Can you share Apple songs to Android?

ByJael Lawler

In today’s world of smartphones and mobile technology, many people own a combination of both Apple and Android devices. With the popularity of music streaming services, it’s common for someone to have playlists and libraries built up across platforms. A key question for those in this situation is: can you share Apple songs to Android devices, and vice versa?

The short answer is yes, it is possible to transfer music files between Apple’s iOS ecosystem and Android devices. However, the process is not as seamless as sharing between devices in the same operating system families. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the different methods available for moving music between iPhones/iPods and Android smartphones and tablets.

Copying Music Files

One way to transfer music from iTunes to Android is by manually copying the music files. This involves connecting your Android device to your computer and dragging and dropping the music files over. Here are the steps:

  1. Connect your Android device to your computer using a USB cable. Make sure you have file transfer mode enabled on your Android.
  2. Open iTunes on your computer and locate the music files you want to transfer. These are usually stored under the Music or Media folder in your iTunes library.
  3. Locate the folder on your Android device where you want to copy the music files. This is usually the Music folder.
  4. Drag and drop the music files from iTunes to the folder on your Android device. Make sure to copy the actual file and not just a shortcut.
  5. Once the transfer is complete, you can safely eject your Android device and disconnect it from your computer.

Manually dragging and dropping music files gives you full control over which specific songs, albums or playlists you want to transfer. It doesn’t require any special software. However, it can be time-consuming for large iTunes libraries. Also, you need to have both devices connected to the same computer.

Using the Cloud

One of the easiest ways to transfer your Apple Music library from iTunes to Android is by using the cloud. Apple provides the Apple Music app for Android, which allows you to stream most of your iTunes content directly on your Android device.

To get started, open the Apple Music app on your Android and sign in using your Apple ID. This will give you access to all of the music and playlists in your iTunes library. The Apple Music app lets you stream any of your iTunes music without having to manually transfer files or use up storage space on your Android device.

With the Apple Music app, you can listen to any song or album in your iTunes library. It also syncs any playlists you have created in iTunes so you can access them directly from the Android app. This makes it really simple to transfer your playlists from iTunes over to your Android. Just log in and all of your playlists from iTunes will be available on the Apple Music app on your Android.

According to the article How to transfer your music from iTunes to Android, Apple Music gives you access to your full iTunes library from Android without having to actually transfer any files. You can stream your iTunes music on demand rather than needing to download it to your device.

The Apple Music app provides a seamless way to access your iTunes music library from an Android device. You don’t have to manually move any files around or connect your devices. Just install the app, log in with your Apple ID, and stream your iTunes music directly on your Android phone or tablet.

AirDrop

AirDrop allows you to wirelessly transfer files between Apple devices using WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Source

You can use AirDrop to share songs between two Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, or Macs. To transfer music files with AirDrop:

  • Open the “Music” app on the sending device and find the song(s) you want to share.
  • Tap the “Share” icon and select AirDrop.
  • Select the receiving device from the list of nearby Apple devices.
  • Accept the file transfer request on the receiving device to download the songs.

AirDrop provides a quick, wireless way to share songs between Apple products. However, it only works between Apple devices running iOS 7 or later, or Macs running OS X Yosemite or later. AirDrop does not allow file sharing from an iPhone to an Android device.

Third-Party Apps

A convenient way to transfer music files from an iPhone to an Android device is by using third-party apps designed for this purpose. Two popular options are Shareit and Xender.

Shareit allows wireless transfer of music, photos, videos and other files between iOS and Android. To use it, download the Shareit app on both devices, select the files you want to transfer from the iPhone, and send them to the paired Android device. Shareit transfers files quickly without using mobile data or internet connectivity.

Similarly, Xender is a file sharing app that enables direct file transfers between devices via offline connectivity. After installing Xender on the iPhone and Android phone, you can select and send music files that will be transferred wirelessly between the two devices. Xender allows batch transfers and does not limit file sizes.

These third-party apps provide a simple way to move music libraries from an iPhone to an Android smartphone without cables, computers or internet access. They are free, easy to set up, and facilitate quick wireless file transfers.

Bluetooth

One way to share songs between an iPhone and Android device is via Bluetooth. To do this, you first need to pair the two devices by turning on Bluetooth on both phones and selecting the other device from the list of available Bluetooth devices. Once paired, you can use Bluetooth to send media files like songs back and forth.

