Did you create an awesome playlist on Spotify that you don’t mind sharing with others? Great! All playlists on Spotify start out as public playlists, so that other users can access your carefully curated music selections and listen to what you’re listening to. But if you want to create a playlist that is for your ears only, you will need to follow these step by step instructions:

How to Make your Spotify Account Private on a Computer

  • Go to the Spotify website and log into your account.
  • Next to your profile name at the top right hand side of your screen there will be a down arrow. Click it to open a dropdown menu with options regarding your account.
  • Select “Private Session” from that dropdown menu.
  • You are now in a “private listening session” on Spotify, so any playlists that you are accessing will not be shared publicly.
  • To be sure that you are on “Private Session” mode, check your profile icon. You should see a little blue lock.
  • You will not be able to share your playlists while you are in this mode, and no one will be able to see them.

How to Make your Spotify Account Private on a Smartphone

  • Open the Spotify app on your iPhone or Android smartphone. The icon for the Spotify app looks like a green circle with three curved soundwave lines inside of it.
  • Find “Your Library” at the bottom right of your screen and tap it.
  • Next, look at the top right corner of the “Your Library” screen and find the “settings” icon. It appears as a small gear.
  • Tap the “settings” icon to open your account settings.
  • From there, select the option that reads “Social”, and tap the button that says “Private Session”.
  • You are now in “Private Session” mode, and your playlist will not appear publicly.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Spotify’s “private session” mode only lasts for six hours, so you will have to turn “private session” back on if you are listening for longer than that, or if you close the app and open it after those six hours have passed.

Remember, all playlists start out as public.