What happens to my iTunes music if I switch to Android?
Many people who currently use iPhones may have built up large iTunes music libraries over time. iTunes has historically been the default music player and library for iPhone users, allowing them to purchase songs directly from the iTunes Store or upload their existing song collections.
However, when iPhone users decide to switch to Android phones, they face the issue of what will happen to that iTunes music library they have invested time and money building. By default, the songs, playlists, and other iTunes media do not automatically transfer over to an Android device.
This article will explain the options iPhone and iTunes users have to take their music libraries with them when migrating to Android. It will cover purchased iTunes songs, personally uploaded songs, playlists, alternative Android apps, and other types of iTunes media.
Your Music Library
When you switch from an iPhone to an Android phone, the music and media you’ve purchased and stored in your iTunes library does not automatically transfer over. Here’s what happens to the different parts of your iTunes music library:
Purchased iTunes Music
Music you’ve bought through the iTunes Store is DRM-protected, meaning the files are locked to only play on Apple devices through Apple’s software. So if you switch to an Android phone, purchased iTunes songs and albums won’t play unless you go through a process to remove the DRM first. Services like TuneFab Apple Music Converter can strip the DRM so you can play purchased iTunes music on other devices.
Uploaded/Ripped Music
For music you’ve added to your iTunes library by ripping CDs or uploading MP3s you already own, the files themselves aren’t restricted to Apple devices. However, you’ll need to transfer the actual song files off your iPhone onto your new Android phone somehow. You can use a cloud storage service like Google Drive, share songs over your WiFi network, connect your devices directly with a USB cable, or use a third party app.
Playlists
Playlists you’ve created won’t transfer automatically when switching to Android either. But services like iSyncr or Syncios can transfer not just your iTunes music library itself, but also playlist data to rebuild your playlists on the Android side.
Purchased iTunes Music
You can download iTunes purchased music to your Android device by either using the iTunes app to download your songs or by transferring song files from your iTunes library on your computer onto your Android device.
According to viwizard.com, your purchased iTunes music is stored in your iTunes library and can be downloaded onto any device from there. To download your purchased iTunes songs to your Android phone or tablet, link your Android device to your computer and transfer the music files over through a USB connection or wireless syncing app.
You can also download the iTunes app on your Android device and log into your iTunes/Apple ID account to access all of your previous iTunes music purchases. The app will allow you to stream or download any songs you’ve already paid for onto your Android device so you can listen to them offline. This gives you mobile access to your iTunes library from your Android phone or tablet.
Uploaded/Ripped Music
If you have music on your iTunes library that wasn’t purchased directly from iTunes – for example music you ripped from CDs or uploaded from other sources – you’ll need to transfer those tracks to your Android device.
One option is to re-upload your ripped or uploaded music to a storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox, then download it to your Android device. This may take some time since it requires uploading your entire music library, but it will ensure all your tracks are accessible on Android.
Another option is to connect your iPhone directly to your Android device using a USB cable and an app like DoorDasher. This allows you to browse the files on your iPhone and move your ripped music folder to your Android device. The transfer process should be quicker since everything happens locally.
Finally, you can take advantage of apps like MediaUnfung which will scan your iTunes library for imported music and move it to your Android device automatically, preserving metadata like playlists, play counts, ratings etc.
Playlists
Transferring your iTunes playlists to an Android device requires a few extra steps since there is no direct syncing option between the two platforms. However, there are a couple options to move your playlists over or recreate them on Android.
One method is to use a third party app like iSkysoft iTransfer to transfer iTunes playlists to Android. This app can transfer the actual playlists themselves and preserve the song order. Just connect both devices, select playlist transfer, and it will move them over.
You can also manually recreate your playlists using a music app like YouTube Music. Just search for the songs again, add them to a new playlist, and reorder them how you like. It takes more effort but works if you want your playlists on an Android music app.
While not as seamless as iTunes to iTunes, you have options to bring your cherished playlists over to Android. With a third party app or manual recreation, your playlists can make the transition.
Alternative Music Apps
When switching from an iPhone to Android, you’ll need to find alternative apps to play your music. Some popular options include:
- Spotify ( Source ): Available on both iOS and Android, so you can transfer your Spotify playlists and account details.
- Google Play Music: Google’s own music app lets you upload up to 50K songs from your computer and stream on Android.
- YouTube Music: Stream songs, get recommendations, and listen to music without ads. It also integrates with your personal YouTube videos.
- HD Music Player ( Source ): Powerful music app with built-in equalizer and gapless playback.
Other options include Pandora, Tidal, SiriusXM, and Deezer. Depending on your listening preferences and library size, certain music streaming alternatives will be better suited than others. Most services offer free trials, so you can experiment until you find the right fit.
Photos and Other Media
When switching from an iPhone to an Android device, your photos, videos, and other media from iTunes can also be transferred over. Services like Syncios allow you to easily export photos, videos, playlists and more from an iTunes backup to your Android device.
To transfer your photos library from iTunes, you can use the Syncios Data Transfer tool. Simply connect both your iPhone and Android device to your computer, launch Syncios, select “Backup & Restore” and then choose the “Transfer from iTunes to Android” option. You can select the specific photos, videos, playlists and other media you want to transfer from the iTunes backup to your new Android phone or tablet.
The transfer process is quick and easy. Within minutes, you’ll have all your photos and videos moved over so you can access them seamlessly on your new non-Apple device. This helps make the transition process smoother when switching from iPhone to Android.
Contacts and Calendars
Although the migration path from iOS to Android is not as seamless as iOS to iOS or Android to Android, your contacts and calendars are generally transferable across ecosystems.
The easiest way is to sync your Apple contacts and calendars to iCloud. You can then access these from any device by signing into your iCloud account. Most Android devices have settings to connect your iCloud account and import contacts and events into the native apps.
For example, according to this PhoneArena article, Motorola devices have a built-in “Migrate” app that connects to iCloud and imports your data.
If syncing through iCloud does not work or you want to avoid an extra account on your device, there are also third party apps like Copy My Data and iSyncr that facilitate direct iOS to Android transfers.
So although it may require a few extra steps, with planning your essential personal data like contacts and calendars can make the switch with you.
Downsides
Switching from an iPhone to Android does come with some drawbacks when it comes to transferring your iTunes music library and playlists. According to one Reddit user’s experience documented at this post, they tried switching to Android from iPhone and hated it, finding the experience frustrating. They felt the platforms were quite different and had trouble adjusting.
The most notable downsides include potentially losing purchased music, incomplete transfers of playlists, losing integration with other Apple services like Photos or Contacts, and overall adjustment difficulties. You may find the Android platform less intuitive or that your existing workflows don’t carry over well. It’s a very personal decision based on your specific usage.
One key limitation cited at this article is problems transferring data like music directly iPhone-to-Android via Bluetooth due to compatibility issues. You may need to explore cloud storage or use a Mac computer as an intermediary step to fully migrate playlists and music libraries.
Conclusion
In summary, migrating your iTunes music library to Android is definitely possible with a bit of legwork. The purchased iTunes songs that are not DRM-protected can be easily downloaded to your computer and transferred to the Android device. Uploaded or ripped music files can also be transferred directly. Playlists may need to be recreated manually in a new app, unless a migration tool is used. Photos, videos, calendars, and contacts can also be transferred using Google or Microsoft services. The main downside is losing the iTunes integration and ecosystem. However, with music streaming services and cloud storage, much of your library can be retained and accessed across different devices and platforms. By taking the right steps, your iTunes libraries and data can successfully make the switch to Android.
