Share Playlist Apple Music: How To Share

Yes, you can share Apple Music playlists with anyone, even if they don’t use Apple Music. This article explains every sharing method available in the current version of Apple Music, including how to share a playlist link, collaborate on a playlist, and send playlists to Android users or people without an Apple Music subscription.

What Sharing a Playlist Means in Apple Music

When you share a playlist from Apple Music, you are sending a link. That link opens a web page (music.apple.com) where the playlist is displayed. Anyone with the link can view the playlist and its songs. If the person has an Apple Music subscription, they can tap the link to open the playlist directly in the Apple Music app and listen to the full tracks. If they don’t have a subscription, they can still see the playlist and preview each song for a short time, but they cannot play full songs or download them.

Sharing is different from collaborating. Sharing simply gives someone a view-only link. Collaboration allows multiple people to add, remove, and reorder songs in the same playlist. Both features are built into the Apple Music app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and the Windows version of Apple Music.

How to Share a Playlist Link (Step-by-Step)

The process is nearly identical on all devices. Here are the exact steps for iPhone and iPad:

1. Open the Apple Music app and go to your Library.
2. Tap Playlists and select the playlist you want to share.
3. Tap the three dots (…) button in the upper-right corner of the playlist screen.
4. Tap Share Playlist.
5. Choose a sharing method: Messages, Mail, AirDrop, or copy the link.

On a Mac, the steps are the same except you click the … button next to the playlist name and select Share Playlist. On Windows (the Apple Music app for Windows 10/11), you right-click the playlist and choose Share.

If you choose Copy Link, the link is placed on your clipboard. You can paste it anywhere: a text message, an email, a social media post, or a chat app. The link looks like this: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/...

How to Share a Playlist with Someone Who Doesn’t Have Apple Music

You can still share the link. The recipient will open the link in a web browser. They will see the full playlist with song titles, artists, and album art. They can tap any song to play a 30-second preview. They will also see a banner prompting them to try Apple Music.

If the recipient is on Android, they can install the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store. After installing, they can sign in with a free Apple ID (no subscription needed) and open the link to view the playlist. They still need a subscription to play full songs, but they can browse and preview.

There is no way to export a playlist as a plain text file or a CSV from the Apple Music app itself. If you need a list of songs in text form, you have to manually copy the song names or use a third-party service that converts Apple Music playlists to other formats.

Collaborating on a Playlist

Collaboration is a separate feature that lets multiple people add songs to the same playlist. To start a collaborative playlist, do the following:

1. Create a new playlist or open an existing one.
2. Tap the … button and choose Collaborate.
3. You get a link that you can share with others.
4. Anyone with the link can join and add songs, as long as they have an Apple Music subscription.

The person joining must have an Apple Music subscription. They can join by opening the link and tapping Join Playlist. The owner can approve or reject each person if they enable the Approve Collaborators option. The owner can also remove someone at any time.

Collaboration works on iOS 17.2 or later, macOS Sonoma 14.2 or later, and the Windows app. Android users cannot collaborate on Apple Music playlists.

Sharing to Social Media and Other Apps

When you tap Share Playlist, the system share sheet appears. From there you can choose any app that supports sharing: Instagram Stories, Facebook, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, etc. The link will be posted as a card with the playlist name, artwork, and a preview of a few songs.

If you want to share a single song instead of a whole playlist, the process is the same: tap the … next to a song and choose Share Song.

One common mistake is thinking that sharing a playlist via AirDrop sends the actual music files. It does not. AirDrop sends a link, not the audio files. The recipient still needs an Apple Music subscription to play the songs.

Common Problems and Fixes

Here are the most frequent issues people run into when sharing playlists:

• Link doesn’t open on Android: Make sure the recipient has the Apple Music app installed. If they open the link in a browser, it should redirect to the app. If not, they can copy the link and paste it into the app’s search bar.
• Playlist shows as unavailable: This happens if you deleted the playlist or if the songs were removed from Apple Music. Also, if you have a free Apple ID without a subscription, the playlist may not be shareable.
• Collaboration link not working: Check that both you and the recipient have the latest version of iOS/macOS. Also, the recipient must have an Apple Music subscription.
• Recipient sees only 30-second previews: That is normal for non-subscribers. There is no way to give someone full access without a subscription.
• Link is too long: Apple Music links can be long. You can use a URL shortener like bit.ly, but that is not necessary for most uses.

Sharing vs. Exporting: What You Can’t Do

Apple Music does not allow you to export a playlist as a file that can be imported into Spotify, YouTube Music, or any other service. The share link is the only official way to share a playlist. If you want to move a playlist to another service, you need to use a third-party tool that reads your Apple Music library and creates a matching playlist on the other service. These tools are not affiliated with Apple and often require you to sign in with your Apple ID, which carries some risk. Apple does not provide a built-in export feature.

Also, you cannot share a playlist that you have not created yourself. If you are viewing someone else’s playlist, you can share it, but the link will point to the original creator’s playlist. You cannot copy it to your library and share that copy as your own.

Privacy and Safety When Sharing

Any playlist you share becomes visible to anyone with the link. There is no password protection. If you post the link publicly, anyone can see the playlist, but they cannot edit it unless you have enabled collaboration. If you enable collaboration, anyone with the link can request to join, and if you have approval turned off, they can join immediately and add songs. Be careful about sharing collaboration links publicly.

You can stop sharing a collaborative playlist at any time by going to the playlist, tapping …, and turning off Collaborate. This removes all collaborators and makes the playlist view-only again. The link will still work, but no one can add songs.

If you want to delete a playlist entirely, go to your Library, tap … on the playlist, and choose Delete from Library. This removes the playlist for you and anyone who had the link will see it as unavailable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share an Apple Music playlist with a Spotify user?

Yes, you can share the link, but the Spotify user will only see the playlist in a web browser with song previews. They cannot play full songs in Spotify. To actually listen to the songs in Spotify, they would need to recreate the playlist manually or use a third-party converter.

Why doesn’t the share button appear on my playlist?

If you are using a free Apple ID without an Apple Music subscription, you can still create playlists from songs you have purchased or imported, but the share button may be grayed out. Also, if you are looking at a playlist that someone else shared with you, you can share it, but the button is located under the … menu.

Can I share a playlist with someone who lives in a different country?

Yes, but the songs may not be available in their country’s Apple Music catalog. If a song is not available in their region, it will appear grayed out and unplayable. The rest of the playlist will still work.

How do I copy the playlist link on my iPhone?

Tap the … button on the playlist, then tap Share Playlist, and then tap Copy Link. The link is now on your clipboard and you can paste it anywhere.

Can I share a playlist without an Apple Music subscription?

You can share a playlist that you created from songs you own (purchased or imported), but the recipient will still need a subscription to listen to full songs. If you have a free account, the share button may not appear on playlists that contain songs from Apple Music’s catalog.

What happens if I delete a playlist I shared?

The link will stop working. Anyone who clicks it will see a message that the playlist is no longer available. If you only remove a few songs, the link will still work and show the updated list.

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