In short: You can listen to Apple Music offline (without the internet) after you have downloaded them to your device. Note: You can’t add and download music in the Apple Music Voice Plan.
Whether you’re trying to save mobile data or visiting a place with a limited internet connection, it’s always convenient to listen to songs offline. But can you actually listen to Apple Music offline?
Can you listen to Apple Music offline?
Apple Music works even when you do not have an internet or Wi-Fi connection, so long as you’ve added songs and/or videos from Apple Music and downloaded them to your device.
However, you won’t be able to listen to Apple Music offline if you are subscribed to the Apple Music Voice Plan, which is the cheapest plan available ($4.99/month).
If you are subscribed either to the Student ($5.99/month), Individual ($10.99/month), or Family ($16.99), you can access your entire library from any device, and listen online or offline.
Keep in mind that you should keep your Apple Music subscription if you want to continue to listen offline. Downloaded tracks will only be accessible so long as you are still subscribed.
How to listen to Apple Music offline
Make sure you have an active subscription other than the Voice plan. Here are the steps on how to listen to Apple Music offline, whether you are using an iPhone, iPad, Android, Mac, or PC.
1. Adding music on your iPhone, iPad, or Android
Before you can download music to your device, you’ll need to add them to your library. Open the Apple Music app, select a song, album, or playlist, then tap Add to Library.
After you add music to your library, you can download it to your device to listen to offline.
Open the Apple Music app. Add a song, album, or playlist to your library. Touch and hold the song, album, or playlist that you added from Apple Music, then tap Download.
2. Adding music on Mac or PC
If you are adding music Mac or PC, open the Apple Music app or iTunes.
Find music that you want to add to your library. To add a song, click the Add button. To add an album, playlist, or music video, click +Add.
After you add music to your library, you can download it to your device to listen to offline.
Open the Apple Music app or iTunes. Add a song, album, or playlist to your library. Lastly, on your Mac or PC, click the Download button next to a song or album.
How long is Apple Music without the internet?
Apple Music offline songs can be played for at least 30 days without an internet connection.
However, if you are to cancel your subscription, or your free trial ends, any music that you downloaded through Apple Music will be removed from your library and device.
After you cancel Apple Music, you’ll still see songs you have saved while you were subscribed appear in your library, however, they will be grayed out and will no longer play.
The songs will remain in your library for 30 days so you won’t have to save them again should you decide to reactivate Apple Music. After 30 days the songs will be removed from your library.
Some users claimed that it worked even after being offline for 2 months and a half. It might be true, even though ideally a monthly subscription service should check its status every 30 days.
I also think that Apple Music offline is region-dependent, not just which App Store a person is subscribed to, but also where the person is, geographically.
So if your Apple Music subscription is located in the United States and you are visiting Thailand, for example, you might not be able to listen to Apple Music offline without the internet.
Apple doesn’t disclose how things work so you’ll need to figure it out on your own. I suggest turning on Wi-Fi briefly every once in a while, then switching it off to resume offline listening.
That’s what I do. I know it’s not perfect, but good enough. I can listen to Apple Music offline anywhere in the world. Apple offers a 12-month Music subscription discounted, by the way.
How many songs can you have downloaded on Apple Music?
You can download up to 100,000 songs to your music library, access your entire library from any device, and listen online or offline, as long as you have an active Apple Music subscription.
Songs that you buy from the iTunes Store don’t count against this limit.
However, keep in mind that you won’t be able to download songs if you are subscribed to the Apple Music Voice Plan, which is the most affordable plan out of the four.
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