Where you can download songs depends on your streaming service

Most major streaming services let you download songs directly to your phone or tablet so you can listen without an internet connection. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music all include this feature in their paid plans. The process is straightforward: find a song or album, tap the download button (usually a downward arrow), and the service stores it on your device.

Free streaming services have limits. Spotify Free and YouTube Music's free tier do not allow downloads at all — you can only stream. If you want offline listening on a free plan, you need to switch to a paid subscription. Some services like Pandora Plus and Amazon Music Unlimited offer downloads to paid subscribers, but not free users.

The songs you download are tied to your account and the app. You cannot move them to another device or use them outside the streaming service. If you cancel your subscription, the downloaded files stop working. This is different from buying songs outright, which you own permanently.

Key Takeaways

  • Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music let paid subscribers download songs to their phone for offline listening.
  • Free streaming plans do not include downloads — you must pay for a subscription to use this feature.
  • Downloaded songs only work in the app and on the device where you downloaded them, and stop working if you cancel your subscription.
  • Buying individual songs from iTunes, Amazon Music Store, or Bandcamp gives you permanent ownership instead of temporary access.

How to download on Spotify

Open Spotify and find the song, album, or playlist you want. Tap the three-dot menu next to the title and select "Download" (on mobile) or click the download icon next to the play button (on desktop). The song will appear with a green download arrow once it finishes saving to your device.

Downloaded content uses storage space on your phone. You can manage how much space downloads take up by going to Settings > Storage and choosing a limit. Spotify will delete older downloads automatically if you hit that limit and add new ones. Downloaded songs stay on your device until you manually remove them or run out of space.

How to download on Apple Music

In the Apple Music app, find the song or album you want. Tap the three-dot menu and select "Add to Library," then tap the cloud icon with a downward arrow to download it. On a Mac, click the cloud icon next to the song title. Downloaded music appears with a filled-in cloud icon.

Apple Music downloads use iCloud Music Library, which syncs across your Apple devices if you are signed into the same account. You can download the same song on multiple devices, but each download counts toward that device's storage. To remove a download, swipe left on the song (mobile) or right-click and select "Remove Download" (Mac).

How to download on YouTube Music

YouTube Music Premium subscribers can download songs by tapping the three-dot menu next to a song and selecting "Download." The song appears with a checkmark once it is saved. Downloaded songs are stored locally on your device and do not sync across devices the way Apple Music does.

YouTube Music downloads take up phone storage space. You can see how much space your downloads use by going to Settings > Downloads. Unlike Spotify, YouTube Music does not automatically delete old downloads — you have to remove them manually if you need space.

How to download on Amazon Music

Amazon Music Unlimited and Amazon Music Prime members can download songs. Open the app, find a song, and tap the three-dot menu, then select "Download." The song saves to your device with a checkmark icon. Amazon Music also lets you download entire playlists at once by tapping the menu on the playlist itself.

Downloaded songs are stored on your device and use local storage. You can manage downloads by going to Settings > Downloads and choosing how much space to allow. Amazon Music will not automatically delete downloads, so you need to remove them yourself if you run out of space.

Buying songs instead of streaming them

If you want to own songs permanently rather than rent access through a subscription, you can buy them individually. iTunes, Amazon Music Store, and Bandcamp all sell digital music files. When you buy a song, you own it outright — it does not disappear if you cancel a subscription or stop paying a service.

Buying songs costs between 99 cents and a few dollars per track, depending on the service and the artist. Some artists sell directly through Bandcamp, which often gives them a larger cut of the sale. Bought songs can usually be downloaded to your device and transferred between devices or services, though the exact rules depend on the file format and the service you bought from.

What happens to downloaded songs if you cancel

Downloaded songs from a streaming service stop working immediately when your subscription ends. The files remain on your device, but the app will not play them. This is because streaming services encrypt downloaded files to prevent sharing — the encryption key is tied to your active subscription.

If you want to keep songs permanently, buy them instead of relying on downloads from a subscription service. Alternatively, you can take screenshots or notes of your favorite songs and re-download them if you resubscribe later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I download songs from YouTube for free?

YouTube's terms of service do not allow downloading videos or music from the platform. Third-party tools that claim to download YouTube videos are often unreliable and may violate YouTube's terms. YouTube Music Premium is the official way to download music from YouTube.

What is the difference between downloading and streaming?

Streaming plays music from the internet in real time — you need a connection. Downloading saves the song to your device so you can play it without internet. Downloaded files use your phone's storage space instead of your data plan.

Can I share downloaded songs with friends?

No. Downloaded songs from streaming services are encrypted and locked to your account. You cannot transfer them to another person's device or account. Your friend would need their own subscription to download the same songs.

Do downloaded songs use my data plan?

No. Once a song is downloaded and stored on your device, playing it does not use any data. Downloading the song itself uses data, but after that, playback is completely offline.

How much storage do downloaded songs take up?

A typical song takes up 3 to 10 megabytes depending on audio quality. A hundred songs might use 300 megabytes to 1 gigabyte of space. Most phones have enough storage for thousands of songs, but it depends on your device's total capacity and what else is on it.