How to Make a YouTube Playlist Private (Computer and Phone)

Playlists are one of the best ways to organise YouTube, and also one of the easiest ways to leave something public by accident. I keep private playlists for research, drafts and videos I want to show a client before the world sees them. If you've made a playlist and now want it to be yours alone, the change takes under a minute. Below are the steps in YouTube's help pages for a computer, Android and iPhone, and what the three settings mean.

The three YouTube playlist privacy settings

Setting	What YouTube's help pages say
Public	Anyone can watch and share the playlist
Unlisted	Anyone with the link can watch and share it, but it doesn't appear in search or on your channel
Private	Only you can view it

There's a small footnote on private. YouTube says its systems and human reviewers may still review private playlists for ad suitability, copyright and abuse prevention. Private means private from other viewers, not hidden from YouTube.

Making a YouTube playlist private on a computer in YouTube Studio

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left menu, open Content, then Playlists.
3. Click Details on the playlist you want to change.
4. On the Playlist details page, open Visibility and choose Private from the drop-down menu.
5. Click Save.

Making a YouTube playlist private on youtube.com

1. Sign in to YouTube and go to the You tab.
2. Select Playlists.
3. Select View full playlist under the playlist you want to edit.
4. Below the playlist title, choose Private from the privacy drop-down menu.

This route is the quickest if you're already browsing your playlists on the main site.

Making a YouTube playlist private on Android

1. Sign in to the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture, then Playlists, then View all.
3. Choose the playlist and tap the Edit icon.
4. In the Edit playlist section, pick Private from the privacy menu.
5. Tap Save.

Making a YouTube playlist private on iPhone and iPad

1. Log in to your YouTube account in the app.
2. Tap your profile picture, then Playlists, then view all your playlists.
3. Choose the playlist and tap the pencil edit icon.
4. Open the Privacy menu and select Private.
5. Confirm with the save button.

Menus vary by app version, so if a label looks different, follow the same route: profile picture, Playlists, the playlist, then edit.

Public, unlisted or private: which should you pick?

Private is for playlists only you should see. Unlisted is for sharing with a specific person or group without putting the playlist in search or on your channel. If that second option sounds closer to what you need, I've explained how it works in what unlisted means on YouTube. And if you do want others to see it, my guide to sharing a YouTube playlist covers links and collaboration.

What changes for other people when a YouTube playlist goes private

Once a playlist is set to Private, only you can view it. Someone who had the old link will no longer be able to open it. If a client or colleague needs to see the list, choose Unlisted and send the link instead, or share your screen. Because I work with clients, I decide on that before I send any playlist link.

Another point: changing a playlist from public to private doesn't change the videos in it. Each video keeps its own privacy settings, which live in its details. A private playlist can hold public videos, and those videos stay public on their own pages.

Private playlists for creators and small businesses

• Build a private playlist of competitor and inspiration videos for planning content.
• Keep a private playlist of draft videos while you review them.
• Create a private playlist of training videos for your own reference before sharing the best ones.
• Move a playlist to public only when the title, order and description are ready.

If you haven't yet organised your videos, making a playlist on YouTube walks through building one. And if you decide a playlist has outlived its usefulness, deleting a YouTube playlist is the clean-up route.

Limits and quirks of YouTube playlist privacy

• This feature may not be available with supervised accounts, according to YouTube's help pages.
• Each channel has a daily limit on creating public playlists across YouTube Music, the main YouTube app and the YouTube API. Advanced features can raise that limit.
• Setting a playlist to private is the way to stay clear of that limit while you build something.

When you first create a playlist on a computer, YouTube lets you choose the privacy setting right then, and notes that if it's private, only you can view the playlist. If you forgot to choose, you can fix it afterwards using the steps above.

If you can't make your YouTube playlist private

• Check you're signed in to the account that owns the playlist. Only the owner can change privacy.
• Look for the privacy drop-down below the playlist title, or under Visibility in Studio.
• Update the YouTube app and reload.
• If you use a supervised account, the option may not be available.
• Try a computer, which has two routes (Studio and the main site).

This guide is part of my YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a YouTube playlist private?

Open the playlist, change its privacy to Private, and save. On a computer you can do it in YouTube Studio under Content, Playlists, Details, Visibility.

What is the difference between private and unlisted playlists?

Private means only you can view it. Unlisted means anyone with the link can watch it, but it doesn't appear in search or on your channel.

Can I make a YouTube playlist private on my phone?

Yes. Tap your profile picture, Playlists, View all, open the playlist, tap Edit, choose Private and save.

Does a private playlist make its videos private?

No. Each video keeps its own privacy setting. The playlist setting only controls who can view the playlist.

Why can't I make my playlist private?

You might not be the owner, or you might be on a supervised account, where YouTube says the feature may not be available.