Apple Music offers access to over 90 million songs that can be streamed on demand. While you can download songs, albums or playlists for offline listening, Apple Music does not allow users to download the entire music library for offline use.
Can I download all of Apple Music for offline listening?
No, Apple Music does not allow users to download the entire 90+ million song catalog for offline listening. The service is designed primarily as an on-demand streaming platform. However, there are ways to download portions of the Apple Music library for offline use.
Why can’t I download the full Apple Music library?
There are a few key reasons why Apple Music does not allow users to download the entire catalog:
- Storage space – The full Apple Music library contains over 90 million songs. Even with lossless compression, this would take up a massive amount of storage space on a user’s device.
- Licensing restrictions – Apple’s licensing deals with record labels place limits on how much music can be downloaded for offline use. Allowing unlimited downloads would violate these agreements.
- Streaming model – Apple Music is built as a streaming service first and foremost. Enabling full library downloads would go against this core streaming model.
- Curb piracy – By limiting downloads, Apple reduces the potential for large-scale music piracy of its catalog.
Essentially, unlimited downloads are restricted to protect Apple’s licensing agreements with record labels and to maintain Apple Music as a streaming service.
How much of Apple Music can I download?
Although you can’t download everything, Apple Music does allow you to download portions of the catalog for offline listening, including:
- Individual tracks – You can download any single song in the Apple Music catalog to your device.
- Albums – Full albums can be downloaded for offline listening.
- Playlists – Custom playlists featuring up to 100 tracks can be downloaded at a time.
There are no specific limits on how many tracks, albums or playlists you can download for offline use. However, your storage space will eventually limit how much you can realistically save offline at one time.
What devices support offline listening?
Offline listening and downloads are supported across Apple devices running iOS/iPadOS 11 or later, including:
- iPhone
- iPad
- iPod Touch
On Macs, offline listening requires macOS Catalina 10.15 or later. Supported Mac models include:
- MacBook
- iMac
- Mac Pro
- Mac Mini
- MacBook Air
- MacBook Pro
You can also use Apple Music downloads on the Apple Watch if your iPhone is nearby.
How to download music from Apple Music for offline use
Downloading music from Apple Music for offline listening is easy to do on both iPhone/iPad and Mac. Here are step-by-step instructions.
Downloading on iPhone or iPad
- Open the Apple Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Navigate to the song, album or playlist you want to download.
- Tap the download button next to the track or playlist to start the download. The button has a downward arrow inside a circle.
- Downloaded items will show “Downloaded” underneath their names.
- To access downloads, tap the Library tab and select Downloads.
Downloading on Mac
- Open the Apple Music app on your Mac.
- Navigate to the song, album or playlist you wish to download.
- Click the download button next to the item to start the download. The button has a downward arrow inside a circle.
- Downloads will appear in the Library under Recently Added.
- Go to Account > Preferences and check “Show Downloads in My Library” to access a dedicated Downloads section.
How many songs can I download on Apple Music?
Apple Music does not impose any specific limits on the number of tracks you can download beyond device storage. However, there are some download limits:
- Songs: Unlimited downloads
- Albums: Unlimited downloads
- Playlists: Up to 100 tracks per playlist
You are only limited by the storage capacity on your device. Apple Music files use up to 250MB per hour of offline content, so storage space will likely be the primary constraint on how much you can actually download.
Maximum playlist size
The 100 track limit per playlist exists to comply with music licensing rules. However, you can work around it by creating multiple smaller playlists. There is no limit on total number of playlists that can be downloaded.
Using offline storage efficiently
To maximize offline storage and make the best use of download capacity:
- Download playlists rather than full albums
- Use offline listening for traveling or environments with poor connectivity
- Delete downloads after one-time offline listening
- Sync iPhone/iPad to iTunes to back up downloads
Do Apple Music downloads expire?
Yes, any downloaded songs, albums or playlists from Apple Music will eventually expire after a set amount of time. Exact expiry times depend on your Apple Music subscription:
- Individual plan – Downloads expire after 30 days
- Family plan – Downloads expire after 90 days
- Student plan – Downloads expire after 90 days
Once downloads expire, you will need to reconnect to the internet and redownload them to keep listening offline.
Why do downloads expire?
There are a few reasons why Apple limits the time for offline listening before downloads expire:
- Renew engagement – Expiry encourages you to open the Apple Music app regularly.
- Latest content – Downloads expiring keeps content fresh and up-to-date.
- Licensing – Renewing downloads periodically satisfies Apple’s agreements with record labels.
Overall, time-limited downloads balance offering offline listening with maintaining an active streaming service.
Can I re-download expired Apple Music songs?
Yes, you can freely re-download any Apple Music content that has expired and been removed from your offline library. Just follow the standard downloading process the next time you are online:
- Open the Apple Music app and ensure you are connected to the internet.
- Navigate to the song, album or playlist you want to re-download.
- Tap the download button to save it offline again.
There are no limits on how many times you can re-download items after they expire.
Will my Apple Music progress be saved?
Even if downloads expire, your progress within songs, albums and playlists will be saved. When you re-download content, playback will resume exactly where you left off.
Can I download Apple Music songs permanently?
No, there is no way to permanently download and keep Apple Music songs forever. All offline Apple Music content will eventually expire based on your subscription type. The only way to permanently own Apple Music content is to purchase it (rather than stream it).
Purchasing vs streaming Apple Music
Purchased iTunes content differs from streamed Apple Music content. Here are the key differences:
| Purchased (iTunes Store) | Apple Music Streaming |
|---|---|
| Songs purchased & owned forever | Songs expire after offline period |
| More expensive (>$1 per song) | Access full catalog with subscription |
| Yours to keep permanently | Access ends if you unsubscribe |
| Higher quality (256 kbps AAC) | Streaming quality varies (256 kbps AAC max) |
Purchasing music on iTunes is better for building permanent collections, while Apple Music streaming is better for access and discovery.
