How to combine Spotify playlists is one of those things that sounds more complicated than it actually is until you’ve done it once. I remember the first time I tried to clean up my music library. I had playlists all over the place: one for running, one for relaxing, one just called “Good Stuff.” Merging them into something organized didn’t just make listening easier it made Spotify a whole lot more enjoyable.
If you’re trying to pull together your favorite songs into one place, whether it’s for a long drive or just to declutter, there’s a straightforward way to do it. You don’t need any special tools or technical know-how. Just a few simple steps on desktop or mobile and you’ll have your perfect playlist ready to go.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact process I’ve used, with tips to make it quick, clean, and frustration-free.
What Are Spotify Playlists?
If you’re learning to combine Spotify playlists, it helps to start with the basics. Understanding how playlists work inside Spotify makes everything else from merging songs to organizing your library much easier to manage. I’ve been using Spotify for years, and once I got a handle on how playlists function, it changed how I listened to music completely.
Understanding Spotify Playlists
A Spotify playlist is simply a group of songs that you put together in one place. It can be something as simple as a list of your all-time favorite tracks or as specific as a playlist for your next road trip. You get to decide what goes in, how it’s arranged, and when to update it.
There are three main types of playlists you’ll run into:
- Personal playlists: These are the ones you create. You add songs, name the playlist, and organize it however you want. This is where most people do their combining.
- Spotify curated playlists: These are built by Spotify’s editorial team. Think of popular ones like Today’s Top Hits or RapCaviar. They’re updated regularly by Spotify and meant for general listening.
- Algorithmic playlists: These are generated based on your listening habits. You’ve probably seen Discover Weekly, Release Radar, or your Daily Mixes. These update automatically and are tailored to your taste, but you can’t edit them directly.
When you’re combining playlists, you’re usually working with personal or curated ones. Algorithm-based playlists don’t let you move songs around inside them, but you can copy tracks from them into your own custom playlists.
How Playlists Work Across Devices
One thing I’ve always liked about Spotify is how seamless it is across devices. You can start a playlist on your phone in the morning and pick it up on your laptop that night without missing a beat.
Want hands-free control of your Spotify playlists across devices? These top Alexa-compatible speakers make voice-controlled streaming a breeze.
Here’s how it works in real life:
- Any change you make to a playlist like adding or removing a song gets saved to your account, not just your device.
- Playlists sync in real time. If you add a song on your tablet, it shows up instantly on your phone or computer.
- You can download playlists for offline use, but any updates you make while online sync automatically to every other device.
This is especially helpful when combining playlists. You don’t have to worry about losing songs or syncing issues just make your changes on one device and they’ll show up everywhere else.
Once you understand how playlists work on Spotify, combining them becomes way easier. You’ll know which ones can be edited, which ones to pull from, and how to manage them across all your devices without hassle. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference in how you use the app day to day. Now let’s move on to the guides for combining Spotify playlists on different devices.
For more details on creating and editing playlists, visit Spotify’s official guide.
How to Combine Spotify Playlists: Step-by-Step Guide
This guide will show you exactly how to combine playlists on spotify using both the desktop and mobile apps. Whether you’re organizing music for a long drive, your daily workouts, or simply decluttering your library, this step-by-step walkthrough is designed to be clear, efficient, and reliable based on real-world use.
Combining Spotify Playlists on Desktop (Windows & macOS)
If you have access to a computer, the desktop method is by far the fastest and most flexible way to merge Spotify playlists. You can select large batches of songs, organize them efficiently, and avoid repetitive actions.
Here’s how to combine playlists on Spotify using the desktop app:
- Open the Spotify desktop app (or use the web player if you’re logged in).
- From the left-hand sidebar, click on the playlist you want to copy songs from.
- Click anywhere within the song list area, then press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac) to select all tracks in that playlist.
- Want to choose only a few songs? Hold Ctrl (or Cmd) and click tracks individually.
- Once your selection is highlighted, right-click on any song, then select “Add to Playlist.”
