How to Add Music to Your iPhone: Every Legal Way Explained

There are three main legal ways to put music on an iPhone: buy it from the iTunes Store, sync music files you own from a Mac (Finder) or Windows PC (Apple Devices app), or download songs for offline listening in a streaming app such as Apple Music or Spotify. If you subscribe to Apple Music, turning on Sync Library is the easiest option — your library appears on every device automatically. If you own MP3 or AAC files, cable or Wi-Fi syncing still works.

Which method should you use?

Method 1: Buy music from the iTunes Store

1. Open the iTunes Store app on your iPhone (if it’s hidden, swipe down on the Home Screen and search for it).
2. Tap Music, find the song or album, and tap the price.
3. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your Apple Account password.
4. The song appears in the Music app under Library. Tap the download button (a down arrow) to keep it on the device.

Purchases are tied to your Apple Account, so you can re-download them on other devices. In the Music app on iPhone, you can also find past purchases via the iTunes Store app: More > Purchased > Music.

Method 2: Sync music from a Mac with Finder

Since macOS Catalina, iPhone syncing lives in Finder, while your library lives in the Music app.

1. Add your music files to the Music app on your Mac (File > Import).
2. Connect your iPhone with a USB cable. If asked, tap Trust on the iPhone and enter your passcode.
3. Open Finder and select your iPhone in the sidebar under Locations.
4. Click the Music tab.
5. Tick Sync music onto [your iPhone], then choose Entire music library or Selected artists, albums, genres, and playlists.
6. Click Apply (or Sync).

To sync without a cable next time, select Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi on the General tab. Important: if Sync Library (iCloud Music Library) is on, Finder’s Music tab tells you music is synced over the internet instead, and manual syncing isn’t available.

Method 3: Sync music from a Windows PC

On Windows 10 and 11, Apple’s Apple Music and Apple Devices apps (free from the Microsoft Store) replace iTunes for music and device syncing. Older setups can still use iTunes for Windows, but if you install the new apps, use them instead.

1. Install Apple Music and Apple Devices from the Microsoft Store.
2. In Apple Music, add your songs: Import from the sidebar menu (the three dots), or drag files into the library.
3. Connect your iPhone with a USB cable and tap Trust on the phone.
4. Open Apple Devices, select your iPhone in the sidebar, then click Music.
5. Turn on Sync music onto [device name], choose the entire library or selected items, and click Apply.

As on the Mac, this won’t work while Sync Library is on in Apple Music settings, and songs from an Apple Music subscription can’t be synced by cable. Apple’s step-by-step guide is on Apple Support.

Method 4: Apple Music subscription and Sync Library

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Music (on older iOS versions, Settings > Music).
2. Turn on Sync Library.
3. Do the same on your Mac (Music > Settings > General) or Windows PC (Apple Music settings).
4. To listen offline, tap the download button next to a song, album or playlist, or turn on Automatic Downloads in Music settings.

Subscribers can also upload their own songs from a computer’s library to the cloud, so a mix of purchased, ripped and streamed music shows up on the iPhone in one place.

Method 5: Download from other streaming apps

Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and others all let paying subscribers download playlists and albums for offline playback inside their app. These downloads are encrypted and only play in that app while your subscription is active — that’s normal and part of the license, so don’t try to extract them.

What about MP3s from the internet?

Only add files you have the right to use: music you bought DRM-free (for example from Bandcamp or the artist’s own store), songs you ripped from CDs you own for personal use, or tracks released under free licenses. “YouTube to MP3” converters and file-sharing downloads generally violate copyright and the platforms’ terms, and many of those sites are packed with malware. You can also save DRM-free files to the Files app and play them there, but syncing them into the Music app via a computer gives you a proper library.

Troubleshooting

• iPhone doesn’t appear in Finder or Apple Devices: unlock the phone, tap Trust, try another cable/port, and update macOS, Windows and the Apple apps.
• Synced songs are greyed out: the file format may be unsupported or the file missing on the computer. Re-import and sync again.
• “Sync music” option is missing: turn off Sync Library on the computer, or keep it on and use cloud syncing instead.
• Not enough space: check Settings > General > iPhone Storage and turn on Optimize Storage in Music settings. More tips: how to free up storage on your iPhone.

Bottom line

For most people today, a streaming subscription with offline downloads is the simplest route. If you own your music, sync it from Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices app on Windows — just remember Sync Library and cable syncing don’t mix. And if you want to own individual tracks, the iTunes Store still sells them.

FAQ

Can I add music to my iPhone without a computer?

Yes. Buy from the iTunes Store, download from a streaming app, or use Apple Music with Sync Library. You only need a computer to sync your own music files.

Does iTunes still exist?

On Mac, iTunes was replaced by the Music app and Finder in 2019. On Windows, iTunes is still available but Apple now offers Apple Music and Apple Devices apps as replacements.

Will syncing erase the music already on my iPhone?

Syncing replaces synced content with what’s selected on the computer. If you sync with a different computer, songs from the old one may be removed, so back up first.

Which audio formats does the iPhone play?

The Music app supports common formats including AAC, MP3, ALAC (Apple Lossless), WAV and AIFF. FLAC files may need converting before syncing into the Music app.