Looking to delete your Spotify listening history, but don’t know where to start? Did you know that it’s no longer possible to delete this history directly, except via certain tricks on the desktop application? We’ll explain in detail how to manage your playlists and recently listened-to tracks, activate private sessions and disable the sharing of your listening activity.
Delete playlists and recently played tracks on Spotify
It’s no longer possible to delete listening history directly on Spotify. While this can be frustrating, it’s the reality. However, there are ways around this limitation, such as enabling private mode, especially if you’re using the desktop application on Windows or Mac.
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To put this into practice, here’s how you can manage your recent listens on Spotify while activating private mode for greater confidentiality:
- Go to the “Recently listened to” section
You’ll usually find it on the home page or in the sidebar.
- Move your mouse over the song or playlist you wish to delete
A three-dot icon (or “more options”) will appear.
- Click on this icon
A drop-down menu will open.
- Activate private mode
Note that this browsing period automatically ends after six hours, so if you’re planning an incognito music marathon, you may need to reactivate it.
- Access your library: Click on “Library” in the sidebar.
- Find the playlist you wish to manage: Move your mouse over it.
- Click on the three dots : Once again, the drop-down menu appears.
- Choose “Delete” or “Make private”: If you no longer wish this playlist to be visible or accessible.
A few more tips:
- Use “Private Session” mode: If you don’t want your current listening sessions to be recorded in your history, activate this feature. Click on your profile in the top right-hand corner, then select “Private session”. Your taps will not be recorded as long as this option is activated.
- Disable sharing of your listening activity: Go to your account settings, then to the “Social” section. Note that this browsing period automatically ends after six hours, so if you’re planning an incognito music marathon, you may need to reactivate it. This will prevent your friends from seeing what you’re listening to in real time.
These steps will help you better control your history and playlists. It’s a bit of work, but well worth it to keep your listening private and organized.
However, for those who wish to take the privacy of their listening even further, there are additional options to explore.
Private sessions and disabling listening activity
Spotify lets you listen in total discretion, thanks to private sessions and the ability to disable sharing of listening activity. With these options, you decide who can see what you’re listening to in real time. Here’s how to activate these features to protect your privacy.
Activate a private session on Spotify
Want to listen to music without leaving a trace? Activate private mode. Want to listen to that old ’90s hit in total privacy? No problem. On PC or Mac, click on your profile photo in the top right-hand corner, then select “Private”. On Android or iOS, open the app, tap on your profile photo at top left, go to “Settings & Privacy”, then activate “Start private session” under “Privacy & Social”.
Once activated, a small blue padlock will appear at the top of the application to indicate that you are in stealth browsing. Note that this browsing period automatically ends after six hours, so if you’re planning an incognito music marathon, you may need to reactivate it. In private session mode, your listening won’t be visible to your friends and won’t be taken into account for music recommendations. It’s perfect for keeping your musical tastes secret, or simply to avoid influencing your suggestions with occasional listening.
Disable sharing of listening activity
Disabling the sharing of your listening activity on Spotify is pretty straightforward. Open the application on your computer and click on your name in the top right-hand corner to access the settings. Once in the settings, look for the option to hide what you’re listening to from your friends’ activity stream.
This option is essential if you don’t want your subscribers to see what you’re listening to. Perhaps you have a secret passion for karaoke songs. Or maybe you simply don’t want your musical choices to influence your friends’ opinions. By deactivating this feature, you retain control over your musical privacy.
Remember that this action does not delete your listening history, but simply prevents your subscribers from seeing what you’re listening to in real time. This is a good solution for those who want a little more discretion without completely erasing their musical tracks.
FAQ
Unfortunately, Spotify does not offer an option for directly deleting listening history. Once a song or playlist has been listened to, it will appear in your “Recently listened to” without the option of immediate deletion.
To prevent your listening sessions from being recorded, you can activate the private mode. To do this, go to Spotify settings (on desktop or mobile), select your profile, then activate the “Private mode” option. This will prevent Spotify from saving your history for as long as the mode is activated.
On the mobile application, it is not possible to delete listening history directly. However, you can remove tracks from the “Recently listened to” section by deleting playlists or disabling private mode for future listening.
As with the application, Spotify Web Player does not offer an option for deleting listening history. The only way to control future listening is to activate the private mode, so that no new items are added to the history.
Yes, by default, your recent listens can be seen by your Spotify subscribers and friends, unless you activate private mode. You can also set your profile to be completely private in the privacy settings.
Spotify has not yet officially explained why it does not offer an option to delete listening history. However, history is used to personalize music recommendations, automatic playlists and other functions that enhance the user experience.
Although it’s not possible to remove an individual track from the entire listening history, you can hover over a track or playlist in the “Recently listened to” section on Spotify Desktop and click on the three dots to access options such as “Remove from favorites” or “Hide”. This does not delete the overall history, but removes these items from the visible display.
