Apple Music is Apple’s music streaming service that gives users access to over 90 million songs. While Apple Music does offer some ways to download music for offline listening, the service itself is a paid subscription and does not allow users to download or keep songs for free.
Quick Answers
Here are quick answers to common questions about downloading free music with Apple Music:
- Does Apple Music let you download songs for free? No, an Apple Music subscription is required to download songs.
- Can I download music from Apple Music to my computer? Yes, with an Apple Music subscription you can download songs to your computer using the iTunes app.
- Can I download music from Apple Music to my Android device? Yes, with an Apple Music subscription you can download songs to your Android device using the Apple Music app.
- Does Apple Music have a free trial where I can download music? Yes, Apple Music offers a free 3-month trial during which you can download songs.
- Can I keep the songs I downloaded during the Apple Music free trial? No, any downloads will stop working when the trial ends unless you subscribe.
Downloading Music with an Apple Music Subscription
While Apple Music does not allow you to download or keep music for free permanently, there are some ways to download and listen to music offline with an active Apple Music subscription:
- Download songs to your device for offline listening – Apple Music subscribers can download any song in the Apple Music catalog to their device to listen offline. There is no limit to how many songs you can download as long as you remain a paying subscriber.
- Download music using the iTunes app – In addition to downloading to your iOS device, Apple Music subscribers can also use the iTunes desktop app to download songs to their computer for offline listening.
- Share downloaded music across devices – Downloads are synced across devices linked to your Apple ID, so you can download a song on your iPhone and listen to it offline on your iPad as well.
- Listen offline on Android – Apple Music is available on Android devices and allows subscribers to download songs through the Apple Music app.
So in summary, while Apple Music does allow paid subscribers to download music for offline listening, you cannot download or keep music permanently for free without an active subscription.
The Apple Music Free Trial
Apple Music does offer new users a free 3-month trial period during which you can download and listen to music offline, but there are limitations:
- All downloaded music stops working when the trial ends unless you subscribe.
- You cannot transfer downloaded songs to other devices or burn them to a CD during the trial.
- The free trial is only available to new subscribers and each Apple ID can only access it once.
- After the trial you must pay $9.99/month to keep any downloaded music.
So while you can download songs during the free trial, the downloads are not permanent and you cannot keep or access them if you do not subscribe after the trial ends.
How Many Songs Can You Download with Apple Music?
With an active Apple Music subscription, there is no official limit to the number of songs you can download for offline listening. However, there are some practical limits based on storage space:
- iPhone/iPad storage – You can download songs until your iCloud or local device storage is full. iPhones typically have 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB capacity.
- Android device storage – Download limit depends on the built-in storage capacity of your specific Android device.
- Computer storage – When downloading via iTunes on a Mac or PC, available storage space determines the download limit.
Additionally, Apple Music limits the number of devices you can have downloads synced to your account at one time:
- You can have downloads from Apple Music on up to 10 devices linked to your Apple ID.
- Only 5 of the 10 devices can be computers.
So while there is no set download limit, practical factors like device storage and number of synced devices impact how many songs you can download with Apple Music at one time.
Can You Download Music from Apple Music Playlists?
As an Apple Music subscriber, you can download entire playlists of songs for offline listening on your devices:
- On iPhone/iPad – Tap the + icon next to any playlist to download all songs.
- On Android – Tap the 3-dot menu next to playlists and select Download.
- On iTunes – Right click playlists and choose Download.
Downloaded playlists allow you to listen to groups of songs offline. However, the same limits apply – you can only access downloads as long as you are paying for Apple Music.
Does Downloaded Music from Apple Music Have DRM?
Yes, all music downloaded from Apple Music has Apple’s proprietary digital rights management (DRM) protection called FairPlay. This DRM places some limits on downloaded songs:
- Downloaded songs only work on authorized devices logged in to your Apple ID.
- Apple Music downloads cannot be copied to non-Apple devices or burned to CDs.
- If you cancel Apple Music, downloads stop working.
Apple uses DRM to protect the copyrights of songs in its catalog. This prevents abuse of downloads and restricts how downloaded music can be used, even with an active subscription.
Can You Download Apple Music Songs as MP3s?
No, Apple Music does not allow subscribers to download songs as unprotected MP3 files. All Apple Music downloads are in encrypted AAC format with FairPlay DRM. This means:
- You cannot download Apple Music songs as MP3s without DRM or copy protection.
- Downloaded AAC songs will only play within Apple’s ecosystem of authorized apps and devices.
- Trying to convert DRM-protected AAC files to other formats like MP3 usually results in failed or low-quality conversions.
Due to music industry licensing requirements, Apple must protect all music downloaded through Apple Music with DRM. This prevents unauthorized copying and distribution in MP3 format.
Can You Download Apple Music Songs to a CD?
Unfortunately, you cannot burn downloaded Apple Music songs directly to a CD in standard CD audio format (CDA) due to FairPlay DRM restrictions. However, there are some alternative options:
- Burn an audio CD using non-DRM iTunes songs purchased separately.
- Burn a data CD/DVD containing the downloaded AAC files for backup – will only play on Apple devices.
- Use third-party DRM removal software to convert to MP3 before burning – but this violates Apple’s terms and conditions.
So while Apple does restrict burning DRM downloads to normal CDs, you have some other options for backing up your downloaded music from Apple Music.
Can You Download Music from iTunes with Apple Music?
Apple Music and iTunes downloads work differently:
- iTunes Store downloads – When you purchase and download songs via the iTunes Store, these downloads are DRM-free MP3s that you own and can keep forever, even without an Apple Music membership.
- Apple Music downloads – Downloading songs through the Apple Music subscription catalog provides access only while you are paying for the service. The downloads have DRM restrictions.
So downloads from the iTunes Store are DRM-free while Apple Music downloads have FairPlay DRM. You own iTunes downloads permanently but can only access Apple Music downloads with an active subscription.
Why Can’t You Download Music for Free from Apple Music?
There are several key reasons why Apple Music does not allow free music downloads or permanent ownership of downloads:
- Licensing restrictions – Apple must pay royalties to record labels and artists to make songs available. Licensing deals require DRM protection.
- Avoid music piracy – DRM helps prevent mass piracy of songs in unprotected MP3 format on file sharing sites if downloads were freely available.
- Manage server costs – Free unlimited downloads would overwhelm servers and bandwidth, leading to higher operating costs.
- Business model – Subscriptions, not downloads, are Apple’s main revenue model. Free downloads would undercut the streaming business.
While free downloads may benefit users, Apple’s music licensing partners require protection of their intellectual property and Apple needs to make a profit to stay in business.
Conclusion
In summary, while Apple Music does not allow you to download and keep music permanently without paying, subscribers can access a vast catalog of songs to download and listen to offline across their devices. However, Apple places DRM restrictions on downloads to protect music licensing rights. Ultimately, Apple Music is focused on streaming access as its core business model, not giving away free music.