Spotify launched two new features on July 30, 2026: User Notes, which lets listeners write personal text notes on songs inside playlists, and Running Mode, a paid-subscriber feature that picks music based on the stages of a run and the listener's preferences (TechCrunch).

User Notes is available to Spotify users aged 16 and older on both free and paid plans in select markets. To use it, a person opens a playlist, taps the three-dot menu next to a song, and selects "Add note." The note is then visible to anyone who can see that playlist, and the note writer's name links back to their Spotify profile (TechCrunch).

Running Mode, launched the same day, is more limited. It is only available to Spotify premium (paid) subscribers in select countries. Instead of just shuffling songs, it picks music based on the phases of a run and what the user likes, adjusting the selection to match the physical rhythm of the workout (TechCrunch).

Both features were reported by TechCrunch based on a statement Spotify provided via email. As of the report's publication, there is no public Spotify announcement page for either launch, so all details come through a single news outlet rather than a primary source readers can check directly (TechCrunch).

The way User Notes works raises a practical question. Because a note is tied to the playlist's sharing settings and not to a private space, it becomes part of the experience for everyone who can view that playlist. The writer's name linking to their profile adds a social element. The natural follow-up question: what tools exist for moderating, reporting, or preventing misuse of text that users attach to shared playlists? The available information does not address this, and with no public announcement page, there is no policy documentation to cross-reference.

The only stated access restriction for User Notes is the 16-and-over age requirement. Running Mode has both a paid-subscription requirement and a country-level limit, which is a tighter rollout and more typical of features that involve extra licensing, infrastructure, or partner agreements. The specific countries included in either feature's rollout are not named in the reported facts.

The broader context is that these two features point in different directions for Spotify. User Notes adds user-created content to a music platform whose social features have historically been light and sometimes short-lived. Spotify has tried social features before, and whether a notes feature lasts depends on whether users find it worth the effort of writing them. The three-dot-menu access is designed to be easy, but adoption depends on whether the social setting where a playlist is shared actually rewards adding notes.

Running Mode is more interesting from a technical perspective. Matching music to run phases could mean a fixed plan based on typical run stages (warm-up, steady pace, intervals, cooldown), or it could mean a system that adjusts to live data from a phone's motion sensors or a fitness tracker. The available facts do not say which, and the difference matters: a fixed plan is basically a curated playlist, while one that adapts to real-time pace is a much more complex system. The paid-subscription requirement fits either approach, but a system that adjusts live would more clearly justify the cost through the extra computing and sensor work involved.

Both features are launching in select markets with no publicly available primary documentation. For anyone trying to understand the technical details or how third-party apps might connect to these features, that is a notable gap. Spotify's email to TechCrunch confirms the launch and its basics but leaves the implementation details, rollout plans, and related policies unaddressed in the public record.