Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Resolved Can anyone add Apple Music directly from your MacBook Air?
- Thread starter a-m-k
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Now I'm not sure what you mean add Apple Music? I assume you are subscribed to the service? If so when you search for an artist, track or album you have the option to download that (in an encrypted format so you can't steal it) to your device for offline playback, or add to your device without downloading for online streaming. That will work across all your devices as long as you are signed into the same iTunes account.
Are you saying I have to be signed into both Apple Music and iTunes? I am not sure if you misread. I am not using iTunes. I haven't for several years. You might have to "walk me through" things because I haven't been back on a Mac that long. (A little over a month, actually.) I might be a little slow to catch on. I am learning things here and there since I am not using a Mac I am familiar with. (I've only had MBP's this is my first MBA.)
If it's possible to send a web page with your reply, that'd be great. I appreciate your help. Thanks again.
If it's possible to send a web page with your reply, that'd be great. I appreciate your help. Thanks again.
Ok, there's confusion between Apple Music, which is a subscription based streaming service that uses the app that was called iTunes in order to access the streaming music, and the Music app that's used to play music or media content! The preferences pane you showed is from the Music app which is a default app on all MAC devices.
Last edited:
By any chance do you mean, "Add music from the Apple Music subscription service to my iPhone by connecting my iPhone to my Mac?"
The answer to that is, "No." The Apple Music subscription service uses the cloud for syncing. There's not a way to copy a downloaded song from one device to another. With the subscription service you're just renting the music, copying is not allowed. If you feel the need to actually download the songs (which is pretty pointless on a desktop computer with a good internet connection), the decision to download is made on each device (downloaded to iPhone for offline listening, not downloaded to Mac because you can just click the play button to stream it).
The answer to that is, "No." The Apple Music subscription service uses the cloud for syncing. There's not a way to copy a downloaded song from one device to another. With the subscription service you're just renting the music, copying is not allowed. If you feel the need to actually download the songs (which is pretty pointless on a desktop computer with a good internet connection), the decision to download is made on each device (downloaded to iPhone for offline listening, not downloaded to Mac because you can just click the play button to stream it).
Ok, I'm really not sure why this is proving to be so complicated so let's be absolutely clear Apple Music and the Apple Music app are not the same thing but you can't have one without the other!
The default app "Music" (formerly known as iTunes) is already on your MBA, it's part of the OS! Through that you can access "Apple Music" (the optional monthly subscription based Apple equivalent of Spotify etc), assuming you have an "Apple Music" account, and any other registered device will also display that same music as part of your library to stream but will not download for offline listening across all devices unless you physically press the little download symbol on each device. Offline listening downloads are device independent.
This is separate to music you have already purchased or uploaded to your Music app.