How do I sync Apple Music from iPhone to Android?

ByJael Lawler

Apple Music is a music and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. It was launched in 2015 as a competitor to services like Spotify, and has grown exponentially since then. As of 2022, Apple Music had over 88 million paid subscribers worldwide, and generated around $8.3 billion in revenue (Source).

One of Apple Music’s biggest selling points compared to rivals is its seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem of devices and services. Apple Music comes preinstalled on all iOS devices, and is deeply baked into the iOS and macOS operating systems. This allows for unique integrations like handoff, lyrics view, and spatial audio that aren’t available on competing platforms.

However, this tight integration also makes Apple Music exclusively available on Apple devices and platforms. There is no native app or integration for Android, Windows, or other non-Apple devices. This limitation means users are effectively locked into the Apple ecosystem if they want to continue using Apple Music.

Prepare Your iPhone

The first step to syncing your Apple Music from iPhone to Android is to sign out of Apple Music on your iPhone. This will unlink your Apple ID from the Apple Music service so your music and playlists are no longer tied to it. Here’s how to sign out of Apple Music on your iPhone:

Go to the Settings app and tap on your name at the top. Then tap on “Media & Purchases” and select “Sign Out” at the bottom. This will sign you out of your Apple ID for all media purchases and subscriptions, including Apple Music (Source).

An alternative is to go to Settings, then tap on your Apple ID at the top. Go to “iTunes & App Store” and tap on your Apple ID again. Then tap on “Sign Out” to sign out of your Apple services (Source).

This ensures your Apple Music data is no longer linked to your Apple ID. Now you can move onto transferring your music and playlists to Android.

Download Music to Your Computer

One of the easiest ways to transfer music from your iPhone to your computer is by using a third-party tool like iMazing. iMazing is designed to transfer files, music, and other data between iOS devices and computers.

To download music from your iPhone to your computer using iMazing:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open the iMazing app.
  2. In iMazing, click on the ‘Music’ section.
  3. Select the songs/albums you want to transfer.
  4. Click ‘Export’ and choose a folder on your computer to save the music files.

The advantage of using iMazing over syncing with iTunes is that you can selectively transfer music rather than your entire library. This allows you to easily move only the songs you want from your iPhone over to your computer.

Upload Music to Google Play

After downloading your music library from your iPhone to your computer, the next step is to upload it to your Google Play account. This will allow you to access your music library from your Android device. Here’s how to upload music to Google Play from your computer:

Go to music.google.com and log into your Google account. Click on the upload icon at the top right of the page. You will then be prompted to select the files you want to upload from your computer. Navigate to the folder where you saved your iPhone music files and select all the files. Click “Open” to start uploading your music.Source

The upload time will depend on your internet speed and how large your music library is. You can continue using Google Play Music while the songs upload in the background. Once it’s finished, all your music from your iPhone will be available in your Google Play Music library on any device where you are logged into your Google account.

Download Music on Your Android

Once you have uploaded your music library from your iPhone to Google Play, you can then download the music files onto your Android device. To do this:

  1. On your Android device, open the Google Play Music app.
  2. Tap the sidebar menu icon in the top left corner.
  3. Select “Music library”.
  4. Browse or search for the albums and songs you want to download.
  5. Tap the 3-dot menu next to an album or playlist and select “Download”.
  6. To download individual songs, tap the 3-dot menu next to the song title and select “Download”.
  7. Downloaded songs and albums will show a green arrow icon.

The downloaded songs and albums will now be available for offline listening in the “Downloads” section of the Google Play Music app on your Android. This allows you to listen to your music without an internet connection.Google Play Music

Upload Playlists to YouTube

One way to transfer your Apple Music playlists from an iPhone to an Android device is by uploading them to YouTube. YouTube allows you to create unlisted playlists that you can then access from any device.

To upload your Apple Music playlists to YouTube, you’ll need a tool like Stamp. Stamp allows you to connect your iPhone and upload playlists directly to a private YouTube channel. The playlists will be uploaded as unlisted videos so only those with the link can view them.

Here are the steps to use Stamp to upload your Apple Music playlists:

  1. Download and install the Stamp app on your iPhone.
  2. Open Stamp and select the “YouTube” option.
  3. Follow the prompts to connect your YouTube account.
  4. Select the playlists you want to upload.
  5. Stamp will upload the playlists as unlisted videos to your YouTube channel.

Once your playlists finish uploading to YouTube, you can access them from any device, including your Android phone. Just make sure you are logged into the same YouTube account.

Download Playlists on Android

One easy way to get your Apple Music playlists onto your Android device is to use a YouTube downloader app. Here are the steps:

1. Open the YouTube app on your iPhone and go to your library. Find the playlist you want to transfer and tap on it.

2. Tap the share button and choose “Copy Link”. This copies the playlist URL to your clipboard.

3. On your Android device, open a YouTube downloader app like InsTube or TubeMate.

4. Paste the playlist URL into the app. The app will detect it’s a playlist and give you the option to download the entire thing.

5. Select the download option and the app will save the playlist videos to your Android’s storage. You can then access them in the YouTube app’s library.

The benefit of using a downloader app is it takes just a few taps to transfer entire playlists. Just be sure to only use downloader apps legally and ethically.

Alternative Options

If you find the methods above too cumbersome or limited, there are some alternative options to consider for syncing Apple Music from your iPhone to an Android device. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

You can play Apple Music through the web player on your desktop computer and stream it that way to your Android. Simply go to music.apple.com, sign in, and you’ll have access to your full Apple Music library to stream. This allows you to listen on your Android without having to sync playlists or songs.

Streaming does require you to have an internet connection and won’t allow offline playback. But it does avoid the need to download, upload, and transfer your library between devices.

Another option is switching music services. Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and others allow you to sync libraries across iOS and Android devices seamlessly. Their apps offer similar features for streaming, playlists, libraries, etc. Consider transferring your Apple Music library to another service for multi-platform access.

While syncing Apple Music directly between an iPhone and Android takes some effort, alternatives like desktop streaming or switching services provide simpler options in many cases. Evaluate your particular needs and priorities to determine the best solution.

Summary

Here’s a quick recap of the main steps we covered for how to sync your Apple Music from an iPhone to an Android device:

First, you’ll want to prepare your iPhone by connecting it to your computer and downloading your purchased and DRM-free Apple Music using a program like iMazing.

Next, upload the downloaded music files to Google Play Music using the Google Play Music Manager on your computer.

Then, download the Google Play Music app on your Android device and sign in to access your uploaded music library and playlists.

You can also upload your Apple playlists to YouTube as unlisted or private videos, then use a third party app on your Android to download the playlists.

While not a direct sync, these steps allow you to transfer your Apple Music purchases and playlists to your new Android device.

Conclusion

Syncing Apple Music from an iPhone to Android can seem tricky at first, but with the right steps it is very manageable. The methods covered in this article, like uploading your music library and playlists to Google Play or YouTube, provide straightforward ways to get your music collection over to Android.

While third party apps exist as well, the options discussed here have the benefit of leveraging platforms and services you likely already use. With a computer to act as the bridge between your devices, you can fully transfer your Apple Music without too much hassle.

If you do decide to explore other solutions, be careful to use reputable apps and services to ensure a smooth, seamless transition. The key is finding an approach that works with your specific needs and setup. By understanding the various methods available, you can sync your Apple Music to Android in no time.

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