Apple Music is a popular streaming music service that allows users to create custom playlists to organize and listen to their favorite songs. One common question people have is whether their playlists on Apple Music will get deleted or removed over time, especially if they cancel their subscription.
The Short Answer
In most cases, your playlists on Apple Music will not get automatically deleted if you cancel your subscription. Playlists you have created and saved will still be available if you resubscribe at a later point. However, there are some exceptions, so read on for more details.
Playlists Created While Subscribed
Playlists you make while subscribed to Apple Music will be saved and synced to your iCloud Music Library. This means that even if you unsubscribe from Apple Music, those playlists will remain intact in your library and will repopulate if you resubscribe.
So if you create a playlist while actively paying for Apple Music, that playlist will not get deleted when your subscription lapses. It will still be there, along with all the songs it contained, when you sign back up. This applies for playlists created on iOS devices, Macs, PCs, and www.music.apple.com.
An Example
For example, let’s say you’ve been subscribed to Apple Music for the past year and have created a variety of custom playlists during that time. If you then decide to cancel your Apple Music subscription for a few months, all of those preexisting playlists will remain available in your library.
When you eventually resubscribe, you can pick up right where you left off – none of your playlists or their contents will have been lost.
Playlists Created While Unsubscribed
If you create playlists while unsubscribed from Apple Music, the situation is a bit different. Playlists made during periods when you don’t have an active subscription will get deleted when you resubscribe.
That’s because without a paid Apple Music membership, the songs in the playlist are not properly licensed and saved to your account. So when you sign up again, Apple has to remove those unofficial playlists from your library.
An Example
For instance, let’s say you cancel Apple Music but then make some playlists using songs in your local iTunes library. A few months later, you subscribe to Apple Music again. At that point, any playlists created while unsubscribed will get deleted, since they contained songs not licensed through your Apple Music membership.
However, any playlists made previously while you had an active subscription will remain intact.
Playlists Containing Downloaded Songs
Things get a bit tricky when it comes to playlists containing songs downloaded for offline listening. Here’s how it works:
- If you download songs through Apple Music and add them to a playlist, that playlist will remain even if you unsubscribe as long as you don’t delete the downloaded songs from your device.
- However, if you delete the downloaded songs from your device, the playlist will no longer work properly when you resubscribe since those tracks are no longer locally stored.
In summary, playlists containing downloaded songs will only be retained if you keep the downloaded tracks in your library when unsubscribing. Be careful not to delete downloads that are part of offline playlists you want to keep.
An Example
For example, you might make a playlist while subscribed called “Workout Mix” and download all the songs in it for offline listening. As long as you don’t delete those song downloads, “Workout Mix” will still function fine even if you unsubscribe for a while.
But if you delete the downloaded songs, “Workout Mix” will no longer work properly when you resubscribe since the local song files will be gone. Just keep this in mind when managing playlists with downloads.
Smart Playlists
Smart playlists that update automatically based on set rules and criteria will get deleted when you unsubscribe and resubscribe. This is because smart playlists require an active Apple Music membership to dynamically pull in songs.
Standard smart playlists (like “Recently Added”) will come back when you reactivate your subscription. But any custom smart playlists you made will be lost and have to be recreated.
An Example
For example, you might make a smart playlist while subscribed called “Favorites Mix” that populates with your most listened to songs over the past month. When you unsubscribe and then later resubscribe, that smart “Favorites Mix” playlist will no longer exist, and you’ll have to set up the rules again to recreate it.
Shared and Followed Playlists
When you follow another user’s public playlist, you essentially create your own copy of it in your library. Followed playlists work similar to your own playlists:
- Playlists you follow while subscribed will remain in your library if you unsubscribe.
- Playlists followed while unsubscribed will be deleted when resubscribing.
If the original playlist creator makes changes, those will sync to your followed playlist when subscribed. You can also share playlists you created with others on Apple Music.
An Example
For example, your friend makes a public playlist called “Funky Jams” while you are both Apple Music subscribers. You follow the playlist, so you have your own “Funky Jams” in your library.
If you unsubscribe for a while, that followed playlist will still be there when you resubscribe later. Any updates your friend makes to it will sync to your copy once you’re subscribed again.
Summary
To recap, here’s what happens to your Apple Music playlists when you unsubscribe:
- Playlists created while subscribed are retained in your library.
- Playlists created while unsubscribed are deleted.
- Downloaded playlists only stay if you keep the downloads.
- Smart playlists have to be remade.
- Shared/followed playlists made while subscribed remain.
So rest assured that the playlists you invest time building will remain accessible even if you take a break from Apple Music. Just be aware of how different scenarios like downloads, smart playlists, and sharing impact playlist retention and redownload any desired tracks before unsubscribing.
Why Playlists Get Deleted
Now that you know what happens to playlists when you unsubscribe from Apple Music, you may be wondering why certain playlists get deleted while others are retained.
