How to Upload Your Own Songs to Apple Music: Complete Guide

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Sync local music files to Apple Music and listen to them anywhere

Co-authored by Gonzalo Martinez and Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: November 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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Adding Music Files on Mac

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Adding Music Files on Windows

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Getting Songs on Apple Music as an Artist

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Warnings

If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can stream music from Apple's extensive catalog on all of your devices. But did you know you can also upload up to 100,000 of your own music files—even MP3s you downloaded or ripped from CD—and stream them on any device? Read on to learn how to add your own songs to Apple Music on a PC or Mac so you can listen to them on your iPhone, iPad, or any other device. We'll also briefly cover how to get music you created into Apple Music's catalog.

Adding Your Own Music to Apple Music: Quick Steps

Enable "Sync Library" in Apple Music on your computer first. Then, click the File menu and select Add to Library or Import, select a music file or folder, and click Open.

Section 1 of 3:

Adding Music Files on Mac

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1
Open the Music app on your Mac. Alternatively, if you're using an older macOS version, you can open iTunes instead.
- Be sure to back up your music before adding it to Apple Music. Some users have reported that Apple Music has changed the metadata in their private downloaded MP3 files to match what's already in their catalog. We've tested this and, so far, have yet to run into this problem. However, if you are a music collector with rare music files, definitely make a backup, just in case.
- You can add up to 100,000 music files to Apple Music, not including the songs you bought through the iTunes Store. Files must be less than 200 MB each.^{[1]
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2
Enable Sync Library. To add your songs to Apple Music, you'll need to make sure your library is synced to your Apple account. Here's how:
- Click the Music menu and select Settings.
- Check the box next to "Sync Library" and click OK.
- If the box isn't available, make sure you're signed in to the Apple account you use to subscribe to Apple Music.
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3
Choose whether to add your music files to the Music folder. Before you start adding your own music, make sure you understand the import options and make the right selection. Click the Music menu, select Settings, and click Files—here, you'll see an option called "Copy files to Music Media folder when adding to library" with a checkbox to turn the feature on or off.^{[2]
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Research source} Check or uncheck the box, depending on your needs. Here's what you need to know:
- Turning this feature on:
  - You'll have two copies of each music file—one in its original location, and one in the Music folder.
  - If you move or delete the original audio files, you won't have to worry, as there will always be a copy in the Music folder.
  - If you have a large collection of music files, doubling the amount of disk space used by your music might be too much.
  - If you're only adding a few songs to Apple Music and/or want to be free to move your music files, we recommend turning this feature On.
- Turning this feature off:
  - Instead of making duplicate copies of each music file, Apple Music will create tiny reference files that point to the original locations.
  - If you move or delete any of the original audio files after adding them to Apple Music, you won't be able to listen to them in Apple Music anymore.
  - If you don't plan to move your music files at any point, and/or have a large collection of music you don't want to duplicate, we recommend turning this feature Off.
The option you'll see depends on whether you chose to copy songs to your Music media folder.^{[3]
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Select the file or folder and click Open. If you just want to upload one song, select the song file. If you have a folder that contains all of your music, select that folder. This will add the selected songs to your Apple Music library and begin syncing them to your Apple Music account automatically.^{[4]
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- Alternatively, you can drag audio files (or entire folders of audio files) to the Apple Music window to import them.
- Depending on how much of your own music you're adding to Apple Music, the sync process may take a while. Don't be alarmed if you don't immediately see the music from your computer in the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.

Section 2 of 3:

Adding Music Files on Windows

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1
Open the Apple Music app on your Windows PC. If you usually use the web version of Apple Music to stream, you'll need to install the desktop app to upload your own songs. You can install Apple Music easily through the Microsoft Store.
- Be sure to back up your music before adding it to Apple Music. Some users have reported that Apple Music has changed the metadata in their private MP3 files to match what's already in their catalog. We've tested this and, so far, have yet to run into this problem. However, if you are a music collector with rare music files, definitely make a backup, just in case.
- You can add up to 100,000 music files to Apple Music, not including the songs you bought through the iTunes Store. Files must be less than 200 MB each.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
2
Enable Sync Library. This feature must be enabled to sync music from your PC to Apple Music. Here's how to enable it:
- Click the menu at the upper-left corner •••.
- Click Settings.
- Click General.
- Toggle the "Sync Library" switch to the On position.^{[6]
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3
Choose whether to add your music files to the Music folder. Before you import music, click the ••• menu at the top-left corner, go to Settings > Files, and choose whether to copy your audio files to the Apple Music folder.^{[7]
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Research source} To determine which option to choose:
- Turning "Copy files to the Media folder" On:
  - You'll have two copies of each file—one in the original location, and one in the Apple Music folder.
  - If you move or delete the original audio files, you won't have to worry, as a copy will always be in the Apple Music folder.
  - If you have a large library of files, having two copies of each file will double the amount of disk space used by your music files.
  - If you're only adding a few songs to Apple Music and/or want to be free to move your music files, we recommend turning this feature On.
- Turning "Copy files to the Media folder" Off:
  - Instead of making duplicate copies of each music file, Apple Music will create tiny reference files that point to the original locations.
  - If you move or delete any of the audio files you've added to Apple Music, you won't be able to listen to them in Apple Music anymore.
  - If you don't plan to move your music files at any point, and/or have a large library of music you don't want to duplicate, we recommend turning this feature Off.
This expands another menu.
If your music files are all in one folder, select the Folder option.
6
Select a file or folder and select Open. This begins importing the selected files into Apple Music and starts syncing them right away.
- Alternatively, you can drag audio files (or entire folders of audio files) to the Apple Music window to import them.
- Depending on how much of your own music you're adding to Apple Music, the sync process may take a while. Don't be alarmed if you don't immediately see the music from your computer in the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.

Section 3 of 3:

Getting Songs on Apple Music as an Artist

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1
To add music you've created to Apple Music, you'll need a distributor. There's no way for an individual music-maker or record label to directly upload music for others to stream on Apple Music—you'll need to sign up with a distributor like CD Baby, TuneCore, or Distrokid. A distributor is a company that gets your music onto streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, and Tidal. Apple maintains a list of preferred distributors, and you can check out that list at https://artists.apple.com/partners.^{[8]
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Research source} Other distributors can also get your music onto Apple Music but may not be considered "preferred" by Apple.
- Once you sign up with a distributor, they'll provide instructions for uploading your music and explain all the requirements. If you're confused about the process, contact the distributor's customer support team.
- Distributors usually have per-song or per-album fees or a single subscription rate.
- Make sure to edit the metadata (ID3 tags) of your finished songs to include Apple's required information, which you can find at https://help.apple.com/itc/musicstyleguide/en.lproj/static.html.
Your "PRO" collects royalties for you when your music is used commercially. This isn't something you need right away, but look into it if you've signed to a publishing deal or if your music is getting popular.^{[9]
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Research source} You can only be a member of one PRO at a time, so research their offers carefully. The largest PROs in the US are BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC. If you're in the UK, consider PRS for Music or PPL.

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Warnings

If Apple Music has a song you've uploaded already in their catalog, it will usually play that version instead of your local version. Some users report Apple editing their original music files to match the versions in their existing database. We can't confirm this is true, but just in case, back up your music before adding it to Apple Music.

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After syncing, your library will automatically update to match any changes on your devices. Deleting a song on your phone will delete it on all synced devices.

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Some DRM-protected music files will not be playable on Apple Music.

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