If you have previously used iCloud Music Library to store your music collection in the cloud, there may come a time when you need to download all of that music back to your local device. Fortunately, while it can take some time for a large library, retrieving your music from iCloud is a straightforward process.
Why You Might Need to Download Your Library from iCloud
There are a few common reasons you may need to download your full music library from iCloud:
- You are switching away from Apple devices and need your music files locally
- You want an offline backup or copy of your music collection
- Issues with iCloud connectivity or storage space
- Concerns over reliance on streaming services vs local files
Many iOS/MacOS users rely solely on iCloud and streaming for their music library. However, having a local copy gives you more control and options for playback. For large libraries especially, downloading from iCloud ensures you have everything just in case.
How iCloud Music Library Works
Before we get into the steps on downloading your library, it helps to understand what iCloud Music Library is and how it works:
- Stores your music collection in iCloud, making it available on all your devices
- Leverages Apple’s iTunes Match service to match tracks to the Apple Music catalog
- Uploads any unmatched tracks to iCloud Music Library for access anywhere
- Limited to 100,000 tracks total
- persistent internet connection required for streaming
The key things to know are that iCloud Music Library relies on continuous internet access for streaming, and has limits on library size. For large collections or spotty connections, downloading to local storage may be better.
Check Current iCloud Music Library Status
Before downloading your music library, check to make sure iCloud Music Library is actually enabled and contains the music you want:
- Open the Music app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac
- Go to Preferences/Settings and select the “iCloud Music Library” option
- Confirm the switch is enabled (green)
- Browse your library to verify the expected artists, albums and playlists are present
If iCloud Music Library is off, or you don’t see certain music you’re expecting, you may need to double check the songs have been properly uploaded. Any music not fully in iCloud will not be part of the library download.
Determine Best Location to Save Music Files
Once you’ve confirmed your collection is in iCloud as expected, think about where you want to save the music files when downloaded:
- Mac or Windows computer – save to your Music folder or an external drive
- iPhone/iPad – limited storage, recommend saving to a computer first
For most users, downloading to a desktop or laptop computer will be the best option. Be sure to have enough free disk space for your full collection before downloading from iCloud.
Download Your iCloud Music on a Mac
Here are the steps to take to download your iCloud music library to your Mac computer:
- Open Music and go to Account > View My Account
- Scroll down to iCloud Music Library and click Download All
- Select the location to save the files, likely your Music folder
- Monitor the download progress. Downloading can take hours for large libraries on slower connections.
- When complete, your Music folder will contain your full collection in common formats like MP3 that can be used independently of iCloud.
Following those steps will save all of your iCloud music to your Mac. Keep in mind the download progress will take some time for big libraries.
Downloading iCloud Music to a Windows PC
Getting your iCloud music library onto a Windows PC takes a few extra steps compared to Mac, but is still doable:
- Install the latest version of iTunes for Windows
- Sign into the same Apple ID used on your iPhone or iPad
- Enable iCloud Music Library in preferences
- Click Account > View My Account in iTunes
- Scroll down and click Download All next to iCloud Music Library
- Select a save location like your My Music folder
- Wait for the full download to complete
The iTunes app for Windows allows you to enable iCloud Music Library there and download your songs. Just be patient as a large library could take hours to download via your internet connection.
Downloading to iPhone or iPad
You can download your iCloud music directly to your iPhone or iPad, but storage limitations make this idea less ideal:
- Navigate to Settings > Music on your device
- Tap Download All below iCloud Music Library section
- Will save to device storage, taking up limited space
- Better to download to computer first then sync music over
Unless you have a newer iPhone model with 256GB+ of storage, downloading an entire music library locally could fill up your device quickly. A better solution is to get the files on a computer first.
Alternative Ways to Download from iCloud
Aside from the Download All option, there are couple other ways you could get your iCloud collection onto a device or computer:
- Family Sharing – add family member and make their library available offline
- Home Sharing – access shared library from a Mac or PC on same WiFi
- Apple Music app – download playlists, albums or artists (but not full library)
While those options work for specific use cases, the Download All feature is the only way to get your entire iCloud music library in one batch. Family Sharing, Home Sharing or Apple Music allow more selective or temporary downloads.
What Happens When You Download from iCloud
When you download your iCloud music library locally, there are a few key things that happen:
- Files are saved in common formats like MP3, AAC, ALAC
- Metadata like song details, playlists, etc is preserved
- iCloud library stays intact online
- Now have two copies: cloud and local device
- Can delete local files at any time without affecting iCloud
In summary, downloading from iCloud gives you a local playback copy while keeping your cloud collection online. You can always delete the local files later without impacting the iCloud music library copy.
How to Reclaim iCloud Storage After Downloading
With your entire music library now saved locally, you can take steps to free up space used in iCloud:
- Turn off iCloud Music Library – this removes streaming copies of any local tracks
- Hide purchased content from iCloud – removes non-local media files
- Delete unused backups, documents or photos
- Upgrade your iCloud storage plan if needed for other uses
Disabling iCloud Music Library for local playback only can recover up to 100GB or more in many cases. Also removing unused files and old device backups you don’t need anymore will help maximize available cloud storage.
Pros of Downloading Your Library from iCloud
There are some great benefits to having your music collection downloaded locally from iCloud:
- Don’t need an internet connection to listen to music
- Greater playback compatibility with non-Apple devices
- Easier transfer to a new computer or device
- Offline backup not reliant on the cloud
- Full control and ownership of files
- Faster access than streaming in many cases
Going offline with your music removes reliance on iCloud and Apple services. You also have more flexibility to use the files how you choose independently of a streaming app or account.
Downsides of Downloading Library from iCloud
There are also some downsides or inconveniences to consider with downloading your entire iCloud music library:
- Lots of storage space required locally
- Time consuming download, especially on slow connections
- No access to your music when away from local device
- Metadata can get out of sync between local and cloud
- You become responsible for backups and file management
The key drawback is you need ample free disk space and time for the full download. There’s also risk of local metadata getting out sync from iCloud if you edit tags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about downloading your music library from iCloud:
Does downloaded music count against iCloud storage limits?
No, music saved locally does not count against your iCloud storage allowance. It’s only files left in iCloud storage that apply.
Can I redownload my music back to iCloud later?
Yes! After downloading locally, you can add those same files back to iCloud Music Library by enabling the option and uploading your music.
Do my playlists and metadata remain intact?
Playlists, song information, library organization and other metadata will be preserved when downloading music from iCloud.
What format and quality will my downloaded music be?
Formats are typical high-quality files like MP3, AAC, M4A or Apple Lossless. Quality depends on your original source material.
What if I only want to retrieve a portion of my library?
The Download All command will get your entire library. To selectively download portions, use Apple Music or set up Home Sharing instead.
Conclusion
While iCloud Music Library offers convenient cloud access to your collection, downloading a copy locally gives you greater control, independence, and flexibility in how you access your music. Just be prepared for significant time, bandwidth and storage requirements – especially for large libraries. But in most cases, the benefits outweigh the initial inconvenience of retrieving your media from the cloud.