What is Apple Music and iCloud Music Library?
Apple Music is Apple’s music streaming subscription service, which grants access to over 90 million songs on demand. With an Apple Music subscription, users can stream any song in the Apple Music catalog, create custom playlists, listen to curated playlists from music experts, and more.
iCloud Music Library is a separate feature that can be used in tandem with Apple Music. It allows users to sync their personal music libraries across devices. When enabled, iCloud Music Library uploads songs from a user’s personal music collection to iCloud, making them accessible on any device logged into the same Apple ID. This includes purchased iTunes songs as well as ripped CDs or downloaded music files. With iCloud Music Library, any added, edited or deleted songs are updated universally across a user’s library.
The key difference is that Apple Music is a streaming service providing access to Apple’s catalog, while iCloud Music Library lets users sync and access their own personal libraries. The two work together seamlessly, but do not require each other to function.
Why use Apple Music without iCloud Music Library?
There are a few key reasons why some Apple Music subscribers may prefer to use the service without enabling iCloud Music Library:
Prefer keeping music files stored locally – With iCloud Music Library enabled, your music files get uploaded to iCloud and can be accessed from any device. Some users prefer to keep their music files stored locally on their device rather than in the cloud.
Have a large library don’t want to upload – iCloud Music Library uploads your entire music library to iCloud so it can be accessed anywhere. This may not be ideal for users with very large local libraries, as it can take a long time to upload all those files to iCloud.
Concerned about matching/upload errors – The matching and uploading process with iCloud Music Library is not 100% perfect, and sometimes errors can occur resulting in missing or duplicated songs. Users with perfectly organized local libraries may want to avoid potential issues.
Overall, while iCloud Music Library provides seamless access to your music across devices, some users may wish to opt out of using it while still enjoying Apple Music and keeping their music files locally stored.
Set up Apple Music without iCloud Music Library
To use Apple Music without enabling iCloud Music Library, you simply need to turn off iCloud Music Library in the Music app settings and make sure Sync Library is unchecked. Here are the steps:
On iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch:
- Launch the Settings app.
- Tap Music.
- Tap to turn off iCloud Music Library.
This will prevent your Apple Music library from being uploaded and synced across devices. You can still use Apple Music for streaming and downloads without iCloud Music Library enabled.
Also make sure Sync Library is unchecked in your Apple Music settings. Sync Library is used to sync your personal music uploads to iCloud, which requires iCloud Music Library. With Sync Library off, you can use Apple Music with just the catalog content without any uploads.
On Mac:
- Open the Music app.
- Go to Music > Preferences.
- Click the General tab.
- Uncheck “iCloud Music Library”.
This will similarly turn off iCloud Music Library syncing on your Mac. Make sure Sync Library is also unchecked in the settings.
Following these steps will disable iCloud Music Library while still allowing full use of Apple Music streaming and downloads. Just avoid enabling Sync Library, and your personal library will not be impacted.
Add and download music
To add music to your Apple Music library without enabling iCloud Music Library, simply use the search bar in the Apple Music app or iTunes to find songs or albums you want to listen to. When you find a song you like, tap the “+” button next to it to add it to your library.
To download songs for offline listening, tap the cloud icon next to any song, album or playlist. This will save a copy of that music locally on your device so you can listen without an internet connection. Downloaded music will have a download icon next to it.
According to discussions.apple.com, while you can freely add songs to your Apple Music library, without iCloud Music Library enabled your library is limited to 100,000 songs. So if you reach that limit, you’ll need to delete songs before adding new ones.
Create playlists
One of the main features of Apple Music is the ability to create custom playlists. To create a new playlist:
1. Tap the + icon in the lower right corner of the Listen Now tab.
2. Select “New Playlist”.
3. Give your playlist a name.
You can then add songs, albums, and artists to your playlist in a few ways:
- Tap the heart icon next to any song, album or artist to add it.
- Tap the 3 dots next to a song, album or artist and select “Add to Playlist”.
- Drag and drop songs, albums or artists into your playlist.
Playlists created in Apple Music will sync across your devices so you can access them anywhere. You don’t need iCloud Music Library enabled for playlist syncing.
