If you are an Apple Music subscriber and are wondering whether you will lose access to your playlists if you cancel your subscription, the short answer is yes, you will lose access to your Apple Music playlists if you end your subscription.
What happens to my Apple Music playlists if I cancel?
Apple Music playlists are only available as long as you maintain an active subscription. If you decide to cancel your Apple Music subscription, all of the playlists you have created and saved within the Apple Music app will no longer be available to you.
This is because the songs in your Apple Music playlists are streaming from Apple’s catalog of over 90 million songs. Without an active subscription, you no longer have access to stream those songs in your playlists.
Can I download my playlists for offline listening before cancelling?
Unfortunately, downloading your Apple Music playlists for offline listening does not allow you to retain access to them once you end your subscription. Downloaded playlists are only accessible as long as you are still paying for Apple Music.
When your subscription ends, all downloaded Apple Music songs and playlists are removed from your device. You can no longer listen to them offline without resubscribing.
Will I lose playlist I created from my own music files?
Playlists you have created in the Apple Music app using your own music files imported from iTunes will remain on your device after you cancel Apple Music. This only applies to songs purchased through the iTunes store or ripped from CDs – music files that are not from the Apple Music streaming catalog.
So if you have playlists made up entirely of music you own, not from Apple’s streaming catalog, those will still be retained and playable after cancellation. But any playlists using the 90 million Apple Music songs will be removed.
Can I export my Apple Music playlists before cancelling?
Unfortunately there is no official way to export your Apple Music playlists before canceling your subscription to retain a backup of them. Some third party apps claim to offer this feature, but it ultimately does not give you access to play the songs again after canceling.
The only official options are to screenshot your Apple Music playlists or manually recreate them using songs you have purchased separately from the iTunes store. But there is no way to export the Apple Music streaming songs themselves for playback after cancellation.
What happens if I resubscribe to Apple Music?
If you resubscribe to Apple Music after a period of cancellation, you will have to recreate any playlists you previously made from scratch. Apple does not retain or back up your playlist data after you end your subscription.
However, Apple Music will remember your listening history and preferences to some extent in order to recommend songs and artists you have listened to previously. So while you cannot get your exact playlists back, Apple Music will reuse your data to make new recommendations if you resubscribe.
Can I download my Apple Music playlist songs to keep?
No, there is no way to download and own the songs from your Apple Music playlists for playback after canceling your subscription. The Apple Music catalog is for streaming only with an active subscription.
The only way to download and own songs from Apple Music would be to purchase them separately through the iTunes Music store. Just downloading a song to your device from your Apple Music playlist does not allow you to retain it permanently after cancellation.
Will I lose my Apple Music listening history and favorites?
Yes, any Apple Music listening history, favorites, recommendations, and followers you have accumulated will be reset after you cancel your subscription. These are dependent on having access to the Apple Music catalog.
However, your Apple ID and personal settings will be retained. If you resubscribe at a later point, your Apple Music account details remain, but your streaming history and playlists will have to be started over again.
Can I transfer my Apple Music playlists before cancelling?
There is no official way to transfer your Apple Music playlists to another streaming service before canceling your Apple Music subscription. This is because the songs are licensed specifically for streaming through Apple Music, and cannot be transferred to another platform.
You would have to manually search for and recreate your playlists song-by-song on another service. Third party playlist transfer apps do not have the capability to actually transfer Apple Music streaming songs to other platforms.
What about playlists shared with me by others?
Playlists that have been shared with you by other Apple Music users will no longer be accessible after you cancel your subscription. Even if the person who shared the playlist still has an active subscription, you will no longer be able to view or listen to it.
This is because you no longer have access to stream the Apple Music catalog – the same songs exist in the playlists, but you cannot access them as a non-subscriber.
Can I recover my playlists if I resubscribe?
No, currently there is no way to recover or restore playlists if you resubscribe to Apple Music after cancelling for a period of time. Your Apple ID will remain intact, but playlists and listening history data are not retained after cancellation.
You will have to manually search and recreate any playlists you had previously made. Apple Music will attempt to make recommendations based on your previous listens, but does not store your actual playlist data.
Are there any exceptions where I would keep my playlists?
The only scenario where you would keep access to Apple Music playlists after cancellation is if you began an Apple Music student subscription through your university. If you graduate and lose eligibility, your Apple Music student subscription will convert to a regular individual plan while maintaining your Apple Music data.
As long as you maintain continuous access through this conversion from student to individual plan, you will retain your Apple Music playlists. But voluntary cancellation will still result in permanent loss of Apple Music playlist data.
Conclusion
To summarize, Apple Music playlists are directly tied to an active subscription. Both playlists you have created and playlists shared with you will no longer be accessible after cancelling Apple Music.
