How to Download Songs for Offline Listening on Spotify and Apple Music in the UK

Streaming is great until the signal drops. On a train through a tunnel, on a flight, or in a rural spot with patchy coverage, your music stops with your connection. Both Spotify and Apple Music let paying subscribers download songs to a phone in advance, so the music keeps playing with no signal at all. Here is how to do it properly, and how to avoid filling up your phone in the process.

Download songs on Spotify

You need a Spotify Premium subscription to download music. Free accounts can download podcasts, but not songs.

Step 1: Connect to Wi-Fi first, so a big download does not eat your mobile data allowance.
Step 2: Open Spotify and find the playlist, album, or podcast you want to keep offline.
Step 3: Tap the download arrow, or the three dots menu and then Download, depending on your version of the app. The arrow turns green as songs download, and a "Downloaded" label appears when they are ready.
Step 4: To download a single song, add it to a playlist first, then download that playlist. Spotify downloads whole playlists and albums rather than one-off tracks in most recent versions.
Step 5: To listen offline, tap your profile picture, then Settings and privacy, then Playback, and switch on Offline mode. Spotify will then play only your downloads.
Step 6: Go online at least once every 30 days. Spotify checks your subscription in the background, and downloads can become unavailable if the app stays offline for too long.

Download songs on Apple Music

Apple Music downloads work in a similar way, and you need an Apple Music subscription.

Step 1: Open the Music app on your iPhone, or Apple Music on Android, and sign in with the account that holds your subscription.
Step 2: Find a song, album, or playlist, then tap the three dots next to it and choose Download. On iPhone you can also tap the download arrow beside a track.
Step 3: Wait for the download to finish on Wi-Fi. A small downloaded icon next to the track confirms it is stored on your phone.
Step 4: To see only downloaded music, go to Library, then Downloaded, on iPhone. On Android, look for Downloaded under Library in the Apple Music app.
Step 5: If you use a Mac or PC, you can download there too, but phone downloads are the ones that help on the move. Keep automatic downloads switched on under Settings, then Music, if you want new additions to a playlist to arrive without thinking about it.

Manage storage so downloads do not fill your phone

Music downloads add up, especially if you save whole albums in high quality. Check how much space they use before a trip.

Step 1: On Spotify, go to Settings and privacy, then Storage, to see how much space downloads take. Delete a playlist's download by tapping its download arrow again.
Step 2: On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then iPhone Storage, then Music, to see what Apple Music is holding. On Android, check Settings, then Storage, then the Music app.
Step 3: Lower the audio quality for downloads if space is tight. On Spotify, this sits under Settings and privacy, then Audio quality, then Download. On Apple Music, look under Settings, then Music, then Audio quality.
Step 4: Download on Wi-Fi only. Both apps have a setting to stop downloads over mobile data, which protects you from a surprise bill on a UK network or roaming abroad.

Tips for trouble-free offline listening

Make a dedicated playlist called something like "Offline" and keep it small, with the songs you actually want on a trip. Download the night before you travel, not at the station, since hotel or home Wi-Fi is faster and more reliable. If a downloaded song refuses to play, check that your subscription is active and that the app has been online recently, since both services check your account from time to time. And remember that downloads are tied to your subscription: if you cancel, the downloaded files stop playing, even though they sit on your phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I download songs on Spotify Free or Apple Music without a subscription?

No. Song downloads are a paid feature on both services. Spotify Free lets you download podcasts, but songs need Premium. Apple Music needs an active subscription for downloads.

How long do downloaded songs stay on my phone?

They stay as long as your subscription stays active and the app goes online from time to time. Spotify asks the app to connect at least once every 30 days, and Apple Music checks your subscription in a similar way.

Do downloaded songs use mobile data when I play them?

No. Once a song is downloaded, playing it uses no data at all. Data is only used during the download itself, which is why downloading on Wi-Fi is the smart move.