For more details, see Apple’s support article on creating playlists.
Listen to music offline
One of the main benefits of Apple Music is the ability to download music to your device so you can listen offline without an internet connection. This is useful when you are traveling or don’t have consistent WiFi or cellular data access.
With Apple Music, you can download individual songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening. Downloaded music will have a download icon next to it and will be available offline as long as it is downloaded onto your device.
To download a song, album, or playlist in the Music app, tap the download button next to it. The download button looks like a cloud with a down arrow. Your downloaded music will appear in the Library tab under the Downloaded Music playlist.
You can also make playlists available offline by turning on the “Download” switch in the playlist settings. This will download all of the songs in that playlist to your device so you can listen offline. The playlist will show “Downloaded” when the download is complete.
One limitation to note is that not all content in Apple Music is available for download due to licensing restrictions. Most content can be downloaded, but some may only be available for streaming.
Overall, the ability to listen offline is a major advantage of Apple Music, allowing you to access your favorite songs and playlists even without an internet connection. This works seamlessly without needing iCloud Music Library enabled.
Limits and considerations
When using Apple Music without iCloud Music Library, there are some limits and considerations to keep in mind:
Storage space on your device – With iCloud Music Library, your music library is stored in the cloud rather than downloaded to your device. Without iCloud Music Library, any music you add from Apple Music will take up storage space on your device. This means you may reach storage capacity limits faster, especially on devices with less built-in storage like iPhones.
Re-downloading music – Another consideration is that any music you download for offline listening will need to be re-downloaded if you delete it from your device to free up space. With iCloud Music Library, those downloads are preserved in the cloud so you can quickly re-download.
Overall, while Apple Music can be used without iCloud Music Library, you lose out on some conveniences like having your full library accessible and not having to manage device storage. Using even a selective iCloud Music Library for favorite playlists can help avoid some of these limitations.
Using iCloud Music Library selectively
While iCloud Music Library can be a convenient way to sync your music across devices, you may wish to only selectively enable it for certain playlists or albums. Here are some tips for using iCloud Music Library in a limited capacity:
Select playlists or albums to sync:
- In the Music app, tap the Library tab and select Playlists or Albums. Browse or search to find specific playlists or albums you want to add to iCloud Music Library.
- Tap the “i” icon next to each playlist or album and enable “Sync Library”. This will add that playlist or album to iCloud Music Library.
You can repeat this for any playlists, albums or artists you want to sync across devices. Other content in your library will remain local-only.
Disable full iCloud Music Library sync:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Music and turn off “Sync Library”.
- This prevents your full music library from being added to iCloud, allowing you to selectively choose playlists instead.
With this approach, you maintain full control over what music gets synced while still leveraging iCloud Music Library for your selected playlists. Just be sure to enable “Sync Library” at the album or playlist level for anything you want available on all devices.
Troubleshooting tips
If you are having issues with Apple Music not working properly without iCloud Music Library, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:
First, you can try force quitting the Music app to restart it. To do this on an iPhone, double click the home button and swipe up on the Music app preview to fully close it. Then reopen the Music app.1
You can also try signing out of your Apple ID in the Music app and signing back in. Go to Settings > Music > Sign Out. Then open the Music app again and sign in with your Apple ID again. This will refresh your account which could resolve any issues.2
Summary
Using Apple Music without enabling iCloud Music Library allows you to stream Apple’s catalog of over 90 million songs, download music for offline listening, and create playlists – all without syncing your personal music collection to the cloud. This gives you the flexibility to enjoy Apple Music’s features while maintaining full control over your local music library.
The main benefits of this approach are avoiding automatic changes to your local music files when enabling iCloud Music Library and saving on iCloud storage space. The downside is not having access to your full personal collection seamlessly across devices. But for many users who want to keep their local music untouched, using Apple Music independently is a good compromise.
To learn more about using Apple Music and iCloud Music Library, check out Apple’s support guides for getting started with Apple Music and understanding iCloud Music Library. The Apple Music community is also a helpful resource for tips and discussions.