There is currently no way to export, download, transfer or backup your Apple Music playlists to retain access to them once you end your subscription. The only way to keep access to an Apple Music playlist is to remain actively subscribed.
If you plan to cancel Apple Music, be sure to screenshot or manually recreate any important playlists ahead of time using songs purchased separately. Otherwise, you will have to build your Apple Music playlists again from scratch if you resubscribe in the future.
Summary in a Table
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I lose my Apple Music playlists if I cancel my subscription? | Yes |
| Can I download playlists for offline access before cancelling? | No, downloaded playlists are removed when subscription ends |
| Are playlists made from my own music files affected? | No, only playlists using Apple Music catalog songs are lost |
| Can I export playlists before cancelling? | No, there is no official export option |
| Can I recover playlists if I resubscribe? | No, playlists have to be recreated from scratch |
| Can I keep songs from playlists when I cancel? | No, songs must be purchased separately to keep |
| Can I transfer playlists to another streaming service? | No, Apple Music songs are only for streaming on Apple Music |
In summary, Apple Music playlists can only be accessed with an active subscription, and cannot be retained or transferred for listening after cancellation. Be sure to recreate important playlists before ending your Apple Music membership.
What about playlists I purchased from iTunes in the past?
Playlists that you purchased and downloaded from the iTunes Store under your Apple ID will remain yours even after cancelling Apple Music. Because these were a one-time purchase and download, they are separate from the Apple Music streaming catalog.
Purchased iTunes playlists exist in the cloud under your Apple ID and can be downloaded again. So even after an Apple Music cancellation, any playlists you purchased from iTunes in the past will still be accessible and can be downloaded to your devices.
Do I have any alternatives to losing my playlists?
There are a few potential workarounds that may allow you to retain access to your Apple Music playlists if you do not want to remain subscribed:
- Screenshot all your Apple Music playlists so you have a reference for recreating them song-by-song in another service.
- Before cancelling, manually recreate your most important playlists using songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store.
- Purchase iTunes Match for $24.99/year. This allows you to retain access to songs you have purchased and uploaded from your personal library.
- Use a third party app that claims to export Apple Music playlists, with the caveat that the songs themselves cannot be exported.
However, there is no perfect solution. The best option if you want continued access to your Apple Music library and playlists is to remain subscribed.
What music services let me export playlists?
Some other popular on-demand music streaming services have more options for exporting your playlist data for backup and transferability if you cancel:
- Spotify: Allows playlist data export to JSON file format.
- YouTube Music: Playlists are linked to Google account and can be exported.
- Amazon Music: Can export playlists via Alexa app or Amazon Music web player.
- Pandora: Exports not available but thumbs up history remains if resubscribed.
So if retaining your playlist data is a priority, services like Spotify may be a better option than Apple Music. But take advantage of playlist export features before cancelling any streaming service.
Can I use playlist data to switch streaming services?
Because each music streaming platforms licenses different catalogs, you cannot directly transfer playlist data itself between services. However, you can use exported playlist data to help rebuild your library:
- Before cancelling Apple Music, export your playlist names/song titles where possible.
- Make a list of your must-have artists and songs from Apple playlists to add.
- Search for those items in your new streaming service and add to new playlists.
- Use your old playlists as outlines for reconstructing your favorites in the new service.
While not a direct transfer, using playlist data from Apple Music can help guide the process of switching your library over to a new platform like Spotify or YouTube Music.
What about my Apple Music preferences and data?
Beyond just playlists, be aware you’ll also lose all other Apple Music personalization and preferences when you cancel your subscription:
- Playlists, albums, and songs saved as library favorites
- Custom radio stations created
- Preferences like tailored playlists and new release notifications
- Followed artists and listening history used for recommendations
Your Apple ID remains intact, but all Apple Music data related to your streaming library and preferences is reset when your subscription ends.
How can I recreate my Apple Music profile if resubscribing?
If you cancel Apple Music but later resubscribe, follow these tips to quickly rebuild your profile:
- Check your Apple Music listening history before cancellation for reference.
- Follow your favorite artists and genres right away when resubscribing.
- Love/save albums and songs Apple suggests based on your past taste.
- Create radio stations based on favorite bands and songs.
- Check daily new release recommendations for liked artists.
While your specific Apple Music data is gone, these steps can help rapidly recreate a tailored profile when starting a new subscription.
Conclusion
In closing, Apple Music provides a robust music streaming option but lacks exportability for playlists when cancelling subscriptions. Before ending your membership, be sure to manually archive important playlist and music preference data.
Screenshot key playlists, recreate favorites with purchased songs, and enable Apple Music sharing to retain access. And if migrating to a new service, leverage your Apple Music history to efficiently recreate your profile.
Losing your playlist and profile data can be frustrating, but with some effort you can maintain a similar music library if you choose to depart Apple Music.