Reordering songs in Spotify is a drag-and-drop action on desktop and a tap-and-hold action on mobile

The fastest way to change the order of songs in your own playlist is to click and drag them into a new position on a computer, or press and hold a song on your phone until a menu appears, then drag it where you want it. Spotify lets you rearrange any playlist you created yourself, but not playlists made by other users or by Spotify — those are read-only.

The exact steps depend on whether you are using the desktop app, the web player, or a phone. Each one works slightly differently, and some features are not available on all platforms. Below is how to do it on each device.

Key Takeaways

  • You can only rearrange playlists you created yourself; collaborative playlists and playlists made by Spotify or other users cannot be reordered by you.
  • On desktop and web, click and drag a song to move it; on mobile, press and hold the song until a menu appears, then drag it to a new spot.
  • The desktop app and web player both support drag-and-drop, but the mobile app requires a long press before dragging becomes available.
  • If you cannot drag a song, check whether you own the playlist — collaborative playlists may have different permissions depending on who created it.

How to reorder songs on Spotify desktop

Open Spotify on your computer and go to the playlist you want to change. Click on the song you want to move, then hold down the mouse button and drag it to the position where you want it to appear. Release the mouse button and the song will drop into its new spot. The rest of the playlist shifts automatically to make room.

You can move multiple songs at once by holding Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) and clicking each song you want to select, then dragging them all together to a new location. This is useful if you want to group similar songs or move a whole section of the playlist without doing it one song at a time.

How to reorder songs on Spotify web player

If you use Spotify in a web browser instead of the desktop app, the process is the same: click and drag. Go to your playlist, click on a song, hold the mouse button down, and drag it to where you want it. The web player works on any computer with a browser, so this method works whether you are on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

The web player is slower than the desktop app on some computers, so dragging may feel sluggish. If dragging feels unresponsive, try refreshing the page or switching to the desktop app instead, which usually performs better when you are moving many songs at once.

How to reorder songs on Spotify mobile (iPhone and Android)

On your phone, open the playlist and press and hold any song until a menu pops up. You will see options like "Add to queue" and "Go to song radio." At the bottom of this menu, you should see a handle icon (three horizontal lines) or a "Drag" option. Press that icon and hold it, then drag the song up or down to its new position. Release it when it is where you want it.

If you do not see a drag handle in the menu, your phone may not support reordering in the current version of Spotify. Update the app from your phone's app store and try again. Some older phones or older versions of the app do not have this feature, though it is available on most current iPhones and Android devices.

What to do if you cannot drag songs in your playlist

If dragging does not work, the most common reason is that you do not own the playlist. Spotify playlists made by other users, by Spotify itself (like "New Music Daily" or "RapCaviar"), and collaborative playlists created by someone else cannot be reordered by you, even if you follow them or have songs added to them.

If a playlist is collaborative, you may still be able to reorder it depending on who created it and what permissions they set. The person who created the playlist always has full reordering power. If you want to rearrange a playlist you do not own, create a new playlist of your own and add the songs to it in the order you prefer.

Creating a new playlist and copying songs to it

To make a copy of someone else's playlist that you can rearrange, create a new playlist by clicking the "Create Playlist" button in the left sidebar (on desktop) or the plus icon (on mobile). Give it a name, then go back to the original playlist and add songs to your new one. You can select multiple songs at once by holding Ctrl or Command and clicking each one, then right-clicking and choosing "Add to Playlist."

Once all the songs are in your new playlist, you can rearrange them however you want. This takes a few extra minutes, but it is the only way to reorder a playlist you did not create. Some people do this to make personalized versions of popular playlists or to organize songs by mood, energy level, or genre.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo a song I moved to the wrong spot?

Spotify does not have an undo button for playlist changes. If you move a song and realize you put it in the wrong place, you will need to drag it again to fix it. There is no way to revert the entire playlist to an earlier order, so move carefully or take a screenshot of the original order if you want to restore it later.

Why can't I drag songs in a collaborative playlist?

Collaborative playlists have different permission levels depending on who created them. The creator always has full control, but other collaborators may only be able to add or remove songs, not reorder them. If you need to rearrange a collaborative playlist, ask the person who created it to do it, or create your own version.

Does reordering a playlist change the order for other people who follow it?

Yes. If you own a playlist and other people follow it, any changes you make to the order appear for them too. If you want to experiment with a different order without affecting followers, create a private copy of the playlist, rearrange that one, and keep the original as is.

Can I sort a playlist alphabetically or by artist instead of dragging?

Spotify does not have a built-in sort feature. You have to drag songs manually to arrange them. Some third-party apps claim to sort playlists, but they require you to give them access to your Spotify account, which carries a security risk. Dragging is slower but safer.

What if I'm on an older version of Spotify and don't see the drag handle?

Update your Spotify app from your phone's app store or reinstall the desktop app from Spotify's website. Older versions may not support drag-and-drop reordering. If you have updated and still cannot drag, try logging out and back in, or contact Spotify support to report the issue.