Can I burn Apple Music songs to a CD?
Unfortunately, you cannot burn downloaded Apple Music songs to an audio CD. This restriction applies to both temporary offline downloads and permanently purchased iTunes content.
Apple places DRM protections on all music acquired through Apple Music and iTunes to prevent piracy. This prohibits transferring copies to disc or other unauthorized media.
Alternative options
Instead of burning offline Apple Music to CD, you can:
- Play it directly from your device
- Stream it to speakers/home entertainment systems over AirPlay
- Use screen recording to capture playback
- Convert files to MP3 (this removes DRM protection)
But again, you cannot directly burn DRM-protected Apple Music files to playable audio CDs.
Can I upload Apple Music to YouTube?
Uploading Apple Music content to YouTube or other platforms violates copyright law. Both streaming songs and offline downloads are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM) and cannot be legally redistributed.
Specifically, Apple Music Terms and Conditions prohibit users from “copy[ing], rent[ing], leas[ing], loan[ing], sell[ing], publish[ing], distribu[ing], or otherwise exploit[ing]” downloaded content.
DMCA takedown policies
Apple actively monitors YouTube and other sites for unauthorized uploads of Apple Music tracks. If discovered, they will issue DMCA takedown notices to have the content removed.
YouTube also uses digital fingerprinting to identify and automatically block attempts to upload copyright-protected music.
Risks of re-uploading
By re-uploading Apple Music tracks, you risk:
- Copyright strikes and channel termination on YouTube
- Termination of your Apple Music account
- Potential lawsuits for music piracy
It is not worth the legal and financial risks just to share Apple Music offline downloads.
Can I upload Apple Music to Instagram?
Like YouTube, uploading downloaded Apple Music tracks to Instagram violates copyright. It is illegal to share offline Apple Music content on Instagram or other social media.
Apple’s terms prohibit re-distributing music “in any unauthorized manner.” This includes using song clips in Instagram videos or stories.
DMCA on Instagram
Instagram’s rights-holder policy allows reporting infringement of copyright-protected content. Apple actively monitors social media for unauthorized sharing of its music catalog. If found, Apple will issue DMCA takedown notices to Instagram.
Instagram algorithm restrictions
Even without a DMCA notice, Instagram’s algorithms automatically detect and restrict unsanctioned use of music in video posts. Trying to upload Apple Music clips will likely get your content blocked from visibility.
For your account’s security and to avoid legal issues, it is safest to simply avoid posting Apple Music to social channels without explicit approval.
Can I upload Apple Music to Facebook?
No, you cannot legally upload downloaded Apple Music tracks to Facebook. This violates Apple’s Terms of Service and copyright law. Whether posting natively or via SharePlay, it is against policy to distribute Apple Music downloads on Facebook.
Facebook Rights Manager
Facebook’s Rights Manager tool allows content owners like Apple to easily report unauthorized uses of music. Offline Apple Music tracks detected on your Facebook profile or page will be swiftly blocked.
SharePlay restrictions
Apple specifically restricts using SharePlay to transfer Apple Music downloads to Facebook, Instagram, or any other platform. Your access to SharePlay may be revoked for violation.
Facebook itself also monitors SharePlay activity and may terminate your account for repeated music copyright infringement.
Can I convert Apple Music to MP3?
Converting downloaded Apple Music files from AAC to MP3 format will remove their DRM protection. However, doing so violates Apple’s End User License Agreement (EULA).
The Apple Music Terms & Conditions clearly prohibit “circumvent[ing] any technological measures in the Service to access restricted material.” Converting to unprotected MP3 is circumventing their DRM.
Loss of audio quality
Conversion from AAC to MP3 also results in reduced audio quality. Apple Music streams at 256 kbps AAC (near CD-quality), while MP3 compresses audio as low as 128 kbps to save space.
Ethical and legal risks
Before converting Apple Music to MP3, consider:
- Violates Apple’s service agreement
- Qualifies as music piracy
- Results in inferior sound quality
- Increases risk of lawsuits
- May get your Apple Music account banned
It is best to avoid converting offline Apple Music altogether due to ethical concerns, legal liability, and quality loss.
Alternatives to downloading entire Apple Music library
While you can’t download everything, there are some alternative strategies to get more offline access:
Rotate downloads frequently
Manually refresh your downloads often to save new albums/playlists before old ones expire. This allows more variety over time.
Download extensive playlists
Create monster playlists up to 100 tracks to store more offline music.
Share a Family plan
Family plans extend downloads for up to 6 people. Share an account to collectively download more.
Save as much as possible offline
Maximize storage space with offline music to retain the most downloads before expiry.
Request unavailable songs
Use the Apple Music request feature to vote for adding missing songs you want for offline use.
Summary
Here are the key takeaways on downloading your Apple Music library:
- You cannot download the full 90+ million Apple Music catalog for offline listening.
- Individual songs, albums, and playlists of up to 100 tracks can be downloaded.
- Downloads eventually expire after 30 days (Individual plan) or 90 days (Family/Student plans).
- Expired music can be re-downloaded infinitely as long as you remain a subscriber.
- Downloaded content cannot be permanently owned or transferred to other media like CDs.
- Sharing Apple Music downloads violates copyright laws.
- Workarounds like playlist rotations and shared Family plans allow saving more offline content.
While full library downloads are not possible, you can access a good portion of Apple Music offline by selectively downloading your favorite playlists and albums as needed. Just remember to reconnect regularly to refresh soon-to-expire downloads.