Tired of having your music library cluttered with iCloud songs that you never listen to? Learn how to effortlessly disable iCloud Music Library on your Mac and regain control over your music collection. By following a few simple steps, you can declutter your library, improve storage space, and enjoy a more personalized music experience.
To begin the process, open the Music app on your Mac. Click on the “Music” menu located in the top left corner of the screen and select “Preferences.” Navigate to the “General” tab and uncheck the box next to “iCloud Music Library.” Confirm your selection by clicking “OK.” By disabling iCloud Music Library, you effectively disconnect your Mac from the Apple Music catalog, allowing you to manage your music library independently.
After turning off iCloud Music Library, you may notice that some of your music has disappeared from the Music app. This is because these songs were previously stored in the cloud and are no longer available locally on your Mac. To recover these songs, you can manually download them from the Apple Music catalog. Simply search for the desired songs or albums and click the download icon to add them back to your library. By selectively downloading only the music you want, you can optimize your storage space and create a customized music collection that perfectly suits your preferences.
Revoking iCloud Music Library Access in the iTunes Store
Turning off iCloud Music Library in the iTunes Store requires a few simple steps:
- Launch the iTunes app on your Mac.
- From the menu bar, click on “Account” and then select “Sign Out.” Enter your Apple ID password to confirm your sign-out.
- Go to “Preferences” from the iTunes menu bar and click on the “General” tab. Uncheck the box next to “iCloud Music Library” to disable it.
- A pop-up message will appear asking you to confirm your choice. Click on “Turn Off iCloud Music Library.”
Additional Information
By turning off iCloud Music Library, you will no longer have access to music that was added through Apple Music, iTunes Match, or other devices. It’s important to note that:
- Music that you have purchased in the past (either through iTunes or Apple Music) will still be available in your library.
- Any music that you have manually added to your library (e.g., by dragging and dropping files) will also remain available.
- If you later decide to turn iCloud Music Library back on, your music and playlists will be re-synced to your devices.
| Pros of Turning Off iCloud Music Library | Cons of Turning Off iCloud Music Library |
|---|---|
| Frees up storage space on your Mac | No longer have access to Apple Music’s extensive catalog |
| Improves performance by reducing background syncing | Manual management of music becomes necessary |
| Protects privacy by isolating your music library | Inconvenience of losing access to music not purchased directly from Apple |
Considerations Before Turning Off iCloud Music Library
1. Back Up Your Music Library
Before disabling iCloud Music Library, ensure you have a backup of your music library. Songs added from Apple Music will no longer be available on your Mac after disabling the feature. To back up your library, create a backup of your entire Mac using Time Machine or a third-party backup solution.
2. Download Saved Music
Any songs you’ve previously downloaded from Apple Music will remain on your Mac even after turning off iCloud Music Library. However, if you want to keep these songs, ensure you’ve downloaded them to your Mac.
3. Disable iCloud Music Library on Other Devices
If you use iCloud Music Library on multiple devices (e.g., iPhone, iPad), ensure you disable it on all devices before turning it off on your Mac. Otherwise, your music library on other devices will be affected.
4. Manage Your Music Manually
Once you disable iCloud Music Library, managing your music will become entirely manual. You’ll need to manually add and remove songs, create playlists, and sync music to your devices.
5. Choose an Alternative Music Service
If you rely heavily on iCloud Music Library for accessing music, consider subscribing to an alternative music streaming service like Spotify or Amazon Music. These services offer similar features and a vast music library.
6. Re-enable iCloud Music Library Later
You can re-enable iCloud Music Library anytime in the future. However, be aware that doing so will merge your current music library with the music library stored in iCloud.
7. Free Up Storage Space
Disabling iCloud Music Library can free up significant storage space on your Mac, especially if you have a large music library. You can use this space for other files and applications.
8. Enhance Music Library Privacy
Turning off iCloud Music Library keeps your music listening habits private. Apple will no longer collect data on what you listen to, which can be beneficial for those concerned about privacy.
9. Improve Music Performance
Disabling iCloud Music Library can improve the performance of your Mac’s Music app. The app won’t need to constantly sync with iCloud, reducing potential lags and glitches.
10. Know the Differences Between iCloud Music Library and iTunes Match
iCloud Music Library and iTunes Match are two distinct services offered by Apple. iCloud Music Library stores your music in the cloud and makes it available on all your devices, while iTunes Match matches your existing music library with Apple Music’s catalog, allowing you to stream or download higher-quality versions of your songs. Understanding the differences between these services is crucial before making a decision.
How To Turn Off iCloud Music Library On Mac
Turning off iCloud Music Library on your Mac prevents your device from syncing music and playlists with iCloud. This can be useful if you want to save storage space on your Mac, or if you want to listen to music that isn’t available in iCloud. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Music app on your Mac.
- Click on the “Music” menu in the menu bar.
- Select “Preferences”.
- Click on the “General” tab.
- Uncheck the box next to “iCloud Music Library”.
- Click on the “OK” button.
Once you’ve turned off iCloud Music Library, your music and playlists will no longer be synced to and from iCloud. You can still access your music on your Mac by clicking on the “Songs” tab in the Music app.
People also ask
How do I redownload music from iCloud after turning off iCloud Music Library?
If you turn off iCloud Music Library and then decide you want to redownload your music, you can do so by following these steps:
- Open the Music app on your Mac.
- Click on the “Music” menu in the menu bar.
- Select “Preferences”.
- Click on the “General” tab.
- Check the box next to “iCloud Music Library”.
- Click on the “OK” button.
- Click on the “Music” menu in the menu bar.
- Select “Songs”.
- Click on the “View” menu.
- Select “Show iCloud Status”.
- Click on the “Cloud Download” button next to any song you want to download.
What happens if I turn off iCloud Music Library and then turn it back on?
If you turn off iCloud Music Library and then turn it back on, your music and playlists will be synced from iCloud to your Mac. Any changes you made to your music or playlists while iCloud Music Library was turned off will be overwritten by the changes that are stored in iCloud.
Can I still access my music on other devices if I turn off iCloud Music Library?
No. If you turn off iCloud Music Library, you will only be able to access your music on the device that you turned it off on. You will not be able to access your music on other devices that are signed in to your iCloud account.
