Spotify now gives you an easier way to control what shapes your music taste. In the past, the app learned from everything you played - even songs that didn't really match your style. Maybe you share your account with others or sometimes play music just for background noise. Those tracks could still end up changing your recommendations, and even appear in your Blend playlists or Wrapped report.
What if I told you that instead of blocking artists or skipping songs again and again, you could simply tell Spotify, "This one isn't really me"?
The feature called "Taste Profile" lets you shape your recommendations while helping Spotify personalize your experience with taste summaries. You can choose to stop certain songs from affecting your Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes, and more.
It's available to both free and premium users, and you can find it for every track or playlist.
Ready to try it out? Here's how.
Part 1. What Is the Taste Profile on Spotify?
Your Taste Profile is basically Spotify's idea of what kind of music you like. It's private. It keeps track of what you play, how often you listen, and which artists or genres you go back to. This helps power Discover Weekly, Daily Mixes, and summaries like Wrapped and Blend.
But sometimes it gets things wrong. Maybe you hit shuffle on a playlist that's not really your style, or someone else used your account. Those tracks can sneak into your recommendations, and the algorithm might think you're exploring a new genre or artist. That can lead to suggestions you don't really want.
While you and others can't see what's in your Taste Profile, you can remove playlists or tracks from it, so your recommendations stay closer to the music you actually like.
Part 2. What "Exclude from Your Taste Profile" Means on Spotify
Excluding is designed to shape your recommendations by stopping certain songs or playlists from influencing your profile. The neat part is that it doesn't delete your music or block anything permanently. It only works for playlists or tracks - which is usually all you need.
Part 3. Why You Might Want to Exclude Songs from Your Spotify Taste Profile
Comparing it with the "Block This" feature, excluding keeps the songs in your library - maybe for your friends, kids, or spouse - but stops them from shaping your recommendations. Blocking is more permanent: songs or artists disappear completely and won't appear in suggestions again. In short, Exclude fine-tunes your Taste Profile, while Block removes content entirely.
What Happens?
After excluding a few songs and playlists, I noticed my Daily Mixes started feeling much closer to my real taste. Excluding a whole playlist is more powerful than individual tracks, because none of its songs affect your Taste Profile anymore. If you exclude just a few tracks, only those are ignored - the rest still help shape your suggestions. That's why I tend to create a playlist for exclusions.
Eventually, the workout tracks I'd accidentally played stopped showing up in my chill mixes, and my Discover Weekly suggestions became much closer to what I actually like. If you try it yourself, recommendations usually update within a day or two, and excluded tracks won't count in your Wrapped report - except for total listening time.
Part 4. How to Exclude Music from Your Spotify Taste Profile
A good approach is to start small - exclude a few tracks first to see how it affects your mixes. For longer-term management, it helps to create a dedicated playlist for exclusions. That way, you can manage what shapes your Taste Profile all in one place.
On Desktop:
- Open the Spotify app on your computer.
- Go to the playlist or track you want to exclude from your recommendations. You can find it in your library or search for it directly.
- Click the three dots icon below the playlist or track title (this is the More button).
- In the dropdown menu, select "Exclude from Your Taste Profile."
On Mobile (Android or iOS):
- Open the Spotify app on your phone.
- Find the playlist or track you want to exclude in your library or by searching for it.
- Tap the three dots icon below the playlist or track title to open the options menu.
- Tap "Exclude from Your Taste Profile."
Part 5. How to Include Music in Your Spotify Taste Profile
If you ever change your mind, you can include previously excluded tracks or playlists at any time to influence your recommendations again. A simple tip: check your excluded playlist occasionally and re-include some tracks so your suggestions stay in line with your current taste.
On Desktop:
- Open the Spotify app on your computer.
- Go to the playlist or track that you previously excluded.
- Click on it to open the playlist or track view.
- Click the three dots icon (More button) below the title.
- Select "Include in Your Taste Profile."
On Mobile (Android or iOS):
- Open the Spotify app on your phone.
- Tap Your Library at the bottom of the screen.
- Find the playlist or track you want to re-include.
- Tap to open it, then tap the three dots icon (More button).
- Select "Include in Your Taste Profile."
Part 6. Best Ways to Manage and Improve Your Spotify Taste Profile
Tip 1: Be Selective With Likes and Saves
Only heart or save songs you genuinely enjoy. Neutral tracks can confuse Spotify's algorithm and dilute your recommendations. Periodically review your liked songs and remove anything that no longer reflects your current taste.
Tip 2: Skip Strategically
Skips are signals to Spotify about what you don't like. Skipping songs early helps refine your profile, while replaying favorites reinforces their weight in your recommendations.
Tip 3: Curate Your Library Regularly
Keep your library clean and relevant. Removing outdated or mismatched tracks ensures Spotify focuses on your current preferences, improving the accuracy of personalized playlists like Discover Weekly and Daily Mixes.
Tip 4: Use Private Sessions for Out-of-Theme Listening
When exploring music outside your usual style, turn on Private Session. Songs played in private won't affect your Taste Profile, keeping your main recommendations accurate.
Tip 5: Engage With Playlists Mindfully
Listen to playlists that match your preferred genres or moods. Avoid random or one-off playlists that don't reflect your taste, as consistent engagement helps Spotify better understand your musical preferences.
Tip 6: Keep Liked Songs Permanently
To make sure your top tracks are always accessible, save them outside streaming-only playlists. Tools like ViWizard Spotify Music Converter let you convert your favorites to MP3 for offline listening, without needing an internet connection or Premium subscription. Even if a song rotates out of Daily Mix or Release Radar, you'll have a permanent collection to enjoy anytime.
Download Spotify music, podcasts and audiobooks as MP3 and more. Keep full sound and listen offline anytime.
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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