What downloading music means and when you need it
Downloading music means saving a song or album to your device so you can listen without an internet connection. Most music streaming services let you download tracks directly through their app — you pick a song, tap a download button, and it stores on your phone or computer. The downloaded file stays there until you delete it, and you can play it anytime, even in airplane mode or when your signal is weak.
You download music when you want to listen offline, when your internet connection is unreliable, or when you're traveling and don't want to use data. Downloaded music also plays without buffering delays, which matters if you're listening during a workout or commute where the connection might cut out.
Key Takeaways
- Most streaming services include a download button right in the app next to each song or album — look for a down arrow or cloud icon.
- Downloaded music only works on the device where you downloaded it and only while your subscription is active with that service.
- Downloaded files take up storage space on your phone or computer, so check how much room you have before downloading many albums.
- You can usually download to multiple devices with the same account, but the number of devices varies by service.
How to download on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music
Spotify: Open the Spotify app on your phone or computer. Find the song, album, or playlist you want. Tap or click the down arrow icon next to the title. The app will show a checkmark when the download finishes. On your phone, go to Your Library, then Downloaded to see all your offline music. Downloaded tracks use about 1 MB per song, so a 50-song playlist takes roughly 50 MB of storage.
Apple Music: Open the Apple Music app. Find what you want to download and tap the three dots (menu icon). Select "Add to Library" first if it's not already there, then tap the cloud icon with a down arrow. The song downloads to your device. You can see all downloads by going to Library, then Downloaded. Apple Music downloads use similar storage — roughly 1 MB per song depending on quality.
YouTube Music: Open the YouTube Music app. Find the song or album. Tap the three dots menu and select "Download." The download icon appears next to the track when it's ready. Go to your Library and tap Downloads to see everything you've saved offline. YouTube Music downloads are smaller than other services, usually around 0.5 MB per song.
Storage space and how many devices you can use
Downloaded music takes up real space on your device. A typical song is about 1 MB, so 100 songs use roughly 100 MB. A full album with 12 songs takes about 12 MB. If you download 500 songs, that's around 500 MB or half a gigabyte. Check your device's storage before downloading large playlists — go to Settings on your phone or System Preferences on a Mac to see how much free space you have.
Each streaming service limits how many devices can have downloads from your account. Spotify lets you download on up to 5 devices with one account. Apple Music allows downloads on as many devices as you use with your Apple ID, but each device stores its own copy. YouTube Music lets you download on up to 10 devices. If you hit the limit and want to download on a new device, you have to delete downloads from an old one first.
What happens to your downloads if you cancel your subscription
Downloaded music stops working the moment your subscription ends. The files stay on your device, but the app won't play them — you'll see a lock icon or an error message. This is true for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and most other services. The company's licensing agreement requires this: they can only let you listen offline while you're paying.
If you want to keep music permanently, you need to buy it instead of streaming it. Services like iTunes, Amazon Music (the purchase option, not the streaming tier), and Bandcamp sell individual songs or albums that you own outright. Those files play forever, even if the service shuts down or you cancel your account. Purchased music costs between $0.99 and $2.00 per song, or $9.99 to $14.99 per album depending on the service.
Troubleshooting downloads that won't work
If a download button doesn't appear or the download fails, the most common reason is that your subscription doesn't include offline listening. Some streaming services offer a free tier that doesn't allow downloads — you have to pay for the premium version. Check your account settings to see which tier you're on. If you're on the free tier and want downloads, you'll need to upgrade.
If you're on a paid plan but downloads still won't start, try closing the app completely and opening it again. Make sure you have enough storage space on your device — if your phone is almost full, the download may fail silently. Also check that you're connected to WiFi or have a strong data connection; some services won't download on weak connections. If the problem continues, uninstall and reinstall the app, which usually fixes corrupted download settings.
Moving downloads between devices
You cannot move a downloaded file from one device to another directly. Each device downloads its own copy from the streaming service's servers. If you want the same music on a different phone or computer, you download it again on that device using the same account. This means you need an active internet connection on the new device to download, but after that, you can listen offline.
If you own a song (purchased rather than streamed), you can sometimes transfer the file itself. iTunes purchases can be moved between computers on the same account. Bandcamp purchases download as actual files that you can copy to any device. But streaming downloads are locked to the app and account — there's no way around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I download music from YouTube Music if I have the free version?
No. YouTube Music's free tier does not include offline downloads. You need YouTube Music Premium, which costs $11.99 per month or comes with a YouTube Premium subscription. The same applies to Spotify Free — downloads are only available with Spotify Premium.
How long does a download take?
Most songs download in seconds to a minute on a normal WiFi connection. Albums take a few minutes. Speed depends on your internet connection and the service's servers. If a download stalls, close the app and try again.
Will my downloads work if I switch to a different streaming service?
No. Downloads are locked to the app and account where you made them. If you switch from Spotify to Apple Music, your Spotify downloads stop working. You would need to download the same songs again through Apple Music on your new service.
Can I download music on a computer and listen on my phone?
Not directly. Each device downloads its own copy. If you download an album on your Mac, it only works in the app on that Mac. To listen on your iPhone, you download it again on the iPhone using the same account. The files do not transfer between devices.
What if I run out of storage space while downloading?
The download will fail and you'll see an error message. Delete some downloads or other files from your device to free up space, then try the download again. You can also lower the download quality in the app settings to use less storage per song.