Quick Answers
You can buy and download music on your iPhone from the iTunes Store, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other digital music stores and streaming services. The purchased music can be downloaded directly to the Music app on your iPhone.
Buying Music from the iTunes Store
The easiest way to buy music to download on your iPhone is through the iTunes Store. This is Apple’s digital music store built into the iTunes app on Mac and PC and the Music app on iPhone and iPad. Here’s how to buy music from the iTunes Store on your iPhone:
- Open the Music app on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Store tab at the bottom.
- Browse or search for the music you want to buy.
- Tap on a song or album to view the details page.
- Tap on the price button to purchase it.
- Log in with your Apple ID if prompted.
- Select Deliver Audio to download the music directly to your device.
Once purchased, the music will immediately start downloading to your device and appear in your music library. You can redownload previously purchased music anytime from your iTunes account purchase history.
Benefits of iTunes Store
- Simple buying process integrated into iPhone Music app.
- Millions of songs, albums, and exclusive content.
- High-quality 256kbps AAC files with no DRM restrictions.
- Music matches Apple Music library for streaming access.
- Automatic downloads to all devices on your Apple ID.
Subscribing to Apple Music
Besides buying individual music tracks and albums, you can also subscribe to Apple Music for unlimited streaming and downloading of songs in the Apple Music catalog. Here’s how it works:
- Open the Music app and tap on the For You tab.
- Tap on the button for a free trial of Apple Music.
- Select the type of membership you want after the trial.
- You can now stream any music and download for offline playback.
With an Apple Music subscription, you can download any song in the catalog for offline listening. Downloads are in 256kbps AAC format without DRM and match the iTunes Store versions.
Benefits of Apple Music
- Catalog of over 100 million songs to stream and download.
- Curated playlists and music recommendations.
- Listen across all your devices logged into your Apple ID.
- High-quality audio and music videos.
- Family sharing supports up to 6 people.
Buying from Amazon Music
Amazon Music also lets you buy digital music to download on your iPhone. While not as integrated with iPhone as Apple’s offerings, it provides another music store option:
- Install the Amazon Music app from the iOS App Store.
- Open the app and browse or search for music to purchase.
- Tap the price button to buy a song or album.
- Login with your Amazon account if prompted.
- Select to download the music after purchase.
- Downloaded music will appear in your Amazon library.
The Amazon Music app lets you download your music purchases and Prime Music songs for offline playback. Music is downloaded as 256kbps MP3 files.
Benefits of Amazon Music
- Large music catalog available for purchase or with Prime.
- Occasional discounted music deals.
- Music purchases stored in your Cloud library.
- Download songs for offline listening.
- Family plans support up to 6 users.
Using Other Music Stores and Services
There are several other digital music stores and subscription streaming services that you can use to buy and download music for your iPhone:
Google Play Music
- Buy music tracks and albums to download.
- Stream songs with a monthly Play Music subscription.
- Upload your music library for online access.
Bandcamp
- Purchase and download music from independent artists.
- Get unlimited streaming with Bandcamp Plus.
- High-quality audio formats available.
SoundCloud
- Download tracks from rising and indie artists.
- Stream music with a SoundCloud Go+ subscription.
- Discover new and trending music.
Downloading Purchased Music to Your iPhone
Once you purchase music from an online store or as a subscriber, here’s how to download it on your iPhone:
- Open the app or service where you bought the music.
- Find the music item you want to download.
- Look for a download icon or button to get the song locally.
- Downloaded items will sync to your general Music library.
- Use the Music app to access and play downloaded music.
If downloads are stuck, check for issues like poor signal strength or low device storage space. You may need to manually initiate a download if songs don’t automatically save offline.
Always Download Favorites
To make sure your favorite songs are always available offline:
- Add them to your Library in the app.
- Follow artists to download new releases.
- Use offline listening and downloads settings.
- Manually select songs to download.
Listening to Downloaded Music
Once you’ve bought and downloaded music on your iPhone, here are some tips for listening to that music offline:
- Use the Music app to access downloads mixed in with your iCloud library.
