Spotify Adds User Notes and Running Mode to Its App

Spotify’s launching two exciting features this week: User Notes lets you attach personal memories to your favorite songs, while Running Mode automatically adjusts the tempo of your music to match your running pace.

What Is User Notes?

User Notes adds a personal touch to your music library. Now, whenever you add a song to a playlist, you can include a short text caption. For example, you might write, “heard this at Coachella 2025” or “the song that played when I got the job offer.”

Think of it as writing in the margins of a book. The song doesn’t change, but you’re providing personal context that only you can see. Spotify created this feature to help you remember why a track was added to a playlist or when you first discovered it. This kind of information often fades away when you clean out your library a year later.

Your notes are private by default, so you don’t need to worry about playlist followers spotting your late-night thoughts attached to a Phoebe Bridgers track.

What Is Running Mode?

Running Mode targets those who use Spotify for their workouts. The feature utilizes your phone’s motion sensors to track your running cadence, which is the number of steps you take per minute. Then, it adjusts the tempo of the music playing to sync with your pace.

This works similarly to how some fitness apps suggest BPM-matched playlists. However, Spotify’s method operates in real time, applying to songs already in your library. If you pick up the pace during a sprint, the music speeds up right along with you. Slow down for a cooldown, and the beat slows as well.

The feature is rolling out on mobile, but Spotify hasn’t clarified if it will be available on both iOS and Android at launch.

What This Means For You

If you’re a casual listener, User Notes might seem like a minor addition until you start using it. Music is often tied to our memories. Many people have songs linked to specific moments in their lives. Right now, that context only exists in your head. User Notes allows you to document it within the app, rather than relying on a separate notes app or your memory.

For runners and gym-goers, Running Mode tackles a common annoyance: a great song at 95 BPM can feel too slow while sprinting and overwhelming during warm-ups. By syncing the tempo to your actual movement, your existing library transforms into a workout playlist without the need to create separate lists for different intensity levels.

While neither feature completely overhauls the app, both solve specific issues users have pointed out for years. Spotify’s been steadily adding personalization tools, and these features help make the app feel more tailored to your needs, rather than just providing a one-size-fits-all experience.

Community Reactions

“The notes feature is genuinely something I’ve wanted for ages. I have playlists from 2015 and I have no idea why half the songs are in there anymore.”

— u/meltingclockradio, Reddit

“Running mode sounds cool in theory but I need to see how aggressive the tempo shifts are. If it’s subtle it could be amazing. If it speeds up Kendrick by 20% it’s going to sound terrible.”

— YouTube comment on 9to5Google’s coverage

What To Watch

• Rollout pace: Spotify usually stages new features across regions over days or weeks. If you don’t see User Notes or Running Mode yet, expect them to show up in your app in the coming weeks as the rollout continues.
• Social sharing: Spotify hasn’t mentioned whether User Notes will eventually allow sharing, letting users post their annotated playlists publicly. That could be a meaningful expansion of the feature to watch for in a future update.
• Platform parity: Spotify’s desktop and web apps often lag behind mobile in terms of new features. Keep an eye out for confirmation on whether these tools will reach desktop users.
• Competitor response: Apple Music and YouTube Music are also competing for the same workout and playlist-curation audience. Running Mode gives Spotify an edge that might prompt similar features from its rivals.

Sources: TechCrunch · 9to5Google