How do I download my Google music library?

Google Play Music was a music and podcast streaming service and online music locker operated by Google. It allowed users to upload up to 50,000 songs from their personal libraries to the cloud and stream them across devices. Google Play Music also offered curated playlists, radio stations, and music recommendations.

In May 2020, Google announced that Google Play Music would be discontinued and replaced by YouTube Music. As part of this transition, Google provides users a way to download their Google Play Music libraries before the service shuts down. This includes any songs a user has uploaded or purchased through Google Play Music.

Check if You Have a Google Music Library

Before downloading your Google Music library, you first need to verify that you actually have one. Google Music was a music locker service that allowed users to upload their own music library and stream it across devices. In 2020, Google Music shut down and transferred user libraries over to YouTube Music.

To check if you have a Google Music library that transferred over:

• Open the YouTube Music app on your mobile device or desktop.
• Tap on “Library” at the bottom.
• Look for a “Playlists” section – this will contain any playlists transferred from Google Music.
• Scroll down and look for “Stations” – your Google Music radio stations and thumbs up tracks will be here.

If you see playlists and stations from Google Music, then your library did transfer over successfully. You can now download this content using the steps below.

If you don’t see any legacy Google Music content, then unfortunately your library did not transfer over. There is no way to download music from the closed Google Music service anymore.

Download Music Library on Mobile

If you want to download your entire Google Music library to your mobile device, you can use the Google Play Music app on Android or iOS.

Here are the steps to download your library on mobile:

Android

– Open the Google Play Music app.

– Tap on the sidebar menu icon in the top left.

– Select “Downloads”.

– Tap on the menu icon in the top right and choose “Select all”.

– All of your uploaded and purchased music will be selected. Tap “Download” to start downloading everything.

iOS

– Open the Google Play Music app.

– Tap on the profile icon in the top left.

– Select “Downloads”.

– Tap the 3 dots menu icon in the top right.

– Choose “Select all”.

– Confirm by tapping “Download” to start downloading your entire library.

The songs will download to your device storage and be accessible offline through the Downloads section in the Google Play Music app. You’ll be able to listen without an internet connection.

Download Music Library on Desktop

The easiest way to download your entire Google Music library to your computer is to use the Google Play Music Manager desktop app. Here are the steps:

1. Go to music.google.com/musicmanager and download Music Manager.
2. Install Music Manager on your Mac or PC.
3. Open Music Manager and log in with your Google account.
4. Make sure “Download music library” is checked in the Preferences.
5. Click on “Download” and Music Manager will start downloading your full Google Music library to your computer.

Downloads may take a while depending on your library size and internet speed. Music Manager will save your music into ‘Google Play Music’ folder on your computer by default.

Download Selected Playlists/Albums

You don’t need to download your entire Google Play Music library. You can choose to only download specific playlists or albums that you want to keep. To do this:

1. Open the Google Play Music website and login to your account.

2. Click on the Library tab at the top.

3. Find the playlist or album you want to download and click on the 3 dot icon next to it. Select “Download”.

4. Repeat this for any other playlists or albums you want to download.

The selected playlists and albums will download to your computer. You can find them in the folder you chose under the “Music” section. This allows you to only download the specific playlists you want instead of your entire library.

Where Files are Saved

When you download music from your Google Music library to your computer, the files are saved in your computer’s local storage. The exact location of where the downloaded files are saved depends on your computer’s operating system.

On a Windows computer, the downloaded Google Music files are usually saved in the Music folder under your user account. The typical path is:

C:\Users\YourUserName\Music

On a Mac computer, the files are generally saved in the Music folder under your user account library. The typical path is:

/Users/YourUserName/Music

You can also customize the download location for your Google Music files. When downloading, there is usually an option to select where you want the files saved. This allows you to organize your music downloads in a preferred folder location.

The downloaded files will be saved as MP3s or other supported audio file formats. The file name will match the track title from your Google Music library.

Supported File Formats

Google Play Music supports a variety of audio file formats that you can download, including:

• MP3 – This is the most common digital audio format. MP3 files use lossy compression, which reduces file size by eliminating some audio data while attempting to maintain sound quality.
• FLAC – An open source lossless audio format that compresses audio without losing information. Resulting FLAC files are normally much larger than MP3s.
• M4A – A lossy format developed by Apple, often used for iTunes files. M4A is comparable in size to MP3.
• Ogg Vorbis – An open source audio format comparable to MP3 in terms of quality and compression. Ogg Vorbis is not supported by Apple devices.
• WMA – Windows Media Audio is Microsoft’s proprietary compressed audio format. WMA files can have Digital Rights Management which may limit playback.

When downloading your Google Play Music library, these audio formats will be preserved. Lossless formats like FLAC will retain the highest audio fidelity.

Listen Offline

One of the key benefits of downloading your Google Music library is the ability to listen offline. This allows you to access your music without an internet connection, which is great for situations like flights, commutes, or anywhere without WiFi or cellular data.

To enable offline listening on mobile, open the YouTube Music app and go to Library > Downloads. Here you will find all songs, albums, and playlists you’ve downloaded. Tap a song to start playing it offline. According to Google Support, downloads are stored locally on your device and can be accessed at any time, even without an internet connection.

On desktop, offline listening works similarly. Open the YouTube Music desktop app, go to Downloads to view available offline content, and simply click a song to start listening without an internet connection. Downloaded music will remain on your computer until you delete it.

With downloads, you can listen to your personalized Google Music library anywhere. It provides a seamless offline listening experience across mobile and desktop.

Re-Upload Downloaded Music

After downloading your Google Music library, you may want to upload the downloaded songs to another streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music. To do this:

1. Open the Spotify or Apple Music app on your desktop or mobile device.

2. Navigate to the “Upload” or “Add Files” option.

3. Select the downloaded music files from your Google Music library that you want to upload.

4. Spotify and Apple Music will upload the selected files and add them to your library.

Things to note:

• Make sure the downloaded files are in a supported format like MP3.
• The upload time will vary based on your internet connection and number/size of files.
• You may need a paid subscription on some services to upload your own music.

Once uploaded, you’ll be able to access your Google Music library seamlessly in Spotify, Apple Music or whichever service you chose.

Conclusion

In summary, downloading your Google Music library allows you to access your purchased and uploaded music offline across devices. The files can be saved locally on your computer or phone in formats like MP3 and FLAC. To download your library, use the Google Takeout service on desktop or follow the steps in the Music app on mobile. Be selective about what playlists or albums you download if you don’t need your entire library offline. The downloaded songs can then be accessed in the YouTube Music app offline, or played in other media players. Just be aware of where the files are being saved to find them easily. With your music library downloaded, you can listen to it anytime without an internet connection.

Some final tips: check you actually have a Google Music library worth downloading before going through the process, be strategic about what music you download if you don’t need everything, and double check where the files are being saved. Downloading can take time depending on your library size, so be patient. Let the download complete fully before trying to access the files. Overall, downloading is a convenient way of continuing to enjoy your Google Music collection in YouTube Music or your player of choice.