The deadline is November 6, 2026. Spotify's Get ready for 2026 Wrapped page says all artists can submit a video message by then. You upload it on desktop in Spotify for Artists: Video & Visuals tab, then the Wrapped banner. Film it vertical, 30 seconds or less, with no music, explicit content, logos, text or filters, and add a caption of 100 characters or less. Spotify gives no time of day or time zone for the deadline, so upload a day early.
The short answer
Spotify's Get ready for 2026 Wrapped page opens the video message to every artist, not only a selected few. Spotify says that submitting gives it permission to distribute the video, and that submission does not guarantee placement. So treat it as a free lottery ticket that takes ten minutes: worth doing, not worth stressing about. The Wrapped 2026 launch date has not been announced. Wrapped 2025 launched on December 3, so early December is the expectation, not a confirmed date.
Fast route: open the free Wrapped for Artists planner for the live countdown, the spec checklist and a script helper that builds your 30 seconds from your own words.
What changed from Clips
Last year artists uploaded a Clip. That route is closed: Spotify's support page says that as of June 17, 2026, new Clips uploads are no longer available. The 2026 replacement is the video message. It lives in the same Video & Visuals area of Spotify for Artists, but it is a different thing with its own rules. If you made a Clip last year, do not reuse it. Film a new one that follows the spec below. Our October Wrapped checklist covers the rest of the profile prep.
The exact spec
| Item | What Spotify says |
|---|
| Deadline | November 6, 2026 (no time of day or time zone given) |
| Who can submit | All artists |
| Orientation | Vertical |
| Length | 30 seconds maximum |
| Keep it clean | No music, explicit content, logos, text or filters |
| Caption | 100 characters or less |
| Where | Spotify for Artists on desktop, Video & Visuals tab, Wrapped banner |
| Placement | Not guaranteed |
Spotify's page does not state a minimum length, file format or resolution for the video message, so check the upload screen itself before you film. Separately, Spotify invites artists to submit a full-length landscape performance video (MP4 or MOV, under 20 minutes, 1080p or higher). That is a different option with a different spec, so do not mix the two up.
A 10-minute shoot plan
You do not need a crew. You need a phone, a window and one honest take. Spotify's page suggests thanking your top fans and sharing a milestone from the year or what comes next, and that is the whole script.
- Phone upright, rear camera. Prop it against something at eye level. Vertical only.
- Face a window. Daylight in front of you beats any lamp. No filters, no beauty mode.
- Keep the frame clean. No posters, merch with logos, or text on the wall behind you. Wear plain clothes with no printed logos.
- Silence the room. No music anywhere, not even faintly in the next room. Speak into the camera.
- Say four things: your name, a plain thank you to the people who listened most, one real moment from your year, and one thing coming next without a date you cannot keep.
- Time it. About 60 to 75 spoken words fills 30 seconds at a relaxed pace (our estimate, so time yourself). Do three takes and keep the one that sounds most like you.
The planner tool turns your answers to those four prompts into a script, a caption under 100 characters and a longer post for Instagram or your mailing list. It does not use AI, and nothing you type leaves your browser.
How to submit, step by step
- Use a desktop or laptop. Spotify says the upload is on desktop.
- Log in to Spotify for Artists and open the Video & Visuals tab.
- Click the Wrapped banner.
- Add your video message and a caption of 100 characters or less.
- Submit, then check that Spotify shows it as received. Do this by November 5 if you can.
If you cannot see the Wrapped banner, check that you are logged in to the right artist profile and on desktop, then look again on the Get ready page.
Common rejections to avoid
- Music. Even a snippet of your own song breaks the rule. Do not play anything in the background.
- Text. No captions burned into the video and no on-screen titles. Your caption goes in the caption field.
- Logos. Brand names on clothing, a guitar head with a visible logo in a close shot, a sticker on your laptop.
- Filters. Skip every beauty and colour filter.
- Explicit content. Keep the language clean in a 30-second message.
- Horizontal video. Hold the phone upright.
What happens after you submit
Nothing visible, for most artists. Spotify says submission does not guarantee placement, and that it will remove the videos after the campaign. It also says over 70,000 artists submitted personal video messages for Wrapped last year (see the placement note). So post your own version, with your own caption, on your own channels the day Wrapped lands. That one you control.
Turn the Wrapped week into fans you keep
Wrapped gives you attention and no contact details. Point your share cards, your Instagram bio and your Wrapped video post at one Stage Smart Link with fan email capture, so the people who stream you most can opt in to hear from you directly. Smart Links are free to build, and the fan emails stay yours. Stage Pro is $9.99 a month, the founder price for everyone who joins before December 1 (then $19.99), if you want the Email Agent to write to them. Set the link up before November 6 so it is already live when you post.
Dates, spec and sources are kept current on the Wrapped for Artists planner, and the full prep list is in the October checklist. For the release side of the calendar, see the Countdown Pages guide.
Frequently asked
When is the Spotify Wrapped 2026 video message deadline?
November 6, 2026. Spotify's Get ready for 2026 Wrapped page says all artists can submit a video message by then, and gives no time of day or time zone, so upload by November 5.
How do I upload a Wrapped video message?
On desktop, log in to Spotify for Artists, open the Video & Visuals tab, click the Wrapped banner, add your video and a caption of 100 characters or less.
What are the specs for the Wrapped video message?
A vertical video of 30 seconds or less with no music, explicit content, logos, text or filters, plus a caption of 100 characters or less.
Will my Wrapped video message be shown to fans?
Not necessarily. Spotify says submission gives it permission to distribute the video but does not guarantee placement. Videos are removed after the campaign.
Can I still upload a Clip for Wrapped?
No. Spotify stopped accepting new Clips uploads on June 17, 2026. The video message is the 2026 option.
When does Spotify Wrapped 2026 launch?
Spotify has not announced it. Wrapped 2025 launched on December 3, 2025, so early December is the expectation, based on 2025.
How can I turn Wrapped attention into fans I can email?
Point your Wrapped share cards and your bio at a Smart Link with an email form, such as a free Stage Smart Link, so listeners can opt in to hear from you.
