How do I transfer Apple Music from my phone to my computer?

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How do I transfer Apple Music from my phone to my computer

Transferring Apple Music from your iPhone or iPad to your computer is a great way to back up your music library and access your songs on a different device. With a few simple steps, you can copy all of your Apple Music downloads to your Mac or PC.

Requirements for Transferring Apple Music

Before transferring your Apple Music library from your iOS device to your computer, you’ll need to make sure you have the following:

  • An iPhone or iPad with Apple Music downloads you want to transfer
  • A Mac or Windows PC
  • An Apple ID with an active Apple Music subscription
  • iTunes installed on your computer (latest version)
  • A Lightning to USB cable to connect your iOS device to your computer

As long as you have these requirements covered, you should be able to successfully transfer your Apple Music collection over to your computer.

Step 1: Back Up Your iOS Device

The first step is to back up your iPhone or iPad to your computer using iTunes. This will make sure the latest Apple Music content is copied over:

  1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer using a Lightning to USB cable.
  2. Open iTunes on your computer.
  3. Select your connected iOS device from the menu in iTunes.
  4. Go to the Summary tab.
  5. Click “Back Up Now” to back up your device to iTunes.
  6. Wait for the back up process to complete.

After your device is fully backed up, you’ll be ready to transfer just your Apple Music content over to your computer.

Step 2: Authorize Your Computer

In order for your computer to play Apple Music tracks, you’ll need to authorize it using your Apple ID:

  1. Open iTunes on your computer.
  2. Go to Account > Authorizations > Authorize This Computer.
  3. Enter your Apple ID and password.
  4. Click Authorize to complete the authorization.

This will link your computer to your Apple Music account so you can access your library.

Step 3: Transfer Apple Music to iTunes

Now you’re ready to copy all of your Apple Music purchases, downloads, and playlists over to iTunes on your computer:

  1. With your iOS device still connected to your computer, open iTunes.
  2. Click on your device icon in the upper left corner.
  3. Check the box for “Sync Music.”
  4. Check the box for “Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres.”
  5. Under Playlists, check the boxes next to any Apple Music playlists you want to transfer.
  6. Click Apply to start transferring Apple Music content to iTunes.

iTunes will go through your music library and copy over all of your Apple Music purchases and downloads. This can take awhile depending on how much content you have. Let the sync complete until iTunes is done transferring your music.

Step 4: Double Check Transferred Content in iTunes

Once the transfer is finished, double check that all of your Apple Music content was successfully copied from your iOS device over to iTunes:

  1. In iTunes, go to My Music and browse through your library.
  2. Look for the Apple Music playlist and songs that were copied over.
  3. Spot check a few different purchases, downloads, and playlists to make sure everything copied correctly.
  4. If any content is missing, redo the sync from Step 3 choosing different sync options.

You want to verify all of your important Apple Music downloads and playlists made it over to iTunes. If you find any missing items, you may need to redo the sync and transfer process.

Step 5: Downgrade Unlimited Downloads with iTunes Match (Optional)

If you want to downgrade your Apple Music downloads from 256 kbps DRM-protected AAC files to standard 256 kbps AAC files that work with iTunes Match, take the following extra steps:

  1. In iTunes go to Account > View My Account.
  2. Sign up for an iTunes Match subscription if you don’t already have one.
  3. Wait for iTunes Match to finish matching your music library.
  4. In iTunes, delete the original Apple Music downloads that were copied over from your device.
  5. Go to Account > Turn On iTunes Match.
  6. iTunes will redownload 256 kbps DRM-free AAC versions of your Apple Music.

This lets you retain the same sound quality while removing Apple DRM protection. The files will then work with iTunes Match in iCloud for easy access across devices.

Listen to Apple Music on Your Computer

Now that you’ve transferred your Apple Music library over to iTunes on your computer, you can listen to it just like you would on your iPhone or iPad!

Here are some tips for enjoying Apple Music on your Mac or PC:

  • Play music using the iTunes player controls.
  • Create playlists from your Apple Music songs.
  • Add songs from Apple Music to existing playlists.
  • Use the iTunes EQ controls to customize the sound.
  • Sync Apple Music playlists to an iPod or iOS device.

Thanks to iTunes in the Cloud, you can also access your Apple Music library on another Mac or PC by signing in with the same Apple ID.

Troubleshooting Apple Music Transfer Issues

If you run into any problems getting your Apple Music content to transfer from your iPhone or iPad to your computer, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Music Won’t Transfer

  • Make sure both devices are connected to the internet.
  • Check that you’re signed into the same Apple ID on both devices.
  • Restart your iOS device and computer and try the transfer again.
  • Disable and re-enable iCloud Music Library on your devices.

Music Disappears After Transfer

  • Don’t delete music from your iOS device before it transfers.
  • If music is missing, try changing your iCloud/iTunes Match settings.
  • Review your Hidden Purchases playlist on iTunes.

Transfer is Slow

  • Pause syncing other content like photos during the music transfer.
  • Avoid multitasking on your iOS device during the transfer.
  • Restart devices and router if speeds are extremely slow.

DRM-Protected Music Won’t Play

  • Authorize the computer with your Apple ID first.
  • Upgrade to macOS Catalina or higher for DRM support.
  • Check that Apple Music subscription is active.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does transferred Apple Music work offline?

Yes, any Apple Music you transfer to iTunes on your computer can be listened to offline once it finishes downloading.

Can I redownload transferred Apple Music?

Apple Music transfers are treated like purchases in iTunes, so you can redownload them anytime as long as your Apple Music subscription is active.

What music transfer formats does iTunes use?

Apple Music downloads use 256 kbps DRM-protected AAC files. iTunes Match can upgrade them to DRM-free 256 kbps AAC.

Do playlists transfer from iOS to iTunes?

Playlists created on your iOS device transfer over if you select to sync playlists in iTunes.

Does Apple Music work on iPod classic?

No, the seventh-generation iPod classic does not support Apple Music. You need an iOS device or computer running iTunes 12.2 or later.

Summary

Transferring Apple Music to your computer is straightforward with just a few steps:

  1. Back up your iPhone or iPad to iTunes.
  2. Authorize the computer with your Apple ID.
  3. Use device sync options to transfer Apple Music content.
  4. Check that all music copied over as expected.
  5. Downgrade to DRM-free files using iTunes Match (optional).

Now you can enjoy your full Apple Music library on your Mac or Windows PC. If you have any issues getting content to transfer over, try reviewing the troubleshooting tips.

Thanks for reading! Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions about transferring Apple Music from your iPhone or iPad to your computer.