Spotify has updated its mobile app to now enable users, especially Premium subscribers, control what they hear, when they hear it, and how they manage their music preferences.
The overhaul touches key parts of the listening experience, with an emphasis on Queue management, playlist organisation, and better personalised curation.
For Premium subscribers, Spotify’s Queue has undergone a long-awaited redesign. The control layout is cleaner, making Shuffle, Smart Shuffle, Repeat, and Sleep Timer functions easier to reach.
Importantly, users can now completely disable both Smart Shuffle and Autoplay in Settings, something many have been asking for.
A new addition is the visibility of suggested tracks that will play once a queue ends. This gives Premium users a chance to approve or discard Spotify’s recommendations before they disrupt a mood or flow. It’s a step towards transparency in a system long monopolised by opaque algorithms.
We’re also seeing a stronger emphasis on user authority. A redesigned Hide button now allows users to instantly remove any song from appearing in a playlist across all devices. It’s practical and permanent, unless you want it otherwise.
For those who aren’t looking to permanently cut a song but still need a break, a new “Snooze” function is being tested. It temporarily pulls songs from your recommendations for 30 days. “We’re starting to test this for Premium users and are planning to bring it to more listeners soon,” Spotify stated.
Playlist management has also been upgraded. On mobile, users will now find Add, Sort, and Edit tools pinned to the top of every playlist. These allow for quick adjustments to song order, titles, and artwork, tools that were once more buried in the interface.
Another feature, previously unavailable in some regions, is now expanding: Liked Songs in Spotify can be filtered by genre and converted directly into standalone playlists, absolute control.
Listeners in the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand can now use this tool to automatically generate playlists from what they’ve already enjoyed.
To simplify access to music-curation tools, Spotify has introduced a Create button in the bottom-right corner of the app.
Through it, users can build new playlists, collaborate with friends, or join a Blend, a shared playlist that merges two people’s tastes.
Premium users can also access Jam, a real-time group listening session, and AI Playlist, which turns written prompts into curated lists.
These updates have led to a small redesign of the app’s layout. The Your Library tab has been moved and now sits as the third option on the bottom navigation bar, still accessible, just repositioned.
Speaking on the update, Spotify wrote, “Our latest updates give you even more tools to curate playlists, refine your recommendations, and shape your music journey.”
Music platforms are usually criticised for favouring machine-generated recommendations over user preferences, but this update shows a change.
