Spotify introduces custom playlist cover art – how to create your own

Spotify is giving users more customisation options than ever for their playlists - (Spotify)

Spotify has released a creative new feature for compulsive playlist curators. 

If you’re the type of person who shuns Spotify’s algorithmic recommendations in favour of your own meticulously assembled mixtapes, then you’ll love the music app’s latest update.

With it, you can create custom cover art for your playlists new and old. Before you ask, this is a step above the rudimentary customisation Spotify currently offers, like an image from your phone’s gallery and a short description. 

Your playlist art can rival Spotify's own with the new update (Spotify)

Now, the options are more psychedelic, warped and just downright goofy. You can change the style, colour and effects of your text; mess around with masks and filters for your images; and embellish it all with stickers that look as if they’ve been plucked from an Urban Outfitters’ T-shirt.

While it would have been fun to see some peeling bananas, cosmic triangles or other nods to classic album art from the past, there's always hope for more stickers in future updates. Maybe Spotify will let you create AI-generated images given its penchant for robot DJs.

You can create custom art for new and existing playlists in your library (Spotify)

For now, the feature is in beta, which means it isn’t the finished product. This tentative approach also applies to its release, with the update gradually rolling out from October 22. 

So, if you don’t see it yet, just keep an eye on the app (and make sure to update it) to grab it as soon as it lands.

You can use stickers instead of images for your artwork (Spotify custom playlist art)

How to create custom playlist cover art

Here’s how to find the new feature on the Spotify mobile app. With the app updated to the latest version, tap the “Your Library” icon at the bottom right of the screen.

Now, select one of your existing playlists (or make a new one) and tap the context menu (which looks like three dots). Then tap “create cover art” to start playing around with the controls.

You can play around with easy-to-use text and image effects (Spotify)

Once you’re done crafting your masterpiece to rival Sgt Pepper’s, your playlist will be updated for everyone to see. 

If you’re really proud of your creation, you can share it with your friends and the world at large on social media.