Like any other social media platform, Spotify allows you to create collaborative and public playlists to spread and share your melodious finds. However, always appearing in public can be a little tiring. So sit back and enjoy some of my time as we take a look at how you can enable Spotify’s privacy settings to make sessions and playlists private.
Depending on how much privacy you want, you can start by changing your Spotify profile name if you just want to go incognito. Or you can use Spotify’s other privacy settings to make sessions and playlists private. So read on as we take a detailed look at how you can make Spotify private.
1. Change profile name
If you’re using Spotify to share your public playlists or simply don’t want friends or family to find your account, changing your profile name can help. While you can’t change your username, it will change your public display name. Follow the steps below to do that.
Use Spotify web
Step 1: Open Spotify and click on your profile icon.
Step 2: Then, click on Profile.
Step 3: Here, click on your profile name.
Step 4: Now change your name to whatever you want and click Save.
Using Spotify mobile app
Step 1: Open the Spotify mobile app.
Step 2: Here, tap the gear icon.
Step 3: Then, tap View Profile.
Step 4: Tap your profile name.
Step 5: Then, change your profile name and tap Save.
This will save your changes and display the changed profile name.
2. Create a private session
As the name suggests, Spotify’s private sessions allow you to listen to music in a private place. This way, no one can see your listening activity after enabling the private session setting.
Be aware, though, because private sessions on the Spotify web only last until you open the Spotify app window. Once closed, the private session will end. While on the Spotify mobile app, private sessions will only last up to 6 hours from creation.
Follow the steps below to create a private session on Spotify using the desktop and mobile apps.
Use Spotify web
Step 1: Open Spotify and click on your profile icon.
Step 2: Here, click on Settings.
Step 3: Then, scroll down to the Social section.
Step 4: Here, enable the option “Start a private session to listen anonymously”.
This will display a lock icon on the top of your screen. This means your private session has started.
Using Spotify mobile app
Step 1: Open the Spotify mobile app.
Step 2: Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
Step 3: Then go to the Social section and toggle the switch for Private Sessions.
This will instantly trigger your private session on Spotify.
3. Clear listening history
While Spotify doesn’t explicitly make your listening history public, others can see what you’ve been up to if you make your listening activity public. So, to make your Spotify activity private, you can start by changing your listening to private. Then, to take it a step further, clear your listening history.
Check out our article on how to view and clear your listening history on Spotify.
4. Block unwanted users
Blocking users on Spotify sounds drastic, but we’ll always come across people we wish wouldn’t have access to our information. Blocking someone will ensure that they won’t be able to access your profile, track you, or see your listening activity.
Here’s how using the Spotify mobile and desktop apps.
Use Spotify web
Step 1: Open Spotify.
Step 2: Then, click on the Search bar.
Step 3: Here, search for the user you want to block and click on the username from the search results.
Step 4: Once on their profile, click on the three-dot icon.
Step 5: Then, click Block.
Step 6: Again, click Block. This will block users on Spotify.
Using Spotify mobile app
Step 1: Open the Spotify mobile app.
Step 2: Then, tap on the Search tab from the bottom menu.
Step 3: Here, tap on the search bar.
Step 4: Now enter the name of the user you want to block and tap on the name from the search results.
Step 5: Then, click on the three dots icon.
Step 6: Tap Block.
Step 7: Again, tap Block to confirm.
This will block users from accessing your Spotify profile.
5. Make playlists private
Creating private playlists on Spotify will ensure that no one but you can access them. While this setting isn’t enabled by default, you do have the option to access your playlist and make it private.
However, make sure that the old playlist has no people added because they can still access the playlist even if it has been made private. Follow the steps below to make a playlist private on Spotify.
Use Spotify web
Step 1: Open Spotify.
Step 2: Here, tap on the playlist that you want to make private.
Step 3: Then, click on the three-dot icon.
Step 4: Here, tap on Make private.
This will immediately make the playlist private. If you also want to make other playlists private, repeat the steps above for all individual playlists.
Using Spotify mobile app
Step 1: Open the Spotify mobile app and tap on the relevant playlist.
Step 2: Then, click on the three-dot icon.
Step 3: Here, tap Make Private.
Step 4: Tap Reset private to confirm.
This will make the playlist private on Spotify.
Spotify allows you to link your account to your Facebook account. This way, you can find your friends, share the music you’re listening to, and even check what music your friends are listening to. However, if you want to make Spotify private, unlink your Facebook account from Spotify.
To do this, open the Settings menu on the Spotify desktop app and from the Social section, unlink your Facebook account. You can also check out our detailed guide on how to unlink Spotify from your Facebook account.
Bonus: Turn off ads tailored with Spotify settings
Privacy settings are not only what other users can see about us, but also what data we have available with Spotify and how that data is shared. While Spotify claims not to share any personal data, it does share limited data with advertisers to deliver ads tailored to your interests.
This can be anything from your previous listening history to a playlist you curated using Spotify. However, Spotify also understands that not everyone is comfortable sharing their music habits. Along with this, you have the option to turn off data sharing for tailored ads. Here’s how to do it.
Note: This can only be done using the Spotify web app.
Step 1: Open the Spotify web app.
Step 2: Click on your profile icon.
Step 3: Then, click on Accounts. This will open a separate Spotify settings window.
Step 4: From the menu options, click Privacy Settings.
Step 5: Scroll down to the Matched ads section and turn off the ‘Processing my personal data for tailored ads’ option.
Step 6: Here, click “Yes – off”.
This will prevent Spotify from sharing your personal data with third-party advertisers for a more personalized advertising experience. Additionally, if your Facebook account is linked to a Spotify profile, you can also prevent Spotify from accessing any personal data other than the necessary login details.
Step 7: To do this, go to the Facebook data section and turn off the ‘Processing my Facebook data’ option.
Step 8: Again, click ‘Yes – off’.
This will prevent Spotify from accessing any unauthorized personal details from your Facebook account.
Spotify Privacy Settings FAQ
1. Is it possible to make your Spotify account private forever?
While there’s no setting to make Spotify private forever, the ways outlined above will ensure your Spotify account stays private until any changes are made.
2. Can you make all Spotify playlists private?
Turning off the ‘Publish my new playlists on my profile’ option from the settings menu will ensure your newly created playlists don’t show up on your profile. Then go to the playlist and from the menu options make it private. However, you will need to go to each playlist and make them private.
Make your Spotify private
While sharing your Spotify activity is a great way to bond with your friends and family, we all need a little respite. So here are all the ways you can use Spotify’s privacy settings to make your sessions and playlists private. Check out our other article for jamming with Spotify with your Amazon Echo device.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
