Yes, you can create playlists on YouTube for free. YouTube allows all users, even those without YouTube accounts, to create and manage playlists without any charges.
What is a YouTube Playlist?
A YouTube playlist is a collection of videos that can be played back-to-back. Playlists allow you to organize and watch multiple videos without having to search for each one individually. You can create playlists around certain topics, music genres, artists, or anything else you want. Playlists make it easy to find and watch related videos in a sequenced order.
Benefits of YouTube Playlists
Here are some of the key benefits of using YouTube playlists:
- Organize videos – Playlists allow you to neatly arrange videos into groups around specific topics or themes.
- Binge watch content – You can add hours of content to a playlist and watch videos continuously.
- Discover new videos – YouTube will recommend related videos to add to your playlist as you build it.
- Share playlists – You can share playlists with friends or embed them on websites for others to enjoy.
- Listen to music – Create playlists of your favorite music videos or songs.
- Save videos – Use playlists to bookmark videos you want to watch later.
- Customize watching experience – Playlists let you control the exact video sequence.
How to Create a YouTube Playlist
YouTube makes it simple for any user to create customized playlists. There are a couple different ways to create playlists on both desktop and mobile apps. Here are the steps:
On Desktop
- Go to YouTube.com and find a video you want to add to a new playlist.
- Below the video click the “Save” button – it looks like a plus (+) symbol.
- Select “Create new playlist” from the dropdown menu.
- Give the playlist a name and description.
- Click “Create” to finish making the playlist.
- To add more videos, simply find the video and click the “Save” button, then select your playlist name.
On Mobile App
- Open the YouTube app on your iPhone, Android or tablet.
- Find a video you want to add to a new playlist.
- Tap the “Add” icon next to the video title – it looks like a plus (+) symbol.
- Select “Create new playlist” from the dropdown menu.
- Name your playlist and tap “Create” to finish making it.
- To add more videos, tap the “Add” icon and select your playlist name.
That’s all there is to it! You can create as many custom playlists as you want for free on YouTube without needing a YouTube or Google account.
Managing Your YouTube Playlists
Once you’ve made a playlist on YouTube, you have full control over managing it:
- Add videos – Easily add more videos to your playlist anytime.
- Reorder videos – Change the sequence of videos within the playlist.
- Delete videos – Remove any videos you don’t want in the playlist anymore.
- Edit title & description – Change the playlist name or update the description.
- Change privacy – Make playlists public, private or unlisted.
- Delete playlist – Remove the entire playlist if you no longer want it.
Add Videos
Adding videos to your playlist is simple. Just find the video you want and use the “Save” button to add it to your existing playlist. You can add videos from any YouTube channel to your playlists.
Reorder Videos
To reorder videos within a playlist on desktop:
- Go to your playlist page.
- Click the “Edit” button to enter edit mode.
- Drag and drop videos to arrange them in your desired order.
- Click “Done” when finished reordering.
On mobile:
- Open the playlist.
- Tap the 3 dots next to a video.
- Select “Move” and drag it to its new position.
Delete Videos
If you want to remove a video from a playlist:
- Go to the playlist and enter edit mode.
- Find the video you want to delete.
- Click the “Remove” icon next to the video.
- Confirm you want to remove it by clicking “Remove video”.
The video will be deleted from the playlist but not from YouTube.
Edit Playlist Details
You can edit the name, description or privacy setting of your playlist anytime:
- Go to your playlist page.
- Click the “Edit” button to enter edit mode.
- Update the name or description as desired.
- Change the privacy setting if wanted.
- Click “Done” when finished editing.
Delete Playlists
If you no longer need a playlist:
- Go to your playlist page.
- Click the “Delete” button.
- Confirm you want to delete the entire playlist.
Your playlist will be permanently deleted along with all its videos.
Sharing YouTube Playlists
A great feature of YouTube playlists is the ability to share them with others. You can share playlists publicly, privately, or on social media.
Share Publicly
To allow anyone to view your playlist:
- Go to your playlist page.
- Click the “Share” button below the playlist.
- Copy the URL which you can share anywhere.
Share Privately
To share a playlist with specific people:
- Click the “Share” button below your playlist.
- Toggle the switch to “Unlisted”.
- Copy the URL and only share with people you want to see it.
Share on Social Media
You can also embed playlists or share them on social media:
- Click the “Share” button on your playlist.
- Select “Embed” code to embed your playlist onto websites.
- Click social media icons to share playlists onto different platforms.
Creating Playlists Without an Account
YouTube allows anyone to create playlists while browsing the platform without an account. Here’s how:
- Find a video you want to add to a new playlist.
- Below the video click the “Save” button.
- Select “Create new playlist”.
- Name your playlist and click “Create”.
This creates a temporary playlist. It will only be saved in your current browser. To save it permanently, you’ll need to create a YouTube or Google account. But you can still build and manage playlists in a browser session without logging in.
Creating Playlists With a YouTube Account
Having a YouTube or Google account gives you additional playlist benefits:
- Access playlists from any device or browser.
- Get personalized recommendations for new videos.
- Make playlists public or unlisted.
- Add collaborators to playlists.
- See view counts and stats for playlists.
- Get notifications when new videos are added.
To create playlists with an account:
- Sign into your YouTube or Google account.
- Follow the steps above to create and manage playlists.
- Playlists will sync across your account for access anywhere.
More Playlist Tips
Here are some additional tips for creating great YouTube playlists:
- Give your playlist an eye-catching name that describes the content.
- Write a thorough playlist description explaining what viewers will see.
- Keep playlists focused around specific themes for easier discovery.
- Include a mix of popular videos along with hidden gems.
- Remember playlists are dynamic – you can always add new videos later.
- Make video titles and thumbnails consistent within a playlist.
- Use playlists to collect videos from multiple channels in one place.
Conclusion
YouTube makes playlist creation simple and available to all users for free. Anyone can quickly build customized video playlists to organize content for themselves or share with others. Playlists are a great tool for creating curated collections of videos around topics you love. Give your viewers or subscribers an enhanced watching experience by making playlists part of your YouTube strategy.