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How to hide or unhide songs on Spotify

Hide the tracks you'd rather forget or unhide the hidden gems in your playlist labyrinth.
By

Published onDecember 8, 2023

Spotify offers a vast library of audio content for all tastes and preferences. But sometimes, you might find a track that doesn’t hit the right note for you or strikes an unpleasant memory.

Whether it’s an overplayed song or it’s just not your vibe, you can easily hide and unhide songs on Spotify. We’ll walk you through the steps.

QUICK ANSWER

To hide and unhide songs on Spotify from your mobile device, open the Spotify app. Then, navigate to the song through a third-party playlist or an album. Tap on the three vertical dots (⋮) or the three horizontal dots (ᐧᐧᐧ) next to its name and select Hide this song to hide it or Hidden to unhide it.


JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How to hide a song on Spotify

Hiding a song on Spotify is pretty simple. However, this feature is not available on the web and desktop versions. Follow these steps to hide a song on Spotify on your Android or iOS device:

  • Launch the Spotify mobile app.
  • Open a Spotify playlist or an album with the song in it.
  • Tap on the three vertical dots (⋮) next to the song’s name.
  • Tap on Hide this song.

If you search for the song, you must play it before you can hide it.

  • While playing the song, tap on the three vertical dots (⋮) at the top right corner.
  • Then, tap on Hide this song.

When you hide a song on Spotify while it’s playing, the next song automatically begins playing. You can’t hide songs from your playlists, but you can remove them if you don’t want to listen.

How to unhide a song on Spotify

If you’ve hidden a song on Spotify and want to bring it back to your playlist, unhiding it is just as simple as hiding it. Follow these steps to unhide a song on Spotify:

  • Navigate to the third-party playlist containing the hidden song. The song will be grayed out with a minus sign inside a circle next to its name.
  • Tap on the minus (hidden) sign to unhide it.
  • You can also tap on the three vertical dots (⋮) and touch Hidden to unhide it. You can now listen to the song again.

Why can’t I unhide a song on Spotify?

If you’re struggling to unhide a song on Spotify that appears grayed out, the issue might not be with the hiding feature. The song may not even be hidden in the first place, as hidden songs are grayed out with a minus sign inside a circle next to their names.

Several other factors can cause songs to be grayed out on Spotify, making them unplayable. Here are the most common ones:

  • Country restrictions: Some songs are unavailable in certain regions due to licensing restrictions. These restrictions are determined by the copyright owners of the songs, which can change over time​​​​.
  • License expirations: Spotify’s ability to stream certain songs depends on licensing agreements with music labels and copyright holders. If these agreements expire and are not renewed, the songs become unplayable​​​​.
  • Network issues: A poor internet connection can occasionally cause songs to be grayed out. This could be an issue with your network connection or on Spotify’s end​​​​.
  • Explicit content settings: If a song contains explicit language and your Spotify settings are configured to hide explicit content, these songs may appear grayed out​​.
  • Longtime downloaded songs: Songs that have been downloaded and not played for an extended period can also appear grayed out​​.
  • Censorship issues: In certain regions, songs may fail to pass the music audit system and thus become unavailable​​.
  • App-related issues: sometimes, issues with the Spotify app itself, such as a need for an update or a glitch in the app cache, can cause songs to appear grayed out. The solutions in this case include updating the app, clearing the cache, or even reinstalling the app​​​​​​.
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