Spotify guide
Daniel Okonkwo writes about phones and mobile apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Pro, a Pixel 9 Pro and an iPhone 15.
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
Sign in at spotify.com, open your account page and go to Recover playlists. Click Restore next to the playlist, then open Spotify and find it at the bottom of your playlist collection. If you deleted it seconds ago on desktop, Cmd+Z on Mac or Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows undoes it.
The catch: the restore page only holds playlists deleted in the last 90 days, from the account you are signed in to. A playlist someone else made, or an older version of a playlist, is not there.
Below: the steps, which case you are in, and how to keep a playlist from needing recovery again.
How to recover a deleted Spotify playlist, step by step
To recover a deleted Spotify playlist, use the fastest route that still applies: undo if it just happened, the restore page if it was within 90 days. The last group covers the cases where the playlist is not on the list.
-
Undo it if it just happened
Press undo on desktop straight away
Spotify for desktop has a keyboard shortcut to undo something you just deleted: Cmd+Z on Mac and Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows. Press it before doing anything else in the app. If the moment has passed, use the restore page below.
-
Restore it from your account page
Open Recover playlists on the website
In a browser, sign in at spotify.com and open your account page, then Recover playlists, or go straight to
spotify.com/account/recover-playlists. The page is only on the website: the desktop and mobile apps have no restore option. On a phone, open it in a mobile browser. -
Click Restore next to the playlist
The page lists playlists deleted in the last 90 days. Click Restore by the one you want. If several have similar names, restore all of them and delete the extras later, since each restore takes a click.
-
Find it at the bottom of your playlists
Open Spotify and look at the bottom of your playlist collection. A restored playlist appears there, not in its old position, so scroll all the way down before deciding it did not work.
-
If it is not on the list
Check you are signed in to the right account
The playlist may have been made on another account. If you have more than one way of logging in, such as a second email address, sign out, try each login, and check its restore page.
-
Check it was not a playlist you only saved
The restore page lists playlists you deleted. A playlist made by someone else and saved to your library belongs to them, so search for it by name and save it again. If they deleted it, ask them to check their own restore page.
-
Check for a library filter on mobile
On mobile, a filter in Your Library can hide a playlist that still exists. Pull the Your Library screen down to see your filters and clear them.
-
Secure the account if many playlists vanished
Playlists added or lost without explanation can mean someone else has access. Reset your password, use Sign out everywhere on your account page, and remove any connected apps you do not recognise, then restore the playlists. If you cannot get into the account at all, contact Spotify support, which can help restore what was lost.
A common case: you cleared out old playlists in January and in March realised one of them was the only copy of a wedding mix. Steps 2 and 3 bring it back, since March is within 90 days, and step 4 tells you where to find it.
The restore page is the one tool with a deadline, so check it before trying anything else once undo is no longer possible.
More about Spotify
Music, podcast and audiobook streaming, free with ads or paid with Premium.
Playlist not on the Spotify restore page?
- The playlist is not on the Recover playlists page
It was deleted more than 90 days ago, it was made on another account, or it belonged to someone else. Try your other logins first.
- You restored the playlist but cannot find it
Scroll to the bottom of your playlist collection. Restored playlists appear there, not where they used to be.
- Songs are grey in the restored playlist
What is on Spotify varies over time and between countries, depending on permission from rights holders. Grey tracks are currently unavailable where you are, and may return later.
- You want the playlist as it was last month
You cannot save or recover a particular version of a playlist. The restore page brings back a deleted playlist, not an older state of one that still exists.
Why the Spotify restore page has a 90-day limit
Deleting a playlist in Spotify is not immediate and final. For 90 days, it stays on the Recover playlists page of your account, and one click brings it back.
After 90 days, it drops off that page, and there is no other self-service route for older playlists.
Restoring also only works on whole playlists. Most playlists change over time, and you cannot save or recover a particular version of one.
The clock starts when the playlist is deleted, not when you notice it is missing.
Match your missing Spotify playlist to where it is
| Situation | Where to look first |
|---|---|
| Deleted a moment ago on desktop | Undo: Cmd+Z on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+Z on Windows |
| Deleted within 90 days | Recover playlists on your account page |
| Made on another login | That account’s Recover playlists page |
| Hidden by a filter on mobile | Pull down in Your Library to see filters |
| Many playlists gone at once | Secure the account, then restore (step 8) |
When the playlist was never yours to restore
Playlists by Spotify and by other people show up in your library when you save them. Removing one from your library does not delete it, so it will not appear on your restore page. Search for it and save it again.
A collaborative playlist is a similar case. There is no documented way for a collaborator to restore one that someone else deleted, so ask the person who created it to check their restore page.
Songs removed from a playlist you still have are a different problem. The restore page works on whole playlists, and the only way to bring back a removed song is to add it again.
How to avoid losing a Spotify playlist again
- Copy important playlists into a backup: open the playlist, select the three-dot menu, then Add to other playlist, and create a new one.
- Request a copy of your data from your Spotify account page once a year. The download lists each playlist you created or saved, with its songs.
- Use a strong password you do not use elsewhere. Playlists appearing or disappearing on their own is one of the signs someone else has access.
Check the restore page first
For most deleted playlists, recovery is two clicks on the Spotify website. The only thing that can stop it is time.
Open Recover playlists today, restore anything you might want, and delete the extras later. That keeps the 90-day clock from making the decision for you.
Deleted Spotify playlists, answered
- How long does Spotify keep deleted playlists?
- 90 days. A playlist deleted within the last 90 days can be restored from the Recover playlists page on the Spotify website.
- Can I recover a deleted Spotify playlist on my phone?
- Yes, in a mobile browser. The Recover playlists page is on the Spotify website, so open it in a browser rather than the app.
- Can Spotify support recover a playlist older than 90 days?
- There is no documented route for that. The one exception is an account someone else took over, where Spotify support can help restore what was lost.
- Does restoring a playlist bring back its followers?
- Spotify does not document it. The restore page brings the playlist back to your collection and says nothing about the people who followed it.
Share this guide
Link copied
Was this guide helpful?
What was missing?
Thanks, that helps us.
Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Marta Kowalczyk Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 17 days ago
When you need this
When a playlist disappears from your Spotify library, deleted by a slip of the finger, by someone else on your account or in a clear-out you regret, it can be restored for 90 days. The fix is on the Spotify website, not in the app.
- Describes
- Spotify account page in a web browser · Spotify for desktop and the Spotify mobile app
- Takes
- Two minutes, if the playlist is within 90 days
- Platforms
- Web · macOS · Windows · iOS · Android
- Published
- 5 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 5 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Elias Brandt and 
Marta Kowalczyk
on
- Elias Brandt: the Windows and web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
- Marta Kowalczyk: the Mac steps on a MacBook Air (macOS 27.0.1), the iPhone steps on an iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 27.0.1) and the Android steps on a Galaxy A55 (Android 16).
Part of How to recover something you deleted .
Spotify