Buzz
A user-friendly tutorial on adding music to your iPhone using iTunes and streaming services
Are you looking to have music on your iPhone for offline enjoyment? You can move .mp3 files to your device manually, or if you're without a computer or iTunes, utilize apps like Apple Music and Spotify for music streaming without needing Wi-Fi. Additionally, you can buy tracks directly through the iTunes Store app. This guide will walk you through the process of adding music to your iPhone, both with and without a computer.
Essential Information
- Connect your iPhone to a Mac and launch Finder. Simply drag songs from the Music app onto the 'iPhone' section.
- If you're on Windows or using older Mac versions, connect your iPhone and open iTunes. Navigate to 'File' and select 'Add Folder to Library' to choose .mp3 files.
- For Apple Music users, long press on a song, playlist, or album and tap on 'Download'.
Step-by-Step Guide
Utilizing Finder (Mac)
Connect your iPhone to your computer. Employ the USB to Lightning cable provided with your device.
- If prompted, input your passcode and/or tap Trust to authorize your computer's access to your device.
- This method is compatible with macOS Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, and later versions.
Launch Finder. Recognizable by its blue and grey face icon.
Choose your iPhone. You'll find your iPhone's name listed under 'Locations' in the left sidebar.
- Your iPhone's details will be displayed. If not already on the General tab, click to navigate there.
Tick the box next to 'Manually manage music, movies, and TV shows'. Located below the Options section.
Tap Apply. Located at the bottom, to the right of your device's storage capacity.
Launch the Music app on your Mac. Recognizable by the white musical note against a red backdrop.
Move your music. Simply click and drag a song, album, or artist from the Music app to the iPhone tab in Finder. Repeat this process for all media you wish to transfer to your iPhone.
- Your iPhone should synchronize automatically.
Click on the 'eject' icon. Once you've finished transferring music, click on the eject icon located to the right of the iPhone tab. You can now safely disconnect your device.
Check out your music. Open the Music app on your iPhone. Recognized by the white musical note on a red background.
- Tap on Library. Your synced music will be displayed under the Recently Added section. You can also utilize the categories at the top to explore your library.
Utilizing iTunes (PC & macOS Mojave)
Launch iTunes on your PC or macOS. This method is applicable to both Windows and macOS Mojave versions and earlier. If you don't have iTunes installed on your Windows PC, you'll need to download it. Ensure that you have the latest version installed if you already have it.
Connect your iPhone to your computer. Use the USB to Lightning cable provided with your device.
- If necessary, enter your passcode and/or tap Trust to authorize your computer's access to your device.
- Upon connection, a phone icon will appear above the left panel.
In iTunes, click on the phone icon. You'll find this at the top of the iTunes interface.
- You'll be directed to your device's information.
- If you wish to sync your iPhone with iTunes via Wi-Fi, tick the box for 'Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi' under the Options section.
Tick the box next to 'Manually manage music and videos.' This option is located under the options on the Summary tab, which opens by default. Selecting this option allows you to add music to your iPhone without affecting the existing songs on your device.
Click Apply. This action will save your modifications.
Access the Music tab. This tab is located in the left column. Various syncing options for your music will be displayed.
- If you haven't added the music files to your iTunes library yet, you can do so by clicking the File menu and choosing Add Folder to Library (for adding a folder) or Add File to Library (for adding individual music files).
Select the option for 'Sync Music.' This enables you to choose additional settings below.
Determine what to synchronize. If you wish to add your entire iTunes music library to your iPhone, opt for Entire Music Library. Alternatively, you can select Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres, pick specific files to sync, and then click Apply to save your preferences.
- If you want to include videos and voice memos, check the appropriate boxes as needed.
Click Apply. Your selected music will now synchronize with your iPhone.
- The synchronization status will be shown at the top center. Once the synchronization is complete, the status updates will disappear.
Locate your music on your iPhone. Access the Music app on your iPhone and tap Library to browse and enjoy your synchronized music.
Buying Music
Launch the iTunes Store app. Recognizable by its white star against a purple backdrop.
- Utilize this method to buy music directly from your iPhone.
Tap Search. It's represented by a magnifying glass icon located in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Tap on the search bar. Located at the top of the screen. Your iPhone's keyboard will appear for input.
Discover music. Enter the name of a song, artist, or album, then tap Search at the bottom-right corner of your iPhone's keyboard.
Choose music. Tap on the album or artist from your search results, then select a specific piece of music (e.g., an album or a song) that you wish to download.
- If you're searching for a particular song, simply locate it on the results page.
Tap on the music's price. Typically found to the right of the song or album you've selected.
Verify the purchase. Follow the prompt to scan your Touch ID, Face ID, or enter your Apple ID password. The music will start downloading into your iPhone's Music app.
Wait for the music to finish downloading. This may take a few minutes, especially on slower wireless connections or when purchasing entire albums. Once the download is complete, you'll find the music in your iPhone's Music app.
- If you've bought an album, downloaded songs will display a PLAY button next to them.
Using Apple Music
Activate Sync Library and Automatic Downloads. To download music from Apple Music to your iPhone, you must first enable Sync Library in your Settings. Follow these steps:
- Launch the Settings app.
- Select Music.
- Turn on 'Sync Library.'
- If you want newly added songs to your library to automatically download to your iPhone, you can also toggle on 'Automatic Downloads.'
Access the Apple Music app. Recognizable by the white musical note on a red background.
- An Apple Music subscription is required to use the app.
Discover a song, album, or playlist. Tap Search at the bottom-right corner to start your search.
Press and hold the song, album, or playlist. A menu will appear.
Tap Download. This option will appear in the pop-up menu. Alternatively, you can tap Add to Library and then tap the downward arrow to initiate the download.
- You can now enjoy listening offline.
Using Spotify
Launch the Spotify app. A Spotify Premium subscription is required to download music for offline listening.
- Spotify can be found on iOS in the App Store and on Android in the Google Play Store.
Search for a song, album, or playlist. Tap Search at the bottom to initiate a search. Alternatively, you can explore recommended content by tapping on the Home tab.
Tap the downward arrow. This arrow icon can be found below the song title, album, or playlist name. Depending on the media type, the download process may take a few moments.
- Once the song, album, or playlist has been fully downloaded, a green downward arrow will appear below the title.
- You can now enjoy listening offline.
