Choose what you want to share
A playlist for friends, a public collection for followers and a personal listening queue can have different audiences. Start by choosing the audience for each one, then review the controls that match that choice.
Keep a short list of playlists and profile details you want to check. Start with anything you have linked from another social account, because those are the connections you have intentionally made easy to follow.
| Your goal | Control to review | Follow-up check |
|---|---|---|
| Change who can access a playlist | Playlist public or private setting | Review any direct sharing |
| Choose what is displayed on your profile | Add to profile or Remove from profile | Inspect the resulting profile |
| Change what listening activity is shared | Privacy and Social settings | Choose your ongoing preference |
| Review profiles linked by reused handles | Your known public usernames | Open and update relevant accounts |
1. Set access for each playlist
Open a playlist’s three-dot menu and choose Make private if you want to restrict its public access. Spotify also provides direct sharing options for selected people, so review any access you have deliberately granted. Spotify’s playlist privacy and access guide
Work through the playlists on your list one at a time. Record the intended audience and what you changed. A collection created for a small group may need a different decision from one you actively promote.
Also review the title, description and cover. Ask whether each detail is useful to the people you plan to share with. These editorial choices are part of managing your public presence even when the playlist’s access setting is already correct.
2. Choose which playlists appear on your profile
For an individual playlist, open its menu and select Add to profile or Remove from profile. Spotify explains that a playlist absent from your profile may still be shared and followed. Profile display therefore needs its own review alongside access. Spotify’s profile publishing instructions
Look at the profile after making your changes. Is it presenting the playlists you intended? Have you left an old collection prominent even though a newer one better represents what you want to share?
For future playlists, inspect the current publishing preferences instead of assuming each new collection will start with the settings you prefer. Recheck the result when creating your next playlist.
3. Review listening activity and other social settings
On mobile, open your profile picture, then Settings and privacy → Privacy and Social. Spotify documents separate controls for listening activity, recently played artists, follower lists and playlist visibility. Review the options available to your account. Spotify’s privacy and social controls
Private session is temporary: Spotify says it automatically resets after six hours and can end when you restart the app. Use the ongoing activity controls when you want a lasting preference.
Write down the outcome you want before changing a switch. “Share playlists I choose” and “share what I am listening to” are different choices. This makes it easier to revisit your settings when the app changes or you decide to share with a different audience.
4. Review the usernames that connect your public profiles
Think about the handles you use across social networks, forums and creative accounts. Start with an exact username from a public profile you know is yours, then inspect where else it appears.
Want a list of public matches to review? Open TraceSeek through the store button and try your free first scan without registration or login.
TraceSeek checks usernames across 3,000+ platforms, with a stated scan time of 20-30 seconds. Review relevant results, identify your accounts and decide which profile links you want to keep. For the wider process, follow the digital footprint checklist.
If you prefer different handles for different audiences, see our username privacy guide.
5. Keep a short follow-up list
Save the review date and any remaining changes. Include old social bios that still link to a playlist, profiles you want to update and accounts you no longer use. The old-account cleanup guide helps turn that list into actions.
Your next review can start with the settings or username that changed. Use the TraceSeek store button when you are ready to check another known handle and continue reviewing its public matches.