We’ve all done it.

You’re tidying up your Apple Music library, removing duplicates, clearing out old playlists you don’t listen to anymore… and then it happens.

That one playlist—the one you actually wanted to keep—is gone. All those carefully picked tracks? Deleted in a single tap.

Maybe it was your workout mix, your Sunday chill session, or that road trip playlist you’ve been adding to for months. Whatever it was, it feels like you’ve lost a piece of your musical identity.

But here’s the thing: you might still be able to get it back. Apple doesn’t make this super obvious, but there are a few legit ways to recover your lost playlist—or at least rebuild it without starting totally from scratch.

So let’s break it down step by step.

1. The Myth of a “Recently Deleted” Folder in Apple Music

Let’s get this out of the way right now—Apple Music doesn’t have a “Recently Deleted” playlist folder.

That means, unlike your Photos app, there’s no dedicated trash bin you can visit to instantly restore deleted playlists.

And honestly, that feels like a major miss on Apple’s part. How has this not been added yet? We can only hope Apple adds something like this in a future iOS update.

But don’t give up just yet—there are still a few tricks worth trying.

2. Check All Your Apple Devices Before It Syncs Away

Here’s something most people overlook: iCloud Music Library syncs your changes across all devices, but it doesn’t always happen instantly.

So, if you accidentally deleted a playlist on your iPhone, quickly check:

• Your Mac or MacBook
• Your iPad
• Any older iPhones or iPods you might still have signed in

Sometimes, if you catch it before the library fully syncs, the playlist might still be sitting there on another device.

If it is—open it, press Add to Library again, and you’re back in business.

Timing is everything here, so move fast.

3. Use Shared Playlist Links (If You Sent Them to Friends)

If you ever shared your playlist with someone—whether it was on iMessage, social media, or even saved in your notes app—those links can actually save you.

Here’s how:

1. Open the playlist link you shared.
   
   
2. If Apple Music can still recognize it, you’ll get an option to Add to Library again.

This method works sometimes, but not always—especially if the playlist was deleted a while ago. Still, it’s worth checking those old text threads, emails, or notes just in case.

4. Rebuild Using Your Listening History

Let’s say none of the options above work. What now?

It’s time to dig into your listening history and start rebuilding that playlist, track by track.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Music app.
2. Go to the Listen Now tab.
3. Tap on Replay: Your Top Songs by Year to view your yearly mixes.
4. Or scroll through your Recently Played section.

While this isn’t as fast as restoring the playlist in one click, it helps you remember what you’ve been listening to recently.

Use this to start rebuilding that mix you thought was gone forever.

Pro tip: Create a new playlist right away and start adding tracks as you find them.

5. Check Your iTunes Backups (If You’re a Mac User)

If you’re someone who still uses iTunes or backs up your entire library to your computer, you might get lucky here.

• Open iTunes (or the Music app on Mac).
• Check your playlists to see if the old version is still there.

This works best if you haven’t synced your library recently. If your computer hasn’t updated to reflect the deletion yet, you might still have a local copy of that playlist saved.

6. Reach Out to Apple Support (Long Shot, But Worth a Try)

If the playlist you lost was seriously important—maybe it was years in the making or held sentimental value—you might want to contact Apple Support directly.

• Visit support.apple.com
  
• Select Music > Apple Music > Subscription & Billing > Other Apple Music Topics
  
• Explain your situation and see if they can help you recover it

While they might not guarantee a recovery, Apple Support does have access to account history and cloud records that you don’t. It’s a long shot, but worth trying if all else fails.

7. Prevent This From Happening Again

If you manage to recover or rebuild your playlist, here’s a quick tip to avoid losing it again in the future:

Share the playlist link with yourself via email or notes.

Duplicate the playlist so you have a backup version.

Create a manual list of your favorite songs somewhere safe.

It sounds like extra work, but trust me—future you will thank you if this ever happens again.

Final Thoughts

Accidentally deleting a playlist on Apple Music is the worst, but as you can see, there are a few solid ways to recover or rebuild what you lost.

Whether it’s digging through your other devices, hunting down old sharing links, or scrolling through your listening history—there’s almost always a way back.

And who knows? In rebuilding your playlist, you might even discover some new favorites along the way.

What’s the playlist you’d be most heartbroken to lose? Drop a comment and let me know—I’d love to hear what’s been on your heavy rotation lately.