Yes, you can listen to Apple Music offline, but you have to download the music first. Turn on Sync Library in Settings > Apps > Music, then touch and hold a song, album, or playlist in your library and tap Download. Downloaded music plays without Wi-Fi or cellular data.
This guide covers downloading on iPhone and iPad, automatic downloads, finding your downloads, removing them to save space, cellular download settings, and downloading on a Mac, PC or Android. The steps come from Apple’s Add music to iPhone and listen offline guide (iOS 27) and its support article Add and download music from Apple Music.
How to Download Apple Music for Offline Listening
- Open Settings and tap Apps > Music.
- Turn on Sync Library. Apple says this is required before you can download Apple Music.
- Open the Music app.
- Add the song, album, or playlist to your library: touch and hold it, then tap Add.
- Touch and hold it again in your library, then tap Download. For an album or playlist you’ve added, you can also tap the download button at the top of the screen.
Result: the music is saved to your iPhone. To check progress, Apple says to go to the Library tab, tap Downloaded, then tap Downloading.
Download everything automatically
To download every song you add, turn on Automatic Downloads in Settings > Apps > Music. If a track is available in Dolby Atmos, you can also turn on Download in Dolby Atmos on the same screen.
How to Manage Downloaded Music Storage
- Remove one download: touch and hold the item in the Music app, then tap Remove Download. Apple says it’s removed from your iPhone but not from your library on your other devices.
- Remove all songs or certain artists: go to Settings > Apps > Music > Downloaded Music, tap Edit, then tap the delete button next to All Songs or an artist.
- Free up space automatically: turn on Optimize Storage to remove downloaded songs you haven’t played in a while when your iPhone runs low.
- Remove all Apple Music songs: turning off Sync Library removes them from your iPhone. Music you purchased or synced stays. If bought songs do not appear afterward, see what to do when purchased music is not showing in the Music app. For the difference between removing a download and deleting music from your library, see how to delete songs on an iPhone.
Download Over Cellular and Audio Quality
In Settings > Apps > Music, turn on Cellular Data, then turn Download over Cellular on or off. Under Audio Quality, Apple warns that higher-quality settings use significantly more data. For higher-quality downloads, see how to enable lossless Apple Music audio before downloading again.
Download on Mac, PC, Android or Apple Watch
- Android: Apple’s support article says to add music in the Apple Music app, then tap the Download button on an album or playlist, or tap More next to a song and tap Download.
- Mac or PC: in the Apple Music app, hover over a song and click its Download button, or click Download at the top of an album or playlist.
- Apple Watch: Open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to My Watch > Music, and pick music to sync. Then you can listen through Bluetooth headphones without your iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Apple Music subscription to listen offline?
To download songs from the Apple Music catalog, yes. Apple notes that music you buy from Apple can be permanently downloaded to compatible devices and played without an internet connection.
Does deleting a song from my library delete it from playlists?
Not by default. Apple says to turn on Add & Delete Playlist Songs in Settings > Apps > Music if you want that.
More Apple Music Guides
- How to add or remove songs in an Apple Music playlist
- How to turn off Apple Music automatic renewal
- How to make your Apple Music profile private or public
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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