Can you play music from one phone to another?
There are several different ways you can play music from one phone to another. Thanks to modern technology, music listening has become a highly portable experience, with the majority of online music listening now happening on mobile devices. According to a Nielsen study, the average person uses 3.4 devices in a typical week just to listen to music, with teens and Millennials averaging 3.8 devices. Smartphones in particular have become a popular way to stream music. With various apps and wireless connection options available, you have multiple methods to choose from when it comes to sharing music between phones.
In this article, we will explore the main ways to transmit music from one phone to another, including using Bluetooth, audio cables, WiFi networks, cloud storage, and more. We’ll also look at apps that facilitate music sharing and group listening.
Bluetooth
One of the easiest ways to play music from one phone to another is by using Bluetooth. Bluetooth allows you to wirelessly connect two devices to share data and media. To connect two phones via Bluetooth and play music, you first need to pair them:
On the phone that will be playing the music, open Bluetooth settings and ensure it is turned on and set to be discoverable. On the other phone, open Bluetooth settings and tap “Pair new device.” The phone playing the music should appear in the list of available devices. Tap it to connect the two phones via Bluetooth.
Once paired, open a music app on the first phone and begin playing a song. The music should stream directly to the second phone. The music controls will work on both devices, allowing you to remotely control playback through either phone. Bluetooth streams audio in high quality and saves battery life compared to using speakers.
Bluetooth pairing allows wireless music sharing between two phones. As long as Bluetooth is turned on and the phones stay within close range, you can listen and control music playback from either device. Just pair the phones, start the music, and enjoy private listening without any cables needed.
Apps That Enable Music Sharing
Many popular music apps like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music allow you to play music across multiple devices simultaneously. This makes it easy to play songs from your phone on another phone, computer, tablet, or smart speaker that is connected to the same wifi network.
These music streaming services use technology like Spotify Connect to let you control playback on one device while the audio plays from another. For example, you can select and play songs from the Spotify app on your phone, while the music streams to a Bluetooth speaker across the room.
Many services also allow you to share playlists and collaborate with friends. With Spotify, you can make playlists collaborative so multiple people can edit them. And with Apple Music, you can share your library and playlists using the Family Sharing feature.
In addition to the major streaming services, some apps are designed specifically for sharing music experiences. For example, Spotify has a feature called Group Session that lets multiple people control playback in real-time from separate devices. And apps like AmpMe sync music playback across multiple phones to create a “surround sound” experience.
Using Aux Cords
One of the easiest ways to play music from one phone to another is by using an auxiliary (aux) cord. Aux cords have a 3.5mm headphone jack on each end that plugs into the headphone jack on phones and other devices. Most modern cars also have an aux input that allows you to play music directly from your phone’s headphone jack.
To connect two phones with an aux cord:
- Get an aux cord with 3.5mm jacks on each end.
- Plug one end into the headphone jack on the first phone.
- Plug the other end into the headphone jack on the second phone.
This will create a direct audio connection between the two phones. Any music or audio played on the first phone will transmit to the second phone. You can then listen to the audio through the second phone’s speakers or headphones.
One limitation is that aux cords can only transmit audio in one direction – from the phone that’s playing the music to the other phone. But it allows you to easily share and listen to music between two phones that have headphone jacks.
According to Wired, many modern phones still include headphone jacks, so aux cords remain a simple option for sharing audio.
Playing Over WiFi/DLNA
One way to play music from one phone to another is by using WiFi and DLNA technology. DLNA stands for Digital Living Network Alliance, and it allows devices on the same WiFi network to share media with each other.
To use DLNA, you need a DLNA-compatible phone, a DLNA streaming app on your phone like BubbleUPnP, and a DLNA receiver device like a speaker or stereo system. The DLNA receiver can be connected directly to speakers to play the music.
Once everything is connected to the same WiFi network, the DLNA app will see the receiver as an available device. You can then use the app to select music files on your phone and stream them over the WiFi network to the receiver which will play the music through its connected speakers.
