Switching music platforms feels like moving apartments. Everything is technically the same but nothing is where you left it. Your playlists, liked songs, and carefully organized library do not follow you automatically when you cancel Spotify and open Apple Music for the first time.
Maybe Spotify’s latest price increase pushed you over the edge. Maybe you bought an iPhone or MacBook and want tighter integration with the Apple ecosystem. Whatever the reason, switching does not have to mean starting from scratch. This guide walks you through how to move everything and make sure nothing gets lost.
Back Up What You Have First
Before touching anything, export your Spotify library. TuneMyMusic and Soundiiz are two popular free tools that connect to your Spotify account, read your playlists and liked songs, and export them as a CSV file or transfer them directly to Apple Music.
Here is something most people overlook. Streaming libraries are not permanent. Songs disappear from both Spotify and Apple Music when licensing deals change with labels like Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. If there are tracks you absolutely cannot lose, the safest move is to save them as MP3 files. A browser-based apple music downloader lets you convert songs into permanent files that work on any device, regardless of which streaming platform you use. Think of it as insurance for the songs you care about most.
Transferring Your Playlists
Apple Music now has a built-in playlist import feature. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Apple Music app, go to your library, and look for the Import Your Music option. It connects to your Spotify account, matches each song to Apple Music’s catalog, and brings your playlists over in minutes.
If you want more control, TuneMyMusic, Soundiiz, and SongShift (an iOS app) are the most reliable third-party options. All three work by matching song titles, artist names, and album information. The match rate is typically above 95 percent since both Spotify and Apple Music have catalogs exceeding 100 million songs.
What Transfers and What Does Not
Playlists transfer well. Names, song order, and descriptions carry over through most tools. Your liked songs can be moved as a single playlist. Podcasts need to be moved separately to Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or Overcast since Apple Music does not host podcasts.
The one thing that does not transfer is your listening history. Spotify’s algorithm knows your taste from years of data. Apple Music starts fresh. You will need to use the Love and Suggest Less buttons actively for a few weeks before recommendations start feeling accurate.
Spotify’s offline downloads also cannot be moved. They are DRM protected and become unplayable when you cancel. You will need to re-download your favorites within Apple Music after switching.
Setting Up Apple Music
Apple Music offers Individual ($10.99/month), Family ($16.99/month for up to six people), and Student ($5.99/month) plans in the United States. It is also included in the Apple One bundle alongside iCloud+, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade.
Your library syncs automatically across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and HomePod through iCloud Music Library. Windows users can access Apple Music through iTunes or the web player at music.apple.com. Android users can download the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store.
Apple Music supports standard AAC at 256 kbps, Lossless in ALAC format, and Hi-Res Lossless up to 24-bit/192 kHz. Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos is available on supported devices like AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and recent Beats headphones.
Keep a Safety Net
Even after a successful switch, it is smart to maintain a backup of your most important music. Catalog changes happen regularly on every streaming platform. Tools like APLDownloader let you save your favorite tracks as standard MP3 files that live on your device permanently. Having a local backup of your top 50 or 100 songs means you are never caught off guard regardless of what happens with any streaming service.
When to Cancel Spotify
Do not cancel immediately. Run both services for at least a week to verify everything transferred correctly. Once you are confident, cancel Spotify Premium through your account settings at spotify.com. Your account stays active on the free tier so you can always go back to check if you missed anything.
Final Thoughts
Switching from Spotify to Apple Music takes about 15 minutes of actual effort. The tools exist to move your playlists, both catalogs are nearly identical, and Apple Music’s integration with iPhone, Mac, AirPods, and HomePod makes daily listening seamless.
Give the algorithm a couple of weeks to learn your taste, keep a backup of the songs you love most, and you will not miss a thing.
