Downloading songs for offline listening on Apple Music lets you enjoy your music without using data or needing a connection. To do this, you need an active Apple Music subscription and the Apple Music app on your device. Once those are in place, you can download individual songs, albums, playlists, and even entire libraries with just a few taps. This guide walks you step by step through how to download music on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Android, how to manage storage, and what to know about limits and troubleshooting.

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What You Need Before You Download Songs Offline

Before you start downloading songs for offline listening on Apple Music, check these basics:

• Apple Music subscription
  You must be subscribed to Apple Music (Individual, Family, Student, or Apple One). Purchased iTunes tracks can be downloaded too, but streaming downloads for offline playback require Apple Music.

• Apple Music app installed

  • iPhone/iPad: Built into the Music app on iOS/iPadOS.
  • Mac: Available in the Music app on macOS.
  • Android: Install the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store.

• Apple ID signed in
  Use the same Apple ID associated with your Apple Music subscription on each device.

• Internet connection for initial download
  You need Wi‑Fi or mobile data to download songs initially. After that, you can play them offline.

• Enough storage space
  Offline downloads take up space on your device. High‑quality and lossless audio files use more storage.

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How to Download Songs on iPhone and iPad

Downloading for offline listening in the Apple Music app on iPhone or iPad is straightforward. The key sequence is: Add to Library → Download.

Step 1: Add music to your library

You can only download items that are in your Apple Music library.

1. Open the Music app.
2. Browse or search for a song, album, or playlist.
3. Tap the + Add button (or + icon) next to:
   • A song
   • An album
   • A playlist
4. The item is now added to your library, but not yet downloaded.

If you see a Download icon right away (a cloud with a downward arrow), Apple may combine Add + Download depending on the context, but the safe approach is to add first.

Step 2: Download the music for offline listening

Once the music is in your library:

1. Go to Library in the bottom tab bar.
2. Find the song/album/playlist you want:
   • Songs: Library → Songs
   • Albums: Library → Albums
   • Playlists: Library → Playlists
3. Tap the Download icon (cloud with downward arrow) next to the item.

Alternatively:

• Tap the three dots (•••) next to a song, album, or playlist.
• Tap Download.

Apple Music will start downloading the music to your device. A checkmark or no cloud icon means it’s downloaded.

How to download entire playlists and albums on iPhone/iPad

To download all tracks from an album or playlist:

1. Open the album or playlist page.
2. Tap the Download icon near the top.
3. All songs in that album/playlist will be downloaded for offline listening.

This is the easiest way to save a lot of music at once, especially for trips or commutes.

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How to Download Songs on Mac (Music App)

On macOS, offline downloads work similarly through the Music app.

Step 1: Add content to your library

1. Open the Music app on your Mac.
2. Browse or search for a song, album, or playlist in Apple Music.
3. Click the + Add button, or hover and click + next to the content.

Step 2: Download for offline listening

1. In the Music app sidebar, click Songs, Albums, or Playlists under Library.
2. Look for the Download icon (cloud with downward arrow) next to songs or albums.
3. Click the Download icon to store them locally.

For albums and playlists:

• Open the album or playlist.
• Click the Download button near the top to grab everything in one click.

You can view what’s available offline by:

• Clicking View in the menu bar.
• Selecting Only Downloaded Music.

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How to Download Songs on Android (Apple Music App)

If you use Apple Music on Android, the process is extremely similar to iPhone.

Step 1: Add the music to your library

1. Open the Apple Music app on your Android device.
2. Browse or search for the track, album, or playlist.
3. Tap + Add to add it to your library.

Step 2: Download for offline listening

1. Go to Library.
2. Open Songs, Albums, or Playlists.
3. Tap the Download icon (cloud with downward arrow) next to the item.
   • Or tap the three dots (•••) and choose Download.

Once downloaded, the tracks will be playable without an internet connection.

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How to Confirm a Song Is Available Offline

To make sure your music really is downloaded and not just streaming:

• Look for the checkmark or lack of cloud icon

  • Downloaded songs won’t show the cloud icon.
  • On some views, a small icon or label indicates offline availability.

• Filter to only downloaded music (where supported):

  • iPhone/iPad:
    • Go to Library.
    • Under categories like Songs/Albums/Playlists, you may see a Downloaded filter or a Downloaded Music section.
  • Mac:
    • From the menu bar, choose View → Only Downloaded Music.

• Test with Airplane Mode:
  Turn on Airplane Mode or disable Wi‑Fi and mobile data, then try playing the track. If it plays, it’s stored offline.

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How to Enable Automatic Downloads on Apple Music

If you regularly add new music and want it automatically downloaded for offline listening, you can enable automatic downloads.