- Choose an existing playlist from the list or click “Create New Playlist” to make one on the spot.
Important Tip: Your songs are copied, not moved. The original playlist remains intact, which means you can always return to it later or re-organize if needed.
If you want to save tracks from your combined playlists for offline listening or use outside the app, here’s how to download Spotify songs as MP3 files safely and easily.
Combining Spotify Playlists on Mobile (iOS & Android)
While the mobile method requires a bit more tapping, it’s still perfectly doable even on the go. Here’s how to merge playlists directly from your phone:
- Open the Spotify app and go to Your Library.
- Select the playlist you want to copy songs from.
- Tap the three-dot icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
- Choose “Add to other playlist.”
- From the list, select the playlist you want to merge into, or tap “New Playlist” to create one instantly.
This method works best when you’re combining a few playlists or adding a handful of songs at a time. For larger playlists, the desktop route will save you time.
Avoiding Duplicate Songs When Merging
One of the most common concerns when combining playlists on Spotify is ending up with duplicate tracks. Spotify has built-in checks that help, but it’s still worth knowing what to expect.
- On desktop, when you add tracks that already exist in a playlist, Spotify shows a small prompt “These songs are already in the playlist” and lets you choose whether to proceed.
- On mobile, Spotify usually prevents duplicates silently. However, it doesn’t always catch them if the same song appears from different albums or releases.
Pro Tip: After merging, go to the playlist and sort by title or artist. This makes it easier to scan for duplicates and remove them manually if needed.
Why This Method Works Best
Unlike third-party tools that might require login access or introduce compatibility issues, this method uses only Spotify’s built-in features, making it reliable, secure, and always up to date. There’s no need to connect your account to anything external, and you’re in complete control of how your music is moved and organized.
Whether you’re creating a master playlist of your favorites or cleaning up your daily rotation, combining playlists in Spotify is quick, safe, and effective when you follow the right steps.
Organizing Merged Spotify Playlists
After learning how to combine playlists on spotify, it’s a good idea to spend a few minutes organizing what you’ve just created. A merged playlist can easily turn into a mess if you don’t give it some structure. I’ve found that with a few quick changes like renaming, sorting, and adding a personal touch you can turn any random mix into something you’ll actually want to use every day.
Planning to play your combined playlists at a gathering or while on the move? Check out this roundup of the best portable party speakers to bring the beats anywhere.
Naming Best Practices
When I merge playlists, the first thing I do is give the new one a name that actually means something. If it just says “My Playlist 4,” I’m probably never going to play it again.
Think about what the playlist is for. Is it for a specific mood? An activity? A time of year? Use that as a guide.
Here are a few tips that have worked for me:
- Name it by genre or mood, like Chill Acoustic, Deep Focus, or Morning Energy
- Use time-based labels, like Spring Mix 2025 or Weekend Vibes
- If you want to add emojis to make it more visual, go for it but keep it readable
The goal is to make the playlist easy to recognize at a glance, especially if you have a lot of them.
If you’re planning to switch to Premium or update your billing, you’ll need to keep your payment info current. Here’s a quick guide on how to update your Spotify payment method.
Custom Sorting Tips
Once your songs are in one place, the next step is making sure they’re in the right order or at least not totally chaotic. I usually start by doing a quick scroll through to see what ended up where.
Here’s what helps:
- On desktop, you can drag and drop songs to create a custom flow. This is perfect if you want a certain vibe to build or if you’re curating a playlist for a specific event or activity.
- If you’re just trying to clean it up fast, use the sort options. Sorting by artist or title is an easy way to spot duplicates or group similar songs together.
- On mobile, you can also change the order by using the custom sort feature. Just tap the sort button in the playlist and choose your layout.
It doesn’t take long, but it makes a big difference in how your playlist feels.
If you’re looking to go beyond playlists and want full access to your favorite records, check out this complete guide on how to download full albums on Spotify for offline listening.
Enhance and Customize
After merging Spotify playlists, I like to make the new one feel like my own. Spotify has a few features that help with that.
