New Your Library test (iOS & Android)

[MattSuda]

Spotify is testing a new version of Your Library in the mobile app with select users. There is currently no way to sign up for this test without being invited, but we thank you for your interest. 

This thread is your go-to destination for asking questions, getting help for issues you may have, as well as to share your impressions and feedback on this new version of Your Library.

Note: Some of the screenshots shown might be slightly different than the latest version of the test

What's new?

• See your entire collection in one simple list
• Easy filters to find your favorites, faster
• More control at your fingertips with a new grid view
• Unified search allows you to search through your entire collection and see your recent searches
• Faster settings navigation allows you to tap on your profile picture to get to settings faster

Here is a walkthrough of what's new:

One simple list:

Your Library is now one simple list. At the top, tap the filters to filter the content you want to see and tap on the sort options to change the sort order of the list.

Filter Options:

At the top, tap the filters to filter the content you want to see. Tap the X and then chose another filter to see another type of content. Having no filter selected will show all types of content in the list.

• Playlists
• Artists
• Albums
• Podcasts
• Downloaded

Sort Options:

At the top, tap on the sort options to change the sort order of the list.

• Most relevant
• Recently played
• Recently added
• Alphabetical
• Creator

New grid view:

Are you a visual person? You're in control. With the new grid view you can view Your Library with bigger artwork if that's your jam. This is great for when you're on the go or in the car so you can find what you're looking for faster. To switch to the grid view, tap on the squares icon to the right. Tap on it again to go back to list view.

New unified search:

The new unified search can be accessed by tapping the search icon in the top right. This new search allows you to quickly search through your entire library without having to go to a specific content section.

Recent searches:

The new unified search also shows you your most recent Your Library searches so you can quickly get back to what you previously searched for.

Note: Remember that this is a test and features may change during the new Your Library test. Features in this test might not end up being generally released. The purpose of this test is to gather feedback and help improve the new Your Library. Please read this help article for more information about Spotify feature testing.

The other Stars and I got the chance to test the new mobile Your Library first and now more users will be able to test it out and give their feedback to the team. If you are a passionate Spotify user and would like to join the Spotify Star Program and be part of cool experiences like this then check out this page.

[bradleykenny]

While you're working on improving the library interface, could we get some more love for genres? Would be awesome to be able to sort by genre or even see the genre in the album information section!

[vickycrouch77]

I registered with the community specifically to post something similar.  The app is now almost as annoying as the Desktop player for this.  

Please bring this back as an option.  It's much more valuable than having a homepage full of podcast recommendations that I have absolutely no intention of ever listening to.   Additionally if you are going to generate recommendations, please bring back the dislike button or someway of downvoting.  Every other platform I use gives this option and it seems like a massive miss

[MattSuda]

@alexandr7a @bradleykenny 

Good news!

Spotify has just announced new genre and mood filters for the "Liked Songs" playlist.

Check out this news article, as well as this Community Blog post, about the new feature.

[Idontwanna4]

Completely in agreement. The new format is incomprehensible. There’s no streamlined way to see newly released podcast episodes, and therefore the functionality**bleep**.

[MattSuda]

@nathanjl 

Sorry to hear about this.

You can check out this help article on feature testing:

https://support.spotify.com/article/why-am-i-seeing-different-features-than-my-friends/

Most of the Spotify tests are random so the developers can see which features are liked and which aren't and not all of them are announced.

The information posted in this thread was for the iOS test that started in the fall of 2020. It looks like you are part of a new Android test, so things could look different such as no feedback button and no option to switch back to the classic Your Library.

I apologize for any inconvenience. Hopefully there will be more info about this test for Android available in the future.

[MateusM]

Yes, and it ignored the rest of the world making it possible only for regions where English is a primary language.

Why not make it visible looking at the app language?? 😠

[MattSuda]

@nathanjl 

Sorry for the confusion. My post has been updated with the latest info. This test is now rolling out to select Android users as well and is no longer just iOS. There will be more improvements to the test over time so keep a look out.

[Guinaroberts]

I was randomly selected for this test group, and I HATE the new library. Its more difficult to find things if you have a lot of playlists, albums, artists, etc. Also, I hate that theres no custom sort. I had my playlists in a specific order and now they are all jumbled. I don't care about the new library I just want to be able to have custom order again.

[sjsully21]

Like @nathanjl and @Guinaroberts, my Android just received this test and I hate hate hate several aspects of it.

On the Music side, I can't stand not being able to see my custom playlist order.

More importantly, on the podcast side, not being able to access a full list of my downloaded episodes -- or sort them in the order in which I downloaded them -- is unacceptable.

PLEASE fix these terrible updates, allow for a return to the classic view, and allow users to opt out of future beta testing or at very least get a heads up when one is coming and what to expect.

[dsmith750]

Thank you! Sorting by “Recently Added” shows me podcasts in order I of when I hit the “follow” button, how is that useful? There is no way to recreate a view that will put newer episodes or more recently updated podcasts at the top of my view and I’ve started missing episode releases because I have to go hunting for the most recent “updated on _____” date. 

[Inudesu]

I also either got randomly selected to test without knowing it or else this horrible update is just being rolled out. I really don't like it. Sometimes I download podcast episodes of podcasts I don't follow - and now there is no way to find those. I also like having a list of downloaded podcasts (why would I want a list of podcasts from which I've downloaded an episode where I still have to open the podcast and scroll to find the episode I downloaded?). And I can't see podcasts sorted by most recent updates anymore. This is all losses for no gains. None of the new"advantages" of this update appeal to me at all. I really hope I'm in a test group and this isn't permanent. It's so bad.

[dani_98]

I received the test and I liked it but I had to contact costumer service to change it back because I absolutely hated how they got rid of the separation of podcasts and music and especially how the new episode page was gone. I switched over from apple podcasts specifically for the feature of having a sort of news feed of new podcast episodes and when that was gone I was so dissapointed! I’m glad I got it back to normal but some of the features were cool. 

[forgiveninasong]

I hate that I've lost my custom order of playlists. I have many playlists for my daughter that were sorted, as well as so many other different categories. It's a grave mistake removing this custom option. Finding a playlist now is a nightmare. And no, I don't want to have to use the search option every time.

[Inudesu]

How did you get it back to the previous view? You called and they just fixed it?

[forgiveninasong]

I also want to know this! I *hate* that I've got this new view and want my old customised order back! 

[Inudesu]

The Spotify Cares twitter feed helped me out. I was able to get the old view back by just logging out and closing the app, then logging back in. It's come back once, but same solution fixed it.

[Inudesu]

@Alex So my issue with this advice is that if this library view is coming as a permanent update, that's actually a really really strong argument for turning the automatic updates off. Because it's not better, and the current view is better.
I understand why this might be best practice in general, but if I knew this change was for sure coming as a non-reversable edit, I'd skip any mew updates as long as possible (or at least until there was enough negative feedback that they enabled a "classic view" or improved it or scraped it).

If you don't want the latest updates because they're bad - it's not helpful to get those updates automatically.

[JohnsFontbook]

Couldn’t agree more. I’m glad to see others are having the same issues that I am. The old sorting system worked just fine especially because I listen to many different podcasts and now I have to look at each individually.

[dani_98]

update: it went back to the test version again?? Can I get rid of it permanently??

[dani_98]

I got mine back by deleting the app completely and redownloading it, but after about a day it went back to the test version again 😞