It ultimately comes down to music licensing. Songs you add to playlists while subscribed are authorized and properly licensed through your Apple Music membership. So Apple legally can continue storing those playlists for you if you decide to unsubscribe.
However, songs added to playlists without an active subscription are not licensed. Therefore, Apple has to delete those playlists when you re-subscribe to follow music copyright rules.
Only Songs from Your Subscription Are Licensed
The key factor is that playlists containing just songs from your Apple Music subscription remain available even if you unsubscribe. Playlists with songs that come from other sources – like your personal MP3 collection – get deleted when resubscribing since those tracks are unlicensed.
So unless all songs come directly from your Apple Music membership, the playlist cannot be retained if your subscription lapses.
How Long Do Playlists Stick Around After Unsubscribing?
Apple does not clearly define how long playlists will remain available after you unsubscribe from Apple Music before eventually getting deleted. But based on anecdotal reports, Apple seems to retain playlists for at least a few months after unsubscribing.
Some users have reported playlists surviving for 6 months or longer before finally disappearing after canceling Apple Music. But there’s no guarantee exactly how long they will stick around.
The safest bet is to resubscribe within 1-3 months if you want to ensure your playlists remain intact. But you likely have at least a few months grace period before Apple clears them out.
Re-Adding Songs
One other factor is whether the songs in the playlist are still available on Apple Music when you resubscribe. For example, if a song gets removed from the Apple Music library in the time you are unsubscribed, it will disappear from the playlist.
When you subscribe again, you would need to re-add any missing songs to the playlist if the tracks are still available. If not, those songs will stay missing from the playlist when you resubscribe.
How to Back Up Your Apple Music Playlists
Since there is some uncertainty about how long playlists stick around after unsubscribing, it’s a smart idea to back them up. Here are a few ways to save copies of your Apple Music playlists just in case:
Use a Third-Party App
Apps like SongShift, Soundiiz, and Stamp can create backups of your Apple Music playlists. Some of them even allow transferring playlists between different streaming services.
These tools help generate playlist backups you can restore from if ever needed. Some paid versions also retain playlist history after transferring to see song changes.
Export CSV Files
You can manually export Apple Music playlists as CSV files. Here’s how:
- Open the playlist and click the More (…) button next to the title.
- Choose Share Playlist.
- Tap CSV instead of the Share button.
- Save the exported CSV file somewhere like Google Drive or your computer as a backup.
The CSV file contains the full list of songs that you can use to help reconstruct the playlist if needed.
Take Screenshots
For simple playlists, consider taking screenshots of the song list. That provides a quick visual reference of the playlist contents you can use to manually rebuild it later.
Just open the playlist, take a screenshot of the entire song list, and save it somewhere safe like your photos. This works as a basic backup option.
Recovering Deleted Playlists
If you find some of your playlists were deleted after unsubscribing and resubscribing, there are a few recovery options:
- Recently deleted playlist: If the playlist was deleted within the past 30 days, you may be able to recover it through Recently Deleted Playlists.
- Backups: Use CSV or third party app backups to restore lost playlists.
- Recreate: Manually add songs back into a new playlist based on screenshots or memory.
- Restore from iTunes: Playlists synced to iTunes on a computer may still be recoverable.
With backups and a bit of effort, you can often recreate lost playlists even if they do get accidentally deleted after an Apple Music lapse.
Ways To Avoid Losing Playlists When Unsubscribing
Here are some suggestions to help make sure your playlists don’t get lost if you unsubscribe from Apple Music:
- Back them up: Use the export and backup strategies mentioned earlier.
- Note song details: Document playlist song details in case you need to manually re-add them.
- Download songs: Downloading songs can allow playlists to work offline if unsubscribed.
- Resubscribe promptly: Don’t stay unsubscribed too long, under 6 months is best.
- Check before deleting: Review playlists before deleting songs/downloads when unsubscribing.
Overall, Apple Music playlists remain available for a period time after you unsubscribe – but not forever. By backing them up and understanding how the system works, you can make sure your playlists are never truly lost.
Conclusion
The good news is that in most cases, your Apple Music playlists will remain intact if you unsubscribe and resubscribe after a break. Playlists created while you had an active subscription will still be there when you rejoin Apple Music.
However, playlists made without a subscription, containing unlicensed music, or using smart criteria will get deleted when you re-subscribe. The safest approach is to back up your playlists using exports or third party apps.
Apple Music playlists aren’t deleted right away after cancelling, but may disappear after an undefined period of time. Overall though, your playlist library will pick up where you left off in most cases as long as you resubscribe within a few months.
So you can take an Apple Music break without worrying too much about your playlists vanishing. Just be diligent about backing them up and avoiding issues like removing downloads. With some care, your playlist library will be ready and waiting if you return to Apple Music again.