One of my favorites is the Enhance button. If you’re a Premium user, you can tap this and Spotify will suggest new songs that fit the overall vibe of your playlist. Sometimes it throws in tracks I never would’ve found on my own, and they end up being perfect.
I also like to add a short description to the playlist. Just a sentence or two explaining the theme or the inspiration behind it. This is helpful when you share it with friends, or even just for yourself later on.
And finally, don’t forget the cover image. On desktop, you can upload your own. I usually use a photo from my phone or a screenshot that represents the mood. It’s a small touch, but it makes the playlist feel complete.
A little time spent organizing goes a long way. Once you’ve combined your Spotify playlists, treating the new mix like a fresh project can make all the difference. Rename it, sort it, personalize it and you’ll have something that feels less like a file dump and more like your perfect soundtrack.
Thinking about upgrading your account for more features like Enhance and Blend? Here’s how to change your Spotify plan to better match your listening habits.
Troubleshooting and Common Issues When Combining Spotify Playlists
If you’ve just figured out how to combine playlists on spotify but something doesn’t seem to be working right, don’t worry. I’ve had a few frustrating moments myself, and most of these issues have simple fixes. This section walks through the most common problems you might run into while merging Spotify playlists and how to solve them quickly.
Playlist Not Syncing or Appearing
This one happens more than you’d think, especially if you switch between devices. You’ve created or updated a playlist, but it doesn’t show up on your phone or desktop.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
- First, make sure you’re connected to the internet. Spotify needs a second to sync your updates.
- If that doesn’t help, close and reopen the app.
- Still no luck? Log out and log back in. That usually forces a refresh.
- You can also try clearing the app cache. On mobile, you’ll find that option in the Spotify settings under storage.
- As a last resort, uninstalling and reinstalling the app can reset things and clear up syncing issues.
I’ve had to do this a few times on my phone when new playlists wouldn’t load properly, and reinstalling always did the trick.
Can’t Select Multiple Songs on Mobile
This is a limitation with the mobile app that’s caught me off guard more than once. If you’re trying to select a bunch of songs at once on your phone, you’ll quickly realize that Spotify doesn’t support multi-select on mobile.
Here’s what you can do:
- The best option is to merge playlists one song at a time by tapping the three dots next to each track and choosing “Add to other playlist.”
- If you’re dealing with a large playlist and don’t want to tap hundreds of songs, I recommend switching to the desktop app. On desktop, you can select everything at once using Ctrl + A or Cmd + A.
That’s what I do when I’m combining full playlists. It saves a ton of time.
Looking to add just a few songs to your playlist and download them for offline use? This guide shows you how to download individual songs on Spotify, step-by-step.
Duplicate Songs Still Showing Up
Even after combining playlists, you might notice a few songs showing up twice. Spotify does a decent job of warning you when you try to add duplicates, but it’s not always perfect especially if the same song exists from different albums or versions.
Here’s how I clean things up:
- On desktop, sort your playlist alphabetically by title. That’ll group duplicate tracks right next to each other so they’re easier to spot.
- Then do a quick scroll and manually remove the extras. It’s not the most high-tech method, but it works well for playlists that aren’t too huge.
If you’re dealing with really large playlists and this becomes a regular issue, there are third-party tools that can help detect duplicates but for most people, the manual method does the job.
Combining Spotify playlists should make your music experience better, not more frustrating. These small glitches pop up from time to time, but they’re all manageable with a few quick steps. Once you’ve dealt with them, your playlists will run smoother, look cleaner, and be much easier to enjoy across all your devices.
Pro Tips for Playlist Power Users
If you’ve already learned how to combine Spotify playlists, you’re probably looking for ways to get even more out of them. That’s where a few pro-level habits can really make a difference. These aren’t complicated tricks just simple things I’ve picked up over time that make managing music on Spotify feel less like a chore and more like a fun, ongoing project.
Create a Master Playlist
One thing I started doing early on was building a master playlist. Think of it as your greatest hits collection the songs that stuck with you month after month. After combining Spotify playlists for specific themes or events, I always take a minute to pull my favorite tracks from each one into a single playlist.
