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If you have a large music collection but limited storage on your iPhone, you may be wondering if there is a way to bring your music with you on-the-go. Luckily, there is a solution: iTunes Match. This yearly subscription service from Apple allows you to access your entire music collection from the cloud, so you can download your tracks whenever you want to listen to them.
What is iTunes Match?
iTunes Match is a service that scans your music library across all of your devices (Macs, iPhones, and iPads) and creates a copy of your entire music collection in the cloud. This means you can easily access your music from your iPhone and download tracks as you see fit. iTunes Match doesn’t upload your entire collection if it would be problematic long-term due to you having a big assortment. Instead, it matches your music to copies on Apple’s servers. Even if you have rare tracks that aren’t in the catalog, iTunes Match will automatically add them to the cloud. This has an additional benefit of upgrading downloaded audio files to 256 kbps quality, regardless of how old or low-quality the original was.
How Much Does iTunes Match Cost?
iTunes Match costs $24.99 per year, which allows you to have all your music in your pocket for a very reasonable price of around $2 per month. If you decide not to renew your subscription at the end of any 12-month period, then any albums previously downloaded on your PC or Mac will still be upgraded to 256 kbps, and you can still download them to your iPhone or iPad whenever you want to use them.
How to Use iTunes Match on Your Mac or PC
To use iTunes Match, open the iTunes app and click on “Match” at the top center of the screen. In this section, click the blue “Subscribe for $24.99 per Year” button and enter your iTunes account password to confirm the payment. iTunes will now begin to gather information about the songs in your library, which may take a few hours, depending on the size of your collection. Once it’s finished, you’ll see a screen telling you that the upload is complete, and your music will be available in the cloud.
How to Use iTunes Match on Your iOS Device
To use iTunes Match on your iOS device, go to Settings > Music and slide the switch to the on position next to the iTunes Match option. This will allow you to access your cloud-based music library from your iPhone or iPad.
Quick Fixes for iTunes Match
If you encounter any issues while using iTunes Match, here are a few tips:
- It’s important to have an internet connection for iTunes Match to work, so check your connection if you’re having trouble.
- iTunes Match may not upload your entire collection, so make sure to select the songs you want to sync.
- If you’re using iTunes Match on a device without a persistent data connection, you may need to download the tracks you want to listen to.
- Be aware of your mobile data usage if you’re streaming music over the network.
- Try updating your iTunes Match library, or turning the service off and then back on again to fix issues.
Overall, iTunes Match is a great way to access your entire music library from any device. With a little know-how, you can enjoy your favorite tunes no matter where you are.
FAQs
A: No, iTunes Match is only available on Apple devices such as Macs, iPhones, and iPads.
A: Yes, any tracks that you previously downloaded to your device will still be available to listen to even if you cancel your subscription. However, you won’t be able to access the cloud-based music library anymore.