On iPhone and iPad

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap Music.
3. Under the Downloads section, turn on Automatic Downloads.

From now on, anything you add to your library is automatically downloaded, as long as you have enough storage.

You can also control whether downloads use cellular data:

1. In Settings → Music → Mobile Data (or Cellular Data).
2. Turn Downloads on or off depending on your data plan.

On Android

1. Open the Apple Music app.
2. Tap the three dots (⋮) or More menu (varies by version).
3. Go to Settings.
4. Look for Downloads or Automatic Downloads and toggle it on.

You may also see an option to Download over Cellular, which you can enable or disable.

On Mac

The Mac Music app does not use a single “automatic downloads” switch in the same way, but you can:

1. Open Music.
2. Go to Music → Settings (or Preferences on older macOS).
3. Under the General or Advanced tabs (depending on version), enable options related to:
   • Download when added to library, if available.

If your version doesn’t have that exact option, you can still manually click Download after adding items to your library.

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Managing Storage for Offline Apple Music Downloads

Offline downloads can grow quickly, especially if you use high audio quality. Managing storage helps avoid running out of space.

How to see how much space Apple Music is using

On iPhone/iPad:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General → iPhone Storage (or iPad Storage).
3. Scroll down and tap Music.
4. You’ll see how much space downloaded music uses, often broken down by artists or albums.

On Android:

• Go to your device’s Settings → Apps → Apple Music (wording varies by device).
• View Storage usage. This includes cache and downloaded files.

On Mac:

• Offline Apple Music files are typically located in your Music library folder.
• To estimate space, open About This Mac → Storage and look under Music or related categories.

How to remove downloaded music to free space

You can remove offline Apple Music downloads without deleting them from your library, or you can delete them entirely.

On iPhone and iPad

Remove download but keep in library:

1. Open the Music app.
2. Go to Library → Downloaded (or any category showing downloaded items).
3. Find the song, album, or playlist.
4. Tap the three dots (•••).
5. Tap Remove or Remove Download.
   • Choose Remove Download to keep it in your library but remove the offline file.
   • Choose Delete from Library to remove it entirely from your Apple Music library.

Remove all downloads at once:

1. Go to Settings → Music.
2. Tap Downloaded Music.
3. Tap Edit, then tap the minus (-) icon next to All Songs or specific artists.
4. Confirm by tapping Delete.

On Android

1. Open the Apple Music app.
2. Go to Library → Downloaded.
3. Tap the three dots (•••) next to the item.
4. Select Remove Download (or similar wording).

On Mac

1. Open the Music app.
2. Go to Library and select Songs, Albums, or Playlists.
3. Right-click (or Control-click) the item.
4. Choose Remove Download to keep it in your library but delete the local file.
   • Choose Delete from Library if you want to remove it from your library altogether.

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Offline Listening vs. Streaming: What Changes?

When you download songs for offline listening on Apple Music, the experience is similar to streaming, but with important differences:

• No internet required
  Downloaded tracks play without Wi‑Fi or mobile data. This is ideal for flights, subways, and areas with poor coverage.

• More predictable battery and data use
  Offline playback reduces streaming-related data usage and can be more energy-efficient, since your phone isn’t constantly fetching data.

• Same library, same playlists
  Your playlists and library look the same. Downloaded items simply play locally instead of streaming.

• Offline limitations

  • You can’t browse the full Apple Music catalog without internet.
  • Algorithmic recommendations and certain personalized sections may not update while offline.
  • Syncs and changes made on other devices only apply once you’re back online.

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How Offline Downloads Work With Lossless and High-Quality Audio

Apple Music supports lossless audio, which uses higher-quality, less compressed files. This has a direct impact on downloads:

• Lossless audio:
  Audio that preserves more detail than standard compressed formats. It sounds closer to the original recording but takes up significantly more storage space.

• Storage impact:

  • Standard quality: smaller downloads, faster to store.
  • Lossless/Hi-Res Lossless: much larger files—good for audiophiles, but heavy on storage.

To adjust audio quality and download behavior:

On iPhone/iPad:

1. Go to Settings → Music → Audio Quality.
2. Choose the quality for:
   • Streaming
   • Downloads
3. If you enable Lossless Audio, expect downloads to take more space.

If your main goal is offline listening without filling your device, you may want to:

• Use standard or high quality for downloads.
• Reserve lossless for a few favorite albums.

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How Many Songs Can You Download on Apple Music?

Apple doesn’t publicly list a simple “song cap” for offline downloads, but there are practical limits:

• Primary limit is your device storage
  The size of your iPhone, iPad, Android, or Mac storage largely determines how many tracks you can keep offline.