Here’s what I’ve found works best:
- Once a month, go through your most-used playlists
- Pick the songs that still feel fresh or mean something to you
- Add them to one evolving playlist that grows over time
This turns into a personal time capsule. Years later, you’ll scroll through and instantly remember what you were into. It’s simple, and it keeps your best music in one easy-to-reach spot.
Update Frequently
No playlist stays relevant forever. Songs you loved two months ago might start feeling stale. I make it a habit to update my playlists regularly even the ones I’ve merged.
You don’t have to overhaul everything. Just set aside five or ten minutes each week to:
- Remove songs you keep skipping
- Add new tracks you’ve liked recently
- Shift the order to keep it interesting
Doing this weekly or monthly keeps your playlists fresh, and you’re more likely to keep using them long-term. I’ve found that without regular updates, even my favorite mixes start to feel a bit tired.
Explore Spotify’s Blend Feature
If you’re not using Spotify Blend yet, it’s worth trying. Blend lets you combine your music taste with someone else’s whether it’s a friend, a sibling, or even your partner. Spotify uses both your listening histories to create one shared playlist that updates daily.
Here’s why I like it:
- It introduces you to music you probably wouldn’t find on your own
- You get a mix of familiar and unexpected songs
- It feels like a fun, low-effort way to share music with people in your life
It’s still a Spotify-native feature, so there’s no need to use any third-party apps or worry about syncing anything manually. Just send an invite, and you’re good to go.
These simple strategies can make a big difference, especially if you’re using Spotify every day. Whether it’s building a master list, keeping things updated, or discovering new sounds through Blend, these are the kinds of habits that keep your playlists useful and exciting long after you’ve combined them.
Learn how do Spotify Blend works and what makes it a unique shared listening experience in this Spotify announcement.
FAQs:
How do I combine Spotify playlists?
To combine Spotify playlists, open the Spotify app, select a playlist, and use the “Add to other playlist” option in the three-dot menu. On desktop, you can select multiple tracks and add them all at once. This lets you merge songs from different playlists into one without deleting the originals.
Can I merge Spotify playlists without losing the original songs?
Yes, Spotify only copies songs when you combine playlists it does not delete or move them. Your original playlists stay exactly the same, which means you can always go back to them or edit them separately after the merge.
How can I prevent duplicate songs when combining Spotify playlists?
To avoid duplicate songs when combining Spotify playlists:
- Spotify alerts you if a track is already in the playlist
- Sort the merged playlist by title or artist to manually scan for duplicates
- Remove repeats by right-clicking and selecting “Remove from this playlist”
This keeps your playlist clean and organized.
Is there a song limit when creating a Spotify playlist?
Yes, Spotify playlists have a maximum limit of 10,000 songs. If you reach this cap while combining or adding songs, you’ll need to remove tracks or start a new playlist. For most users, this limit is more than enough for large music collections.
You can read more about handling large playlists in this Spotify Community thread.
Can I undo a Spotify playlist merge?
Spotify does not offer a direct undo option after merging playlists. To stay safe, keep your original playlists intact. That way, if you change your mind later, you can rebuild or re-edit the merged version using your backups.
Conclusion:
Combining your Spotify playlists is one of the easiest ways to clean up your music library and make listening more enjoyable. Whether you’re organizing by mood, merging old favorites, or building something new from scratch, taking the time to bring your playlists together just makes everything simpler.
Once you’ve followed the steps, added your own personal touches, and learned how to avoid common issues, you’ll have a playlist collection that actually works for you not one that’s scattered across your library.
Try combining your favorite playlists today to create your ultimate music library. You might be surprised how much better your Spotify experience feels once everything’s in one place.
After combining your favorite playlists, you might want to save them for offline use. Even if you’re on a free plan, it’s possible learn how to download Spotify music without Premium in this step-by-step guide.
And to really enjoy your merged playlists at home, you might want to upgrade your setup. Here’s a guide to the best bookshelf speakers for rich, room-filling sound.