for some added fun (and often humor) when listening to your Spotify Collaborative Playlist, you might want to try these third-party Spotify apps.

1. 1) Tune My Music – Yes, our app! It allows you to transfer your playlists from one music streaming service to another. You can transfer playlists you love from other music streaming services to Spotify or even send your new collaborative playlist to other platforms.
   
   Tune My Music also has a Share feature that allows you to share your playlists with friends who use a different music streaming service. So when you make that Spotify Collaborative Playlist, you can share it with a friend who does not even have Spotify.
   
   Deezer uses our technology for its Shaker feature; it’s a great way to share your favorite playlists with your friends and fans.

2. 2) How Bad Is Your Streaming Music – This tool will use your Spotify listening history to make the snarkiest assessment you can imagine. It will give you a hilarious name based on your music preferences, like “k-pop-aficionado-still-watching-vh1-divas-live-clips-cool-carpool-mom”. If your Spotify Collaborative Playlist isn’t fun enough already, this app will surely do the trick.

3. 3) Obscurify – This app works somewhat similarly to the Spotify Collaborative Playlist feature. It takes your music listening history and offers you suggestions on other songs that you may like hearing. So when adding this app to your music listening experience, Obscurify will basically serve as an additional collaborator in your group. 

4. 4) Instafest — This app turns your music history into a beautiful music festival poster. It’s an artistic option for music lovers. If you are a music festival goer, you can turn your playlist into a colorful festival poster. This is perfect for turning your Spotify Collaborative Playlist into your private music festival with your friends.

6. 5) Hang The DJ – Another way to create a collaborative playlist. It allows everyone in your shared space to upvote or downvote the songs on your playlist. 

7. 6) Boil The Frog – Possibly the most interesting of the third-party Spotify apps. It takes two musical artists and connects their music into one seamlessly magical playlist. In other words, it connects the two different artists by slowly incorporating similar artists one after another in between. Using minor differences, it pieces these two artists together, causing the change in feel/genre to subtly transition. 

Spotify Collaborative Playlist Feature FAQs

Is a Spotify collaborative playlist public? 

Yes, Spotify collaborative playlists are public by default. When you create a regular Spotify playlist, it is set to “Public,” and the same applies to collaborative playlists. However, only the collaborators can change your playlist (add songs, delete songs, or change the order). 

Is a Spotify collaborative playlist the same as a Spotify shared playlist?

Yes, these two terms refer to the same thing. For what it’s worth, Spotify uses the term “collaborative playlist” and doesn’t include Spotify Shared Playlist as the official feature. But yes, many users refer to the collaborative playlist as a shared one, probably because that’s exactly what it is.

Can more than two people join and edit a Spotify collaborative playlist?

Spotify will allow up to 1,000 users to join a single collaborative playlist. You shouldn’t run into any problems wanting to add as many friends/family members as you’d like to a single collaborative playlist. In the case of a Spotify Blend playlist, though, the limit is 10 people.

Is there a limit on how many collaborative playlists you can make on one Spotify account?

Spotify does not say there is a limit on the number of playlists you can make. However, we noticed people on Reddit claiming they can’t make more than 11,000 playlists.

How many songs can I add to a Spotify collaborative playlist?

With a Free account, playlists are limited to 10,000 tracks. If you exceed this limit, you must delete some unwanted playlists. With a Premium account, there is no limit. These rules also apply to Spotify Collaborative Playlists.

Are Spotify collaborative playlists only available to Premium users?

No, Spotify collaborative playlists are available to all users, including Free and Premium members. However, note that Free users are limited to 10,000 songs per playlist.

Does Spotify notify you when someone adds a song to a collaborative playlist?

Spotify does not send notifications to other collaborators when you add or delete a song from a collaborative playlist. But it does update the playlist in real-time. That means that your other collaborators will automatically see any changes that you make to the shared playlists reflected in their accounts. 

Do other Spotify collaborators in my group see when I listen to the playlist?

No, they don’t. Spotify does not have a feature that notifies the other collaborators when you have listened to a collaborative playlist. Spotify listening history is usually private to each user unless you intentionally share it.

What happens to my Spotify collaborative playlist if I accidentally delete it?

If you accidentally delete a playlist on Spotify, it can be difficult to recover. To avoid this problem, your best option will be to back up each playlist. If you use a Spotify Collaborative Playlist, you will likely want to back it up as often as possible since changes will occur frequently. 

