How to Download Music to Your Android Phone

When your smartphone is your music player, the internet is your music library. However, you may not always have access to an internet connection when you want to listen to music. Before that happens, download songs to your phone for offline listening. Here's how to download music from YouTube Music, your computer, and other music sources to your phone.

How to Upload Songs to YouTube Music

YouTube Music lets you upload your music collection and access it from any device (including your phone, tablet, and computer). When you store songs on YouTube Music, you're not downloading the tracks to your phone. Instead, you're uploading songs to the cloud.

As long as you have an internet connection, you can play those songs on your phone.

Here's how to upload music to YouTube Music.

1. Open a web browser and go to the YouTube Music site.

2. Select your profile photo in the upper-right corner.

3. Select Upload music.

4. Locate and select the songs on your hard drive that you want to upload, then select Open. YouTube Music automatically begins transferring the songs to the cloud.

How to Download Songs From YouTube Music

YouTube Music lets you download songs, playlists, and albums for offline play. Here's how:

1. Open the YouTube Music app.

2. Select the song or album you want to download.

3. Tap Download.

4. Download changes from a down-arrow to a check mark when the download completes, making the song available for offline listening.

How to Download Music From Your Computer to Your Phone

You can copy any music you own from your computer to your phone with a USB cable. Here's how:

1. Connect your phone to your computer using a USB connection cable.

2. If you see a dialog box asking permission to access the phone data, tap Allow.

3. On a PC, open a folder and locate the music files you want to download to the phone. Open a second folder and navigate to the music folder on your phone.

   On a Mac, download and install Android File Transfer. After installing it, open Android File Transfer and open the music folder on your phone.

4. Drag the albums or individual tracks you want to download from the computer folder to the phone's music folder.

How to See Your Downloaded Music in YouTube Music

After you download songs to your phone, either from YouTube Music or by copying with a USB cable, set YouTube Music to show only the downloaded tracks. When you do this, songs are easier to find for offline listening.

1. Open the YouTube Music app.

2. Tap the Library icon at the bottom of the screen.

3. Tap Downloads.

4. The songs downloaded to your device display, along with the amount of space available.

   Turning on Smart Downloads causes YouTube Music to download your favorite music every night (as long as your device is connected to Wi-Fi). Then, you'll always have something to listen to.

How to Download Songs From Other Apps

There are many apps in the Google Play store that offer free downloads. To find these apps, search for terms like free music or download music. Some apps you might find include YMusic, AudioMack, and SoundCloud.

The method for downloading music varies. In general, if an app allows you to download tracks for offline listening, tap Download icon next to the track, playlist, or album. It usually looks like a downward arrow.