Spotify finally brings playlist folders to mobile — 15 years after the desktop

Spotify has rolled out playlist folders to its iOS and Android apps, a feature that has existed on the desktop since 2010 but was never available on mobile — until now. The update, confirmed by Spotify official newsroom on May 28, 2026, also includes bulk playlist editing and background downloads, and requires no app store update to appear.

The folders fix

You can now create, rename, nest, and reorder playlist folders directly from your phone or tablet. If you have dozens of playlists built up over years — separated by mood, activity, or genre — you no longer need to open a laptop to sort them out. Folders and bulk editing (move or delete multiple tracks at once) are free for every Spotify user, no subscription required.

What's behind the Premium paywall

Three features are reserved for paying subscribers. The reshuffle button generates a fresh random track order in any playlist or album. Multi-select queue management lets you rearrange or drop several songs from the play queue in one go. Background downloads — where music and podcasts download for offline listening while you use other apps — are also Premium-only. Android users have had background downloads for years; as 9to5Google notes, iOS only catches up now.

Why it took this long

Spotify never gave a public explanation for the gap, but mobile and desktop codebases have historically diverged on library management features. The rollout is server-side, meaning it appears automatically without a manual update — check your Your Library tab if you don't see the option yet.

For anyone who has spent years working around the folder gap by stacking playlists into awkward naming schemes, this update is a straightforward improvement. Free users get the organizational tools; Premium subscribers get the speed and offline extras on top.