The benefit of DLNA is it creates a home media network for streaming music, videos, and photos between devices. The devices don’t need to physically connect to each other. As long as they are on the same WiFi network, you can stream media between them.
Using Cloud Storage
One way to play music from one phone to another is by uploading songs to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and then streaming them from the cloud. Here’s how it works:
First, you’ll need to install the cloud storage app on both phones and set up an account. Once signed in to the same account on both devices, you can use the app to upload songs from one phone to your cloud storage. Supported audio formats usually include MP3, AAC, FLAC, etc.
With the songs uploaded, you can then access your cloud music library from either phone and stream songs over the internet by playing them directly within the app. This allows you to listen to the same tunes on different devices remotely. The cloud library acts as a central music collection you can access anywhere.
Some cloud apps like Google Drive even allow you to play songs in offline mode for times you don’t have an internet connection. You would first need to select which songs to download to each device while online before going offline. The audio then plays back directly from the phone’s storage.
Overall, uploading your music library to the cloud gives you the flexibility to stream songs across different phones on-the-go. Just connect to the internet and login to your cloud account. Popular services like Spotify also use the cloud to enable cross-device streaming.
(Source: https://asti.ga/cloud-music-player/)
Sharing Playlists
There are a few different ways to share playlists between iPhones and Android phones. With iPhones, you can use the built-in Apple Music app to share playlists (source). To do this, open the playlist in Apple Music, tap the More button, and choose Share Playlist. You’ll then be able to share via Messages, Mail, Facebook, Twitter and more. For Android phones, apps like Spotify allow sharing playlists through the app itself or via third-party apps.
Another option for sharing playlists between iPhones and Android devices is to use a music streaming service like Spotify. Spotify has playlist sharing built into the app, so you can easily share your playlists with friends and family no matter what device they use (source). Simply open the playlist, tap the three dot menu button, and choose “Share” to send the playlist link via text, email, social media and more.
Group Listening
There are several apps that allow you to sync music playback between multiple phones to listen together with friends or family. This enables a shared listening experience even when you’re in different locations.
Spotify has a Group Session feature that lets Premium users share music in real-time with others logged into the same session (Source). Up to 5 people can join a Group Session and control playback, add songs to the queue, and view what’s coming up.
Apple’s SharePlay is another way to sync music listening on iPhones and other Apple devices. Launched with iOS 15, SharePlay lets you share your screen and listen to Apple Music or other streaming services in sync (Source). Up to 32 people can join a SharePlay session.
Apps like Spotify and SharePlay make it easy to listen together from afar. By syncing playback, groups can enjoy the same songs at the same time, even when physically apart.
Nearby Sharing
Nearby Share allows Android users to quickly and easily share files, links, photos, videos, and more with other nearby Android devices and even Windows PCs.
Nearby Share uses Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and WebRTC to detect nearby devices and establish connections. According to a Google blog post, the feature provides fast, secure sharing without needing internet connectivity.
To use Nearby Share to send music between Android devices, both devices need to have it enabled. Open the Quick Settings panel and tap the Nearby Share icon to turn it on. You can then select the music files or playlists you want to share and choose a nearby contact’s device to send to.
You can also share music from your Android device to a Windows PC. Simply install the Nearby Share app on your computer. Then on your Android device, select the songs or playlists to share and choose your PC from the list of nearby devices. The music will transfer over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth seamlessly.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several ways to share music between phones. The easiest options are to use a Bluetooth connection or aux cord to directly connect the devices. You can also use apps that allow music streaming over WiFi or access shared playlists in cloud storage services. Group listening apps like Spotify allow multiple people to control the music playlist from their own devices simultaneously. Some phones also have built-in nearby sharing capabilities to send files back and forth easily.
The method you choose depends on your specific phones, the apps available, and whether you want real-time streaming or transfer of song files. With all the options now available, sharing music between phones is easier than ever. Listening together from individual devices can make for great shared experiences. Just be sure everyone has headphones to avoid speaker conflicts!
