Why you might want to disable iCloud Music Library

iCloud Music Library syncs your music across all your Apple devices — iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. When it is on, Apple stores information about every song you own or add to your library in iCloud, then makes that library available on any device you sign into with the same Apple ID. This is useful if you switch between devices often or want your playlists everywhere.

You might want to turn it off if you prefer to keep your music local to one device, if you are running low on iCloud storage space, or if the syncing is causing problems — songs disappearing, duplicates appearing, or playback issues. Disabling it stops the syncing but does not delete your music; it just keeps your library on each device separate.

Key Takeaways

  • Turning off iCloud Music Library stops syncing but leaves your music files on each device untouched.
  • On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Music and toggle it off.
  • On Mac, open System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Music and uncheck the box.
  • You will be asked whether to keep or delete your library when you turn it off; choose keep to preserve your music.
  • If you turn it back on later, your local library and your iCloud library may not match, so expect to see duplicates or missing songs.

Disable iCloud Music Library on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app and tap your name at the top of the screen. Then tap iCloud. Scroll down and look for Music — it will show a toggle switch next to it. If the toggle is green or blue, iCloud Music Library is on. Tap the toggle to turn it off.

A popup will appear asking what you want to do with your library. You have two choices: "Keep Music" or "Remove from iPhone" (or iPad). Choose "Keep Music" unless you want to delete the songs from that device. If you choose "Keep Music", your songs stay on the device but stop syncing to iCloud and other devices.

Repeat this step on any other iPhone or iPad where you want to turn it off. Each device can be set independently — you can have iCloud Music Library on one iPhone and off on another if you want.

Disable iCloud Music Library on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (on newer Macs) or System Preferences (on older ones). Click your name or Apple ID in the sidebar on the left. Then click iCloud.

Look for Music in the list and uncheck the box next to it. If you see a checkbox that is already checked, clicking it will turn iCloud Music Library off. A dialog will appear asking whether to keep or remove your music library from the Mac. Click "Keep Music" to preserve your songs on the computer.

If you have multiple Macs, you will need to repeat this on each one. The setting does not explore across all your computers automatically.

What happens after you disable it

Once you turn off iCloud Music Library, your music stops syncing between devices. If you add a song to your library on your iPhone, it will not appear on your iPad or Mac. If you delete a song from one device, it stays on the others. Your playlists also stop syncing — changes you make on one device will not show up elsewhere.

Your music files themselves are not deleted. They remain on each device where they were before you turned off iCloud Music Library. You can still play them, add them to playlists, and organize them the same way you did before.

If you had songs that were only stored in iCloud (not downloaded to a device), those songs will no longer be available on that device once you turn off iCloud Music Library. You can still see them in your iCloud account if you turn the feature back on later.

Turning iCloud Music Library back on

If you change your mind and want to turn iCloud Music Library back on, follow the same steps you used to turn it off — go to Settings or System Settings, find Music under iCloud, and toggle it back on. You will be asked again what to do with your library.

When you turn it back on after it has been off, your local library and your iCloud library may not match. You might see duplicate songs, or songs that were on one device but not another. This happens because iCloud does not know which version of your library is the correct one. You may need to manually clean up duplicates or re-add songs you want to keep.

If iCloud Music Library is causing problems

Before you disable it completely, try signing out of iCloud and signing back in. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out, then sign back in with your Apple ID. On Mac, go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and click Sign Out, then sign back in. This often fixes syncing problems without requiring you to turn off the feature.

If songs are disappearing or duplicating, try turning off iCloud Music Library, waiting a few minutes, and turning it back on. This forces your devices to resync. If the problem continues, you may need to disable it permanently and manage your music locally on each device.

If you are running out of iCloud storage space, turning off iCloud Music Library will not free up space unless you also delete the songs from iCloud. The feature uses your iCloud storage quota, but disabling it only stops new syncing — it does not remove what is already there. To actually free up space, you would need to delete songs from your iCloud library separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my music if I turn off iCloud Music Library?

No. Your music files stay on each device. When you turn off iCloud Music Library, you will be asked whether to keep or remove the music from that device — if you choose "Keep Music", nothing is deleted. Your playlists and library organization also remain on the device.

Can I have iCloud Music Library on some devices but not others?

Yes. Each device has its own setting. You can turn it on for your iPhone and off for your iPad, for example. However, the devices where it is on will sync with each other, and the devices where it is off will stay separate.

What is the difference between iCloud Music Library and Apple Music?

iCloud Music Library is the syncing feature that keeps your library in sync across devices. Apple Music is a subscription service that lets you stream songs. You can have iCloud Music Library on without paying for Apple Music — it syncs the music you own. If you have Apple Music, iCloud Music Library is usually on by default.

If I turn off iCloud Music Library, will my playlists disappear?

Your playlists will remain on each device where they are stored, but they will stop syncing to other devices. If you created a playlist on your iPhone, it stays on your iPhone. If you want that same playlist on your iPad, you would need to create it again or transfer it manually.

How do I know if iCloud Music Library is on or off right now?

On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Music and look at the toggle. If it is green or blue, it is on. If it is gray, it is off. On Mac, go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and look for Music in the list — if the checkbox next to it is checked, it is on.