Since YouTube first started in 2005, it has grown exponentially into the popular platform it is today. Not only is it an epicenter for watching hilarious videos, YouTube is also magnificent for music lovers to listen to their favorite tracks and discover new ones. Although people have been frequenting this social media platform for almost two decades, many people may not yet be privy to one feature it has to offer – the ability to make playlists. Making a playlist on YouTube can be a great way to curate a collection of songs, classes, educational videos or even memes, for different moods and occasions. In this article, we will walk you through the steps to make a playlist on YouTube, so you can begin to unlock this fabulous feature.
- What is a YouTube Playlist?
- How To Create a YouTube Playlist
- Advanced Playlist Options
- Alternative Ways to Make a YouTube Playlist
- Transferring Playlists
- Making Changes to your Playlist
What is a YouTube Playlist?
YouTube playlists are the compilation of videos, of your choosing, that play simultaneously in whatever order you set them up to play in. It even offers the option to “shuffle” the songs so you can always be surprised by which song/video will play next! This is a creative way to stretch your musical muscles and enjoy listening to some of your favorite tunes. You can create playlists by genre, by what mood you are in or want to be in, by a certain occasion, etc. Continue reading to find out exactly how to make a playlist on YouTube!
Compare YouTube Music with Spotify in this ultimate comparison that we made.
How To Create a YouTube Playlist
Step 1: Sign in to YouTube
The first step to making a playlist on YouTube is to sign in to your YouTube account (this may seem obvious, but everyone’s level of social media knowledge is different, after all). If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free by visiting YouTube.com and clicking on the “Sign in” button in the top right corner. You can sign in using your existing Google account or create a new one.
Step 2: Search for Songs to Add to your Playlist
Once you are signed in, you can start searching for the songs you want to add to your playlist. In the top, center of the page, you will see the search bar. You can use the YouTube search bar to search for a specific song or artist, if you already have something in mind to add to your playlist.
However, if you need some inspiration, you can also browse YouTube channels or playlists to find songs that match your taste. To browse YouTube channels, all you have to do is type a particular phrase into the search bar. For example, if you want to browse 80’s hits, simply type “80s music channels” into the search bar and you will be flooded with pre-made playlists.
Furthermore, if you are searching for “The Cure” to your musical “Poison”, such as “Anthrax”, there’s no need to worry about “The Police” coming after you. That’s right! This is no “Cheap Trick”, for “U2” can find exactly what songs you’re looking for. Just search your “Heart” and let your YouTube search take you on a “Journey” to becoming the “Queen” of making musical playlists. If you’re in a “Rush”, you can “Kiss” your fears goodbye, for these steps are so easy that anyone can do them in little time.
Step 3: Add Songs to your Playlist
When you find a song that you want to add to your playlist, simply click on the three dots that appear out to the right of that video.
- 1) When you find a song that you want to add to your playlist, simply click on the three dots that appear out to the right of that video.
- 2) A dropdown menu will appear, giving you the option to create a new playlist. Select “Save to Playlist”.
- 3) From there, another menu will appear where you can select “+ New Playlist”.
- 4) You will then need to give your playlist a name, such as “Queen of the 80s”.
- 5) Click “create” to save your playlist.
Directly below the name, you have the option to select the privacy setting associated with that playlist. The choices it gives you are:
- PUBLIC – this means that anyone can search for your playlist and watch all the videos/listen to all the songs that are on it.
- UNLISTED – this means that it is public to anyone, as long as you share the link with them. Then that person has access to the entire playlist.
- PRIVATE – this means that you are the only person who can access this playlist. Unless someone is logged into your account, they do not have access to it.
Once you select the privacy setting of your choice, you will click “Create” to finalize the creation of that playlist.
Step 4: Customize your Playlist
Once you’ve created your playlist, you can customize it by adding a description.
To access the playlist that you just created, look on the left sidebar on YouTube. You should see a shortcut to the playlist (labeled as whatever name you gave your playlist. EX: Queen of the 80s). Click on that playlist in the left sidebar.
To add a description, click on the pencil icon located below your playlist photo.
You can then add a description that describes the mood or theme of your playlist. Ex: “collection of my favorite 80s tunes”. Then click “save” to save that description.
On this same page, you will see a list of “recommended videos” that YouTube’s AI has conveniently put together for you. Feel free to add any of those recommendations to your new playlist (refresh as often as you want to get a new list of recommendations) or continue to search for more videos by following the same steps you did earlier to add your first song.
Congratulations! You have now created your first playlist on YouTube!
“Don’t stop me now”, though; Continue reading to find out even more ways to make your playlist awesome.
Step 5: Organize your Playlist/
You can organize your playlist by rearranging the order of the songs. To do this, place your cursor over the two lines that look like an equal sign (to the left of your playlist photo).
Ugh oh! Did you accidentally add a song to your new playlist that totally throws off your 80s vibe? Don’t worry, you can remove songs from your playlist by clicking on the three dots next to the song and selecting “Remove from playlist”.
