Adding a song to Apple Music takes three taps on your phone or one click on your computer

When you find a song you want to keep, Apple Music lets you add it to your library so you can find it later without searching again. On your iPhone or iPad, tap the three dots next to any song title, then tap "Add to Library". On a Mac or Windows computer, right-click the song and select "Add to Library". The song moves to your Library tab when ready, and it stays there across all your devices that use the same Apple ID.

Your library is separate from playlists. Adding a song to your library is like bookmarking it — you're saying "I want this available to me." Playlists are collections you build yourself or follow from other people. A song can be in your library, in a playlist, or in both at the same time.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone or iPad, tap the three dots next to a song title and select "Add to Library" to save it.
  • On Mac or Windows, right-click a song and choose "Add to Library" from the menu.
  • Songs you add appear in your Library tab and sync across all devices signed in with your Apple ID.
  • Adding a song to your library is different from adding it to a playlist — your library is your personal collection, while playlists are organized groups.

Adding songs from the search results or Now Playing screen

The three-dot menu appears in most places where Apple Music shows song titles. If you're searching for a specific song, tap the three dots next to it in your search results. If a song is currently playing, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see the full player, then tap the three dots in the top right corner of the player. Both routes open the same menu with "Add to Library" as the first option.

On a computer, the process is the same — right-click any song title you see, whether it's in search results, a playlist, or an album view. A context menu appears with "Add to Library" near the top. Click it once and the song is added.

Finding your library and organizing what you've added

Your Library tab is at the bottom of the iPhone app — it's the icon that looks like a vertical stack of lines. Tap it to see all the songs, albums, and artists you've added. At the top, you'll see filter buttons: "Playlists", "Artists", "Albums", and "Songs". Tap "Songs" to see every individual track you've saved, listed in the order you added them (newest first).

On a Mac, click "Library" in the sidebar on the left. On Windows, the Library appears in the left panel as well. Your added songs are organized the same way — you can filter by type and sort by date added, artist name, or song title depending on what you're looking for.

Removing a song from your library

If you change your mind about a song, you can remove it just as easily. On your phone, go to your Library, tap "Songs", find the song, swipe left on it, and tap the trash icon. On a computer, right-click the song in your library and select "Remove from Library". The song disappears from your Library tab but remains available in Apple Music — you can add it again anytime.

Removing a song from your library does not remove it from any playlists you've added it to. If you want it out of a specific playlist, you have to remove it from that playlist separately.

Syncing your library across devices

Every device you sign into with the same Apple ID sees the same library. If you add a song on your iPhone, it shows up in your library on your Mac, iPad, and any other Apple device within a few seconds. This sync happens automatically as long as you're signed in with the same Apple ID and have an internet connection.

If a song doesn't appear on another device right away, check that you're signed in with the same Apple ID on both devices. Go to Settings on your iPhone or System Settings on your Mac, tap your name at the top, and confirm the Apple ID listed there. If the devices use different Apple IDs, they will have separate libraries.

Adding songs from playlists and albums you follow

You can add individual songs from any playlist or album, even ones you don't own. Open the playlist or album, find the song you want, tap the three dots, and select "Add to Library". The song goes into your library, but you don't add the entire playlist or album unless you choose to. This is useful when you find one great song in a playlist someone else made — you can save just that track without following the whole list.

If you want to save an entire album or playlist instead of individual songs, look for an "Add" button at the top of the album or playlist page. On your phone, it's usually a plus sign. On a computer, it's often a button labeled "Add" or a plus icon. Tapping or clicking it adds the whole collection to your library at once.

What happens to your library if you cancel Apple Music

Your library exists only while you have an active Apple Music subscription. If you cancel, your library becomes inaccessible — you can't see or play the songs you added. If you resubscribe later with the same Apple ID, your library comes back exactly as it was. Apple Music does not delete your library data when ready after cancellation; it holds it for a period in case you return.

This is different from music you own outright, like songs you purchased from iTunes or uploaded to your library. Those remain yours even without a subscription. Your Apple Music library is a benefit of the subscription itself, not a purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a song to my library if I'm not subscribed to Apple Music?

No. You need an active Apple Music subscription to add songs to your library or listen to them. If you have a free trial, you can add songs during that period. Once the trial ends and you don't subscribe, your library becomes locked.

Does adding a song to my library read it to my device?

Not automatically. Adding a song to your library saves it in your collection, but it streams from Apple's servers when you play it. To read a song so you can listen without internet, tap the three dots next to it and select "read". Downloaded songs have a small read icon next to them in your library.

Can I add a song to multiple playlists at once?

Yes. Tap the three dots next to a song and select "Add to Playlist". A list of your playlists appears. Tap each one you want to add the song to — you can select multiple playlists before confirming. The song is added to all of them at once.

What if a song I added to my library gets removed from Apple Music?

If Apple Music removes a song from its catalog, it disappears from your library too. You'll see a message saying the song is no longer available. If you downloaded it before removal, you can still listen to your downloaded copy, but you can't stream it or re-read it.

Does my library count toward any storage limit on my device?

Your library itself doesn't use storage — it's stored on Apple's servers. Only downloaded songs use storage on your device. You can add thousands of songs to your library without affecting your phone or computer's available space, as long as you don't read them all.