How do I download Apple Music playlist to my Android phone?
Many people have switched from an iPhone to an Android phone and want to transfer their Apple Music playlists over to their new device. However, this is not as straightforward as it may seem because Apple Music songs are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM). This means it is not possible to simply download the audio files and move them over.
The purpose of this guide is to explain how to transfer an Apple Music playlist so it can be accessed from an Android device. While the actual song files cannot be transferred, it is possible to recreate the playlist structure and metadata. This allows you to easily find and stream the songs again from Apple Music on your Android phone.
Being able to transfer Apple Music playlists to Android is useful for anyone who wants to retain their curated song collections and preferences when they switch devices. This guide will outline a step-by-step process to make the transition as seamless as possible.
Prerequisites
To download an Apple Music playlist to your Android phone, there are a couple prerequisites you need:
First, you’ll need an active Apple Music subscription and an existing playlist already created in the Apple Music app that you want to transfer. Apple Music offers individual plans for $9.99/month or family plans for $14.99/month for up to 6 users (https://www.apple.com/apple-music/).
Second, you’ll need an Android phone that you want to download the playlist to. Any modern Android phone should work fine.
As long as you meet these two prerequisites – having an Apple Music subscription with a playlist, and an Android phone – you’ll be ready to start transferring your Apple Music playlist over to your Android device.
Export Apple Music Playlist
To export an Apple Music playlist to an XML file on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:
Open the Apple Music app and tap on the Library tab at the bottom.
Browse to the Playlists section and find the playlist you want to export. Tap on the 3 dots next to the playlist name.
In the menu that pops up, tap on Export. This will export the playlist as an XML file.
Apple Music does not allow direct exporting of playlists as MP3 files. The XML file contains all the metadata and links to the songs in the playlist. This XML file can then be used to reconstruct the playlist on another device or app.
For more details, see Apple’s guide on exporting Apple Music playlists.
Upload XML File
One option to get the XML file from your iPhone to your Android device is to upload it to a file sharing service like Send Anywhere or the File Transfer App.
To upload the XML file:
- Go to a file sharing service app on your iPhone like Dropbox.
- Locate and select the XML file exported from Apple Music.
- Upload the XML file from your iPhone to the file sharing service.
- Once uploaded, get a shareable link to the XML file.
This shareable link will allow you to download the XML file containing the Apple Music playlist to your Android device in the next step.
Install Apple Music Playlist Converter
To download an Apple Music playlist to your Android phone, you’ll first need to install an app that can convert the Apple Music playlist file to a format your Android can read. Here are the steps:
Go to the Play Store on your Android. Search for ‘Apple Music Playlist Converter’. There are a few options available, but one of the top rated apps is ‘Apple Music Playlist and XML to M3U Converter’ by Nova Software.
Install the ‘Apple Music Playlist and XML to M3U Converter’ app. This will allow you to take the XML file exported from Apple Music and convert it into a universal M3U playlist file that you can then import into apps on your Android device.
Once installed, open the app. You are now ready to convert your Apple Music playlist XML file.
Paste Link to XML File
After installing the Apple Music playlist converter app, the next step is to paste the link to the XML file containing your exported Apple Music playlist. Here are the steps:
1. Open the playlist converter app on your Android device.
2. Locate the link to the XML file that was shared with you when exporting your playlist from Apple Music. This link allows the app to access the file.
3. In the app, find the option to paste a link. This is usually found in the app’s main menu or an “import” section.
4. Paste the link to the XML file into the app.
5. Tap the “Convert” button. This will allow the app to download the XML file and convert it into a format that can be opened and played within the Android app.
By pasting the link to the XML file containing your Apple Music playlist, the converter app can access and convert the playlist so you can enjoy it on your Android device. The conversion typically only takes a few seconds to complete.
Save Playlist on Android
Once the XML file is downloaded, you can use a third party app like Soundiiz to convert and save the playlist on your Android device. The app will parse the XML file and convert it into a compatible format for your Android music player.
To save the playlist, open the Soundiiz app on your Android device and go to the ‘Playlists’ section. Paste the link to the XML file you exported from Apple Music. Soundiiz will automatically detect it is an Apple Music playlist and convert it.
You can then save the converted playlist directly to music apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, or others. Or you can export the playlist as a text file or CSV to save on your Android device storage. This makes it easy to access your Apple Music playlists on any Android phone.
Limitations
There are some key limitations to be aware of when transferring an Apple Music playlist to Android:
This process only transfers the playlist titles and artists, not the actual audio files. The XML file contains the metadata about the songs, but not the music itself. So you’ll still need access to the songs through a streaming service or music purchases on your Android device in order to listen to the playlist.
You’ll have to manually match the songs on your Android’s music app. The playlist transfer doesn’t automatically find the exact same songs on your Android. You’ll need to search for and add each song individually after importing the playlist.
The metadata may not transfer perfectly in all cases. Some songs may get slightly mislabeled during the transfer process. Expect to do some clean up of the playlist after you import it to your Android.
Playback and availability of songs will depend on the music app you use on your Android device. You may not have access to every song from the original Apple Music playlist.
These limitations mean transferring an Apple Music playlist to Android takes some manual effort. But it can be done with the right tools and some patience in matching the songs.
Listen to the Playlist
Once the playlist has been successfully imported to your Android device, you can start listening to the songs through your preferred music app like Spotify or Google Play Music:
Open your Android’s music app and go to your library. Find the playlist that was imported from Apple Music. The playlist name should match what it was called in Apple Music.
You can now stream the songs directly within the app over WiFi or mobile data. For uninterrupted listening or saving on mobile data usage, you may want to download the songs to your device storage:
- Tap on the download icon next to each song to download it, or use the download all option.
- Downloaded songs will have a green arrow icon. These can be played even without an internet connection.
The imported playlist offers the same listening experience as playlists created directly in the Android music app. You can shuffle or repeat songs, remove tracks, or add new ones to customize it further.
One limitation is that any song not available on your music streaming service will show up grayed out and cannot be played. This is usually due to licensing restrictions.
Summary
To recap the main steps, first you need to export your Apple Music playlist as an XML file on your Mac or PC. Then you can upload this XML file into a converter tool like Stamp, which will convert it into a format compatible for importing into apps on Android.
Note that there may be limitations, such as some songs not transferring properly due to DRM restrictions. The converter tools try to match the songs but it’s not always perfect.
Overall, this process provides a way for you to transfer your Apple Music playlists to Android, even with the DRM hurdles. By exporting the XML file and using a converter, you can get most of your playlist over to Android so you can access it on your device. Just be aware there may be some missing or mismatched songs.