- View just downloads by filtering your Library.
- Download playlists, albums, and artists to make groups of music available offline.
- Use the service or app where you downloaded from to play downloads.
- Listen to downloads when offline or to save on data usage.
Downloaded music offers the same flexibility as songs synced from your computer. Enjoy playlists tailored for offline listening and use downloaded music to supplement your streaming library.
Downloading on Wi-Fi to Conserve Data
It’s best to download large amounts of music over Wi-Fi to avoid using up cellular data:
- Turn on Wi-Fi and connect to a network before downloading.
- Set music apps to only download on Wi-Fi in Settings.
- Manually pause downloads if you go on cellular data.
- Check usage in Settings to monitor data use.
- Consider an unlimited data plan if you download frequently.
Streaming also consumes data, so limit streaming and stick to downloads when not on Wi-Fi whenever possible. Downloading music before going out can minimize unwanted data usage.
Maximizing Storage for Downloads
To fit more downloaded music on your iPhone:
- Use iTunes to sync only your most-played songs.
- Stream songs more often instead of downloading.
- Add iCloud Music Library to offload songs.
- Delete downloads after one-time offline playback.
- Get a phone with more storage capacity.
You may need to occasionally manage your downloads by deleting some to make space for new music. A good option is upgrading to a 256GB or higher iPhone capacity.
Backing Up Your Downloaded Music Library
To protect your downloaded music collection:
- Use iCloud Music Library to sync across devices.
- Sync iTunes downloads to another computer.
- Re-download purchased music if needed.
- Use a cloud storage service to back up audio files.
Relying solely on downloads leaves you at risk of losing music if your phone is damaged, lost, or upgraded. Using iCloud Music Library or syncing with iTunes provides redundancy.
Downloading Music Abroad
When traveling internationally, a few tips for downloading music:
- Download playlists and favorites before your trip.
- Turn off cellular data to avoid roaming fees.
- Connect to local Wi-Fi networks when available.
- Check for music service restrictions abroad.
The best way to guarantee access to your music library while traveling is to pre-download as much as possible to your device before you leave. Wi-Fi access allows on-the-go downloading.
Sharing Downloaded Music
There are several ways to share music you’ve downloaded on your iPhone with others:
- Gift iTunes music purchases to friends and family.
- Share Apple Music subscription with family members.
- Use AirDrop to locally share files.
- Text or email song files.
- Post songs to social media.
- Stream music watch parties in apps.
While purchased downloads can’t just be freely shared due to copyright, there are ways to let others listen to songs through sharing services and digital gifting functions.
Legally Downloading Music
When downloading music, make sure to use legal sources and authorized apps/services. Here are some tips:
- Purchase and download music from iTunes, Apple Music, and other official digital music stores.
- Only stream music from licensed providers like Spotify, Pandora, etc.
- Don’t download songs illegally from unapproved peer-to-peer sites or torrents.
- Don’t strip DRM copy protections from downloaded music.
Respect music copyrights by using trusted sources. Unauthorized distribution and downloads of songs can carry severe penalties.
Choosing File Formats
For audio quality and compatibility, aim to download music in standard formats:
- AAC (M4A) – Best quality from Apple Music and iTunes Store. Works anywhere.
- MP3 – Most common format, widely supported. Small files.
- ALAC – Lossless quality. Large file sizes.
- FLAC – Lossless quality. Supported on limited devices.
- WAV/AIFF – Lossless uncompressed. Very large files.
AAC and MP3 offer the best blend of sound quality and file size. Focus on downloading music in these formats when available from a service.
Conclusion
Downloading music on your iPhone opens up a world of opportunities to listen offline and take your music library everywhere you go. Purchasing songs from the iTunes Store is the easiest option, but services like Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Google Play Music also let you download tracks from their massive catalogs for offline listening. Just make sure to download over Wi-Fi, back up your library, and use legal services to stay safe and enjoy your downloaded music.