How to make a playlist on YouTube
To make a playlist on YouTube, open any video, select Save, choose New playlist, name it and pick who can see it. The video goes straight in, and every later video you save can go into the same list. Here is how it works on each device, plus how to sort it and find out how long it is.
On a computer
- Open a video you want in the playlist.
- Select Save under the video. If you do not see it, open the three dots next to Share.
- Choose New playlist.
- Type a title, choose Public, Unlisted or Private, and select Create.
You can also start an empty playlist in YouTube Studio: open Content, then the Playlists tab, then New playlist.
On iPhone or Android
- In the YouTube app, open a video and tap Save under it. In a list or search results, tap the three dots next to a video and choose Save to playlist.
- Tap New playlist.
- Type a title, choose who can see it and tap Create.
Your playlists live in the You tab of the app, under Playlists.
Add, remove and reorder videos
- Add: select Save on any video and tick the playlist.
- Remove: untick it in the same Save menu, or open the playlist, use the three dots on a video and remove it.
- Reorder: open the playlist and drag videos by the handle on the left, or use the playlist's sort option (date added, date published, most popular). YouTube cannot sort by video length; the sort by length tool can.
Public, unlisted or private?
| Setting | Who can watch | Shows in search |
|---|---|---|
| Public | Anyone | Yes |
| Unlisted | Anyone with the link | No |
| Private | Only you | No |
Unlisted is the usual choice for sharing a study list or a party playlist with friends without making it public.
How long is your playlist?
YouTube shows how many videos a playlist has, but not how long it runs. Open the playlist, select Share and Copy link, then paste it into the YouTube playlist length calculator. You get the total to the second, the time at 1.25x, 1.5x or 2x, and a finish date for the minutes a day you can watch. Building a course to study? The study planner turns it into a day-by-day schedule.
Paste any playlist link into the playlist length calculator: total time at every speed, a finish date and every video sorted by length.
Questions
How do I make a playlist on YouTube?
Open a video, select Save (on a computer it can sit under the three dots next to Share), choose New playlist, give it a title, pick Public, Unlisted or Private, and select Create. The video is added straight away.
How do I make a playlist on YouTube on my phone?
In the YouTube app, tap Save under a video (or the three dots next to a video in a list), tap New playlist, type a title, choose who can see it and tap Create.
How many videos can a YouTube playlist have?
Up to 5,000. For more, start a second playlist; the multiple playlist calculator adds their lengths together.
What is the difference between public, unlisted and private playlists?
Public playlists can show up in search and on your channel. Unlisted ones can be watched by anyone with the link but do not show up in search. Private ones only you can see.
How do I see how long my playlist is?
YouTube does not show the total. Copy the playlist link (Share, then Copy link) and paste it into the PlaylistTime playlist length calculator for the total at any speed. Private playlists need to be switched to unlisted first.