Step 6: Share your Playlist
Once you’ve created and customized your playlist, you can share it with your friends or family. This is great for anyone else who has wondered how to create a playlist on YouTube.
In order to share your playlist, you first need to click on the playlist that you want to share (it’s also possible to share it via the editing page). Once your playlist begins to play, look under the video and you will see the option to share. Click on the “Share” button below your playlist as shown below.
Then select your preferred method of sharing, such as copying the link to your playlist or sharing it on social media.
To learn about other types of music streaming services, check out our comparisons page with many articles comparing the best music platforms available today.
It’s also possible to share your YouTube playlists with users from other music streaming services, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, etc. You can use the Tune My Music Share feature to share your playlists and music collection with anyone. It generates a dedicated page for your playlist with a unique URL so you can send it to anyone, and they can either follow your playlist or add it to their account.
Advanced Playlist Options for Browser Version of YouTube
When using YouTube on your web browser, you have access to some pretty cool advanced features to tweak your playlist to your liking. Just follow these simple steps:
- 1) Open whichever playlist you want to tweak.
- 2) Click on the three dotted lines to the right of your playlist.
- 3) Click “playlist settings”.
- 4) Click “advanced settings”.
- 5) From the “basic” tab, you can edit privacy and order settings.
- 6) From the “auto” tab, you can select the option to allow YouTube to automatically add new videos to your playlist. This is great for fans of AI or just if you don’t have enough time to add all of your own songs!
- 7) From the “collaborate” tab, you can invite collaborators so they can have the privilege of editing your playlists for you. Again, this is great if you don’t have the time to add all of your own songs. This is also great if you just want to see what songs someone else thinks you would like or a party playlist so everyone can add songs to rock it..
- 8) You can click “get link” to make a unique invitation link that you can give to whoever you want to share your playlist with.
Alternative Ways to Make a YouTube Playlist
YouTube is very user-friendly.
If you are accessing the website from a desktop/laptop, you can follow the aforementioned steps from above. As if that process was not easy enough, there is even another way to make YouTube playlists.
- 1) Locate a video that you want to add to your playlist. Start the playback of that video by clicking on the triangular play button.
- 2) If you really like that song and want it on your playlist, click on the “save” button that is located under the video.
- 3) From there, you can add that song/video to an existing playlist or create a new one.
If you are using YouTube on your iPhone, follow these steps to create your playlist:
- 1) Open your YouTube app. Log-in if need be.
- 2) Find the song/video that you want to include in your playlist. Start playing that song.
- 3) Under the video, select the “save” button.
- 4) You will then be asked to choose which playlist you want to add it to. Do that and your playlist will be saved.
If you are using YouTube on your Android phone, follow these steps to create your playlist:
- 1) Open your YouTube app. Log-in if need be.
- 2) Click on the “library” tab.
- 3) Select the “new playlist” option.
- 4) Choose videos from your watch history.
- 5) Click “next”.
- 6) Give your playlist a name and edit your privacy settings.
- 7) Click “create”. This will save your playlist.
Transferring Playlists From Another Service to YouTube
Did you know that you can transfer playlists from other streaming services to your YouTube or YouTube Music account? To do this, you will need to use a third-party service like Tune My Music. This tool is the best option available and works with playlists from Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, and other services. Whether the playlist belongs to you or someone else, you can easily transfer it to your YouTube account.
Transferring a playlist from another service to YouTube using Tune My Music is very easy. Here are the steps involved:
- 1. Go to the Tune My Music website and press the “Let’s start” button.
- 2. Select the music service that your playlists are currently stored on.
- 3. Select the playlists you want to transfer
- 4. Select YouTube as the destination service and enter your YouTube login credentials.
- 5. Click on the “Transfer” button.
Tune My Music will then begin transferring your playlists to YouTube. Once the transfer is complete, you will be able to access your playlists in YouTube. Overall, transferring a playlist from another service to YouTube using Tune My Music is a quick and easy process. If you are looking to switch music services, Tune My Music is a great option for transferring your playlists.
Making Changes to your Playlist in the Future
If you find yourself wanting to change up anything on a playlist that you have previously created, YouTube makes the process very smooth and easy.
The first thing you will need to do is go back to the playlists tab. From there, you can click on the pencil icon which will allow you to make changes. You can now edit the name of your playlist or the description, just like you did when you originally created them. In addition to those changes, you can change the privacy settings that you had set before, add even more 80s videos to that rocking playlist, or delete your playlist entirely (should you get burnt out on 80s music).
If you want to get uber technical, you can fine tune your playlist by how you want it to be sorted. Some examples of this include:
- – Most Popular
- – Date Added
- – Date Published
In conclusion, making a playlist on YouTube is an easy process that can be done in just a few simple steps, faster than you can put on your leg warmers. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a playlist that perfectly fits your musical taste and mood (just like those workout outfits “perfectly” fit everyone in the 80s). Now you no longer have to wonder how to make a YouTube playlist. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family. Together, “we are the champions” of making YouTube playlists!
Enjoyed this content and want to know more about YouTube and other streaming services? Check out our How-To page for great tips and tricks so you can use the full power of your favotire music streaming service.