On the iPhone, locate the song you want to transfer and press the share button. Select Bluetooth as the sharing method, and then choose the paired Android device. This will begin sending the song file over Bluetooth. Accept the file transfer request on the Android device to receive the song.

The advantages of using Bluetooth are that it doesn’t require any cables or internet connectivity. However, transfer speeds can be quite slow compared to other methods. The maximum Bluetooth transfer speed is around 3 megabits per second, so sharing large albums may take a while.

Overall, Bluetooth is a convenient way to quickly share a song or two between iPhone and Android. But for transferring your entire music library, you may want to use a faster wired method like connecting over USB, or a cloud storage service.

Source: https://www.imobie.com/support/transfer-music-from-iphone-to-android-wirelessly.htm

DLNA

One way to share Apple songs to Android is by using DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) devices as intermediaries. DLNA allows media files like music, videos and photos to be streamed over a home network between compatible devices [1]. To share Apple Music songs to an Android device:

  • Connect your Apple device and Android device to the same WiFi network.
  • Install a DLNA server app on your Apple device, like Plex or Kodi.
  • The server app will index the locally stored music files.
  • Install a DLNA client app on your Android device, like BubbleUPnP or Skifta.
  • Use the Android app to browse and play the music files from your Apple device.

The DLNA server streams the music files over the network to the DLNA client. This allows Apple Music songs to be played on an Android device indirectly. The audio quality may be lower than a direct local file transfer.

Drawbacks

While there are several methods to transfer music between an iPhone and Android device, the process comes with some challenges and difficulties:

The easiest wireless method, Bluetooth, can be slow and limited in how many songs it can transfer at once due to file size restrictions. The process requires manually connecting the two devices each time, selecting songs to transfer, and monitoring the transfer.[1]

Using cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox to transfer music files also has limitations. There are storage space restrictions, and the transfer speed depends on internet connection quality. These services may alter metadata or compress audio files during transfer.[2]

AirDrop and DLNA protocols only work between Apple devices and certain Android models. Compatibility issues can prevent connections between an iPhone and many Android phones.[3]

Third-party mobile apps marketed for transferring music between iOS and Android often have transfer limits, advertisements, subscription fees, and security risks from less reputable developers.

In summary, wireless iPhone to Android music transfers can be inconvenient compared to using a Mac or PC as an intermediary device. There are more steps involved in setup, slower transfer speeds, device compatibility limitations, and other potential drawbacks.

Summary

There are a variety of ways Android and Apple users can share songs between devices, each with their own pros and cons. We discussed several key methods:

– Copying music files directly – This involves connecting your Android and iOS devices to a computer and transferring song files. Simple but time consuming.

– Using cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox – Convenient but requires uploading and downloading. Quality or file size may be impacted.

– AirDrop – Easy wireless transfer between Apple devices but does not work for Android.

– Third-party apps like doubleTwist – Offer wireless transfers between platforms but may have ads, subscriptions or data privacy concerns.

– Bluetooth – Can transfer between any devices but may be slow and limited in range.

– DLNA media servers – Allow streaming between platforms but requires setup and compatibility.

While no method is perfect, with the right tools Android and iOS users can share songs without too much difficulty. Convenience, quality and privacy are factors to evaluate.

Conclusion

There are a few straightforward ways for you to share Apple songs from an iPhone or iPad to an Android device. While simply transferring the music files works, using a cloud service makes it easier to access your music library from multiple devices. AirDrop and Bluetooth provide quick options to share songs between Apple and Android locally. Third-party apps like ShareIt can send songs wirelessly without using data. Overall, with the right tools, you can easily share Apple songs to Android.

The best method depends on your specific needs and situation. Using cloud storage services like Google Drive allows you to upload music once and access it from any device. File transfer works when you just need to send a few songs. AirDrop and Bluetooth provide fast local transfers. And apps like ShareIt let you send songs to nearby Android devices while avoiding cellular data usage.

In the end, with a bit of effort, you can share your Apple music library with Android. Any limitations come down to copyright restrictions, rather than technical barriers. While services aim to make sharing seamless, some manual work may be required. But the end result is having your songs available across devices, whether you’re switching from iPhone to Android or just want access on multiple platforms.

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