Trying to send a whole YouTube playlist, but stuck with a single video link or a private playlist? The trick is to share the full playlist and give recipients permission to view it. Here’s how to get the right link on your computer or phone, change its privacy, and invite collaborators.
Share your playlist from a computer
Open the playlist you want to send from Playlists in YouTube’s left menu while signed in. Then copy the full playlist URL from your browser’s address bar. It contains “playlist,” like https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAYLIST_ID.
Paste that URL into your message. This works for Public or Unlisted playlists; a Private playlist needs a privacy change before other people can use its link. For another sharing option, choose a destination through Share in the playlist’s details.
Send it from Android, iPhone, or iPad
The YouTube app gives you a playlist link to copy or send through another app. Open the YouTube app, then go to the channel page belonging to you or the person whose playlist you want to share. Select Playlists.
Tap More beside the playlist, then choose Share. Select a sharing destination, such as a messaging or email app. The choices depend on your installed apps.
To copy the URL instead, choose Copy link from the sharing menu. Paste the copied URL into your message.
Make a private playlist shareable
On a computer, change the privacy setting of a playlist you own before sending its link.
- 1.Sign in to YouTube.
- 2.Go to You, then Playlists.
- 3.Select View full playlist for the playlist you want to share.
- 4.Open the privacy dropdown below the title.
- 5.Choose Public or Unlisted. Anyone with an unlisted link can forward it. Supervised-account restrictions block visibility changes for affected accounts.
- 6.Copy the full playlist URL and send it.
Find the full link to someone else’s playlist
You can share another person’s accessible public or unlisted playlist. Start on their channel page on a computer.
Select Playlists, then click View full playlist beneath the collection you want to send. Copy the browser URL and paste it into your message.
If you cannot find the collection through the channel, try a video playing within that playlist. Click the playlist title in the panel on the right of the watch page. Copy the resulting playlist page’s URL into your message.
Invite friends to collaborate
Use a collaboration invitation when you want people to contribute to your playlist. An ordinary viewing link does not grant collaboration access.
Open your playlist while signed in to an eligible account. Select Share, then choose Invite collaborators.
Set the playlist to Public or Unlisted if YouTube prompts you to change its privacy. Choose the people you want to invite.
Switch methods when the mobile website gets in the way
YouTube’s mobile website, m.youtube.com, supports sharing videos through its controls, but not playlists. Use the YouTube app’s sharing steps above to send a playlist from your phone.
If you already have the full playlist URL, your browser can copy or share it. The playlist’s privacy setting still applies.
On Android, open that full playlist URL in Chrome. Tap More beside the address bar, then select Share....
Choose the destination app. If you still cannot get the playlist link on your phone, try copying its address from the full playlist page on YouTube’s desktop website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I embed a YouTube playlist on a website?
Yes. On a computer, open the playlist and select SHARE, then Embed. Copy the generated HTML into your website’s HTML. The website must accept embedded HTML, and individual videos must allow embedding and be accessible to viewers.
Why can’t someone watch a private video inside my shared playlist?
Making a playlist public or unlisted does not make its private videos accessible. The owner of each private video must separately authorize viewers.
How do I stop people from accessing a playlist I shared?
Change the playlist’s privacy setting back to Private to stop public link access. Disabling collaboration is a separate control that removes collaborators.
Can I make my Liked videos playlist public and share it?
No. YouTube’s automatic Liked videos playlist is private. Older instructions for making it public are obsolete. Use an ordinary public or unlisted playlist for sharing.