Playlists are often personal, but it’s also fun to have a joint playlist with a group of friends to which everyone can add music.
Since iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, macOS 14.3, tvOS 17.3 and watchOS 10.3, Apple Music subscribers can use shared playlists and collaborate on a playlist. Members can then add new music, change order and more. You can then respond to the other person’s music choices with emojis.
Common playlists in Apple Music
Apple Music introduces shared playlists that make it even easier to listen to music with your friends. Easily share a playlist and edit it together. This way, all participants can add music, change the order or delete songs. You can then respond to the other person’s music choices with emojis. This makes listening to music even more fun.
Share playlists and collaborate
- Open the Music app on your iPhone or iPad
- Navigate to a playlist you want to share or create a new one
- Tap the silhouette symbol or the three dots at the top
- Choose ‘Work together’
- If necessary, enable ‘Approve participants’
- Start sharing with the ‘Start Collaboration’ button
On a Mac you can of course also share a playlist and start a collaboration. To do this, open the playlist and click on the silhouette symbol with the plus button to invite people. You can also click on the three dots next to the download button to collaborate.
Add music
Once you’ve shared the playlist, or you’re collaborating on a playlist from other users, you can add music. Tap or click on the three dots next to a song, choose ‘Add to a playlist’ and choose the shared playlist. This is not only possible on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, but also via your Apple Watch or Apple TV.
Respond with emoji
Members can respond to a new item in the playlist with an emoji. This way you can indicate that you like the added song (less). To add an emoji reaction, play a collaborative playlist. While a song is playing, you can tap or click the emoji (next to the star symbol) from the music player to add a response. This can be done on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Unfortunately not on an Apple TV or Apple Watch.
Add members or stop sharing afterwards
Open the shared playlist and tap or click the three dots at the top of the playlist. Choose ‘Manage collaboration’ and choose ‘Share invitation link’ or QR code. You can then share the link or have the QR code scanned. Are the options deactivated? Then you must choose ‘Create new invitation link’.
You can stop sharing the playlist using the ‘Stop’ button.