For help backing up a Spotify playlist, use the Tune My Music Backup feature and never worry about having to lose a playlist that you and your friends love. You can click here to begin backing up your favorite playlists and save it into a file safe in your computer or smartphone.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to walk you through the process: 

1. 1. Go to Tune My Music.
2. 2. Select “Let’s Start”. 
3. 3. Select “Spotify”. 
4. 4. Choose either “Load from Spotify Account” or copy the playlist URL in the provided space. 
5. 5. Select which playlist(s) you want to back up. 
6. 6. Tap “Choose Destination”. 
7. 7. Select “Export to File”. 
8. 8. Select your desired format (either TXT or CSV). 
9. 9. Select “Export”. 
10. 10. Tap “Start Transfer”. When it says “Transfer Complete”, a file will be downloaded to your device, and you have successfully backed up your Spotify playlist(s) to a file using TuneMyMusic!

Can multiple Spotify collaborators listen to the same collaborative playlist at once?

Yes, more than one collaborator can play the same collaborative Spotify playlist at any moment. However, each of you will not get to listen to that playlist in real-time with one another using the same speakers. If you want everyone to listen to the same thing, use Spotify Jam. 

How do I remove myself as a collaborator on a Spotify playlist?

To remove yourself as a collaborator on a Spotify Collaborative Playlist, follow these simple steps: 

• 1. Log into your Spotify account. 
• 2. Go to “Your Library” and select “Playlists”. 
• 3. Open the playlist that you want to remove yourself from. 
• 4. Click on the “…” symbol for that playlist and then select “Leave playlist” to delete you from the collaborator list.

Or, you can:

• 1. Find the users list directly below the playlist name. 
• 2. Click on the “…” icon next to the name of the collaborator you wish to remove from that playlist. 
• 3. Select “Remove as a collaborator” or “Remove from playlist” in case you are the owner of the playlist, or select “Leave playlist” to remove yourself as a collaborator. 

Will a Spotify collaborative playlist affect my Spotify algorithm?

Yes, joining collaborative playlist on Spotify will be reflected in your algorithm. Just joining the playlist will not make a major impact, but listening to songs within the playlist and liking them will certainly have affect your algorithm.

When I remove myself as a Spotify playlist collaborator, will it delete the songs I added?

Removing yourself as a collaborator will not delete the songs you had previously added to a Spotify Collaborative Playlist. However, it will remove your ability to make further changes to that playlist. If you want to remove the songs you added, you will have to do it manually before leaving the Spotify shared playlist.

What is the difference between Spotify shared playlist and Spotify Jam Session playlist?

The main difference between a Spotify Jam Session and a collaborative playlist is that the Jam Session is like a radio that you tune into, while a shared playlist allows anyone to play whatever they want on their own device. Spotify shared playlists aren’t real-time collaborations, while the Jam is.

Is Spotify Blend a collaborative playlist?

Yes and no. Spotify Blend is an auto-generated playlist that blends musical tastes and recent listening habits of up to 10 users in a single 50-song playlist. Unlike with collaborative playlists, Blend users have no specific control over which songs are added. Still, Spotify Blend is a collaborative playlist type of feature.

Can I make a Spotify collaborative playlist with one person?

Yes, you can make a Spotify Collaborative Playlist with up to 1,000 people or at least one. You just need to share the invitation link with that one person, and you’re all set.

How to join a collaborative playlist on Spotify?

To join a collaborative Spotify playlist, you must receive the invite link from the creator. They can copy the link by clicking the three dots on their playlist and clicking “Invite collaborators”. This will get them the link, and they will just have to send it to you. Note that all Spotify collaborative playlist links are valid for 7 days.

Why is my Spotify collaborative playlist link not working?

Spotify Collaborative Playlist links are valid for 7 days. If your collab playlist link isn’t working, chances are that the link has expired.

Can I remove people from my Spotify collaborative playlist?

Yes, you can if you’re the playlist owner. In that case, you can see all the contributors and change their status from Collaborator by selecting “Remove as collaborator” or go with “Remove from playlist” altogether.

What happens if I make a Spotify collaborative playlist private?

First of all, only the playlist’s creator can do this. And if you do it, you will become the only person who can access the playlist. It’s similar to what happens when you make a regular Spotift playlist private.

Can I make a collaborative playlist in Spotify Web Player?

No, you can’t. The Spotify shared playlist is currently limited to desktop and mobile apps. This means you have to download an app, but the good news is that you are not limited to your mobile phone for this feature.

How to Make a Spotify Playlist Collaborative: Summary

And that’s a wrap on how to make a collaborative playlist on Spotify! Again, it’s easy. The fastest way to do it is to open the playlist, tap the “…” symbol, go to “Invite collaborators”, and share that link with your friends.

Check out our How-To Articles page for more articles about making the best of your music listening experience using your favorite music streaming service. Stay safe and enjoy the music!