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To listen to Apple Music offline, add the songs, albums, or playlists to your library and download them to the device you’ll use while offline. Download them before you lose internet access. Apple Music catalog downloads require an active subscription; they stop playing if the subscription expires.
Download music before you go offline
Streaming requires an internet connection, so it does not prepare music for offline playback. While online, open Apple Music on the device you plan to use, add the music to your library, then download it. Downloads are tied to the destination device: download the music directly from Apple Music on each device rather than relying on a download elsewhere.
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Download Apple Music on your device
iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, or Android
- Open the Apple Music app and find the song, album, or playlist.
- Add it to your library.
- For a song, open its More menu and tap Download. For an album or playlist, tap its Download button.
- Wait for the download to finish while you still have internet access.
On iPhone, Apple’s documented workflow requires Sync Library to be enabled. Go to Settings > Apps > Music and turn on Sync Library before downloading Apple Music items. See Apple’s iPhone instructions for adding music and listening offline.
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- Open the Apple Music app on Mac or PC and find the music you want.
- Add the song, album, or playlist to your library.
- Use its Download control and let the download finish before disconnecting.
On Windows, Apple says downloads cannot be burned to disc or manually transferred to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod. Download the music directly from Apple Music on the device where you want to listen. See Apple’s Windows download guidance.
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Choose Wi-Fi or cellular downloads
Wi-Fi is the practical choice when you want to avoid using your mobile data allowance. Apple warns that High Quality, Lossless, and High-Resolution Lossless use significantly more cellular data than High Efficiency, and carrier charges may apply. On iPhone, cellular downloads can be managed in Settings > Apps > Music. Apple does not provide a universal storage estimate here, so the space required depends on the music and audio-quality settings you select.
What happens if your Apple Music subscription ends?
Apple Music catalog downloads are subscription access, not permanent purchases. When the subscription expires, catalog songs can no longer be played, catalog-based playlists become unavailable, and Sync Library turns off. Music and playlists that were already on the device before you subscribed remain available, according to Apple’s subscription-expiration guidance and Apple Music for Windows guide.
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iTunes Store purchases are separate from the Apple Music catalog. Apple says you can buy and download tracks without an Apple Music subscription, and redownload past purchases to authorized computers and devices. Choose a purchase if you want to own an individual track rather than rely on continued catalog subscription access.
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Apple Music availability and features vary by country or region. If you cannot find the service or a feature, check Apple’s current availability by country or region.
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Quick offline-listening checklist
- Add the music to your library and download it on the device you’ll take offline.
- On iPhone, enable Sync Library in Settings > Apps > Music before downloading Apple Music items.
- Allow downloads to finish while online; streaming alone does not make music available offline.
- Use Wi-Fi if you want to avoid cellular data use, especially at higher audio-quality settings.
- Keep an active Apple Music subscription for access to catalog downloads.
For Apple’s device-by-device download steps, see Add and download music from Apple Music.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