• File size varies by quality and length
  A typical 3–4 minute song:

  • Standard/high quality: a few MB.
  • Lossless: significantly more.

• Library vs offline
  You can have a very large Apple Music library in the cloud, but only a portion of it downloaded at any given time depending on space.

If you get a message that storage is full, you’ll need to remove some downloads or free space elsewhere before adding more offline music.

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Common Issues and How to Fix Them

If you run into problems downloading songs for offline listening on Apple Music, these are the most common causes and fixes.

“Download” button missing or grayed out

Possible reasons:

• No active Apple Music subscription

  • Check in Settings → Your Name → Subscriptions (iPhone/iPad) or via the App Store.
  • On Android, check the Apple Music app account area or your Play Store subscriptions.

• Not signed in or using wrong Apple ID

  • Make sure the Apple ID on the device is the same one used for your Apple Music subscription.

Songs won’t download or get stuck

Try:

1. Check your connection
   • Ensure you have Wi‑Fi or data and that Apple Music is allowed to use it.
2. Restart the app/device
   • Close and reopen the Music or Apple Music app.
   • Restart your device.
3. Toggle Sync Library (on Apple devices)
   • Go to Settings → Music → Sync Library (iOS/iPadOS).
   • Turn it off, wait a moment, then turn it back on.
   • On Mac, use Music → Settings → General → Sync Library.
4. Clear some storage
   • If your device is nearly full, downloads may fail.

Downloaded music disappeared

Common reasons:

• Signed out or subscription lapsed
  • If your Apple Music subscription ends or you sign out of your Apple ID, offline downloads may be removed.
• Sync Library changes
  • Turning off Sync Library or changing Apple IDs can affect which tracks are available.

In most cases, once you’re signed in again with an active subscription, you can re-download your music.

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Best Practices for Offline Apple Music Listening

To get the most from offline listening on Apple Music:

• Download ahead of travel
  Download your playlists and albums while on a reliable Wi‑Fi connection before flights, long drives, or international trips.

• Create dedicated offline playlists
  Make a few playlists specifically for offline use—e.g., “Commute Mix,” “Travel Playlist,” or “Workout Offline.”

• Use Downloaded Music filters
  On iPhone, Android, and Mac, use “Downloaded” views to quickly find what you can play without data.

• Monitor storage regularly
  Check your storage every few weeks if you download a lot. Remove older downloads you no longer need.

• Balance quality and space
  Set download quality based on your storage and headphones. Lossless audio is excellent, but not always necessary for casual listening on the go.

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FAQ: Downloading Songs for Offline Listening on Apple Music

Can I listen to Apple Music offline without a subscription?

You can only listen offline to songs you’ve purchased outright (e.g., via iTunes) without an Apple Music subscription. Streaming catalog songs downloaded for offline listening require an active Apple Music subscription to remain playable.

How do I only show downloaded songs in Apple Music?

On iPhone/iPad, go to Library and look for Downloaded or Downloaded Music. On Android, open Library → Downloaded. On Mac, choose View → Only Downloaded Music in the Music app. These views filter your library to only songs stored locally.

Why can’t I download over cellular data?

Apple Music may be set to Wi‑Fi only for downloads. On iPhone/iPad, go to Settings → Music → Mobile Data and enable Downloads if your data plan allows it. On Android, check Apple Music Settings for a similar “Download over Cellular” option.

Do downloaded Apple Music songs stay forever?

Downloaded Apple Music tracks are available as long as:

• You have an active Apple Music subscription.
• You’re signed in with the same Apple ID.
• You haven’t removed them or changed certain settings (like disabling Sync Library).
  If your subscription ends, downloaded Apple Music tracks will no longer play.

Can I move my offline Apple Music downloads to an SD card?

On iPhone and iPad, you cannot store offline Apple Music downloads on external storage like SD cards. On Android, this may depend on your device and app version; some devices may allow music data to be stored on an SD card, but it’s managed by the app and not directly accessible as regular audio files.

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Conclusion

To download songs for offline listening on Apple Music, you add the music to your library and then tap or click the Download icon on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Android. Once stored locally, you can play your favorite tracks without using data or relying on an internet connection. Managing audio quality, storage, and automatic downloads helps you balance sound quality and space.

Key takeaways:

• An active Apple Music subscription and the Apple Music/Music app are required for offline streaming downloads.
• Use Add to Library → Download for songs, albums, and playlists across all devices.
• Monitor your storage and use Downloaded Music views to manage and enjoy your offline content.
• Troubleshoot issues by checking your subscription, connection, storage, and Sync Library settings.

Next, decide which playlists and albums you rely on most and download them over Wi‑Fi, so you’re ready to listen anywhere—whether you’re on a plane, underground, or simply saving data on your daily commute.