Apple Music Does Apple Music use my iCloud+ storage space?

[DaveF]

Does Apple Music use my iCloud+ family sharing storage space for my "music match" files? I'm looking at my iCloud+ storage usage and I don't see Music listed, so am a bit confused.

If I delete all music from my local / internal drive, will it then be deleted from my Apple Music online synced library too? Or I can I reduce local storage of music safely while I keep paying for a Music sub?

Thanks for any insights and experience

 

[WebHead]

No, iTunes Match is a separate thing. Matched tracks are from Apple's own library and anything uploaded is separate to iCloud+. You're paying for it separately, after all.

And yes, while Apple advises against relying on iCloud Library as a backup, it's quite safe (in my experience) to delete your local tracks. Just don't let your subscription lapse!

 

[NoBoMac]

^what they said.

it's quite safe (in my experience) to delete your local tracks

But OP, be warned: DO NOT use the "Delete from Library" option to clear space as that deletes from your Match library. "Remove Download" is the option to use to remove the local copy.

Bonus with iTunes Match: if some of your rips are at a bitrate less than 256Kbps, you'll now get a 256K version of the file. I keep a copy of my library in 256Kbps on a couple externals, to replace the lower bitrates I had scattered about there.

 

[DaveF]

Thanks for the insights!

I'm playing with various options managing my storage needs with an upgrade to a 256GB m4 Mac mini. Having clearer understanding of Apple Music helps out with this.