Apple Music and YouTube Music users now have an official way to move their playlists between the two platforms, thanks to newly released support documents from Apple.
This feature offers a seamless transition for those looking to switch services, making it easier than ever to take your favorite music with you, whether you’re jumping from Apple Music to YouTube Music or vice versa.
However, it’s important to note that this new functionality is limited to playlists you’ve created yourself. This includes collaborative playlists that you own, but it does not extend to non-collaborative shared playlists, curated playlists provided by the services, or any folders you’ve organized within Apple Music.
Additionally, music files themselves aren’t transferred, so if your playlist includes podcasts, audiobooks, or user-uploaded audio files, these will be left behind during the move.
For those wondering about switching between Apple Music and Spotify, there’s no official method yet for moving playlists between these two services. The new playlist transfer feature is exclusive to Apple Music and YouTube Music at this time, so users of Spotify will need to rely on third-party apps if they wish to make a similar switch.
The playlist transfer process itself is straightforward and, in most cases, will only take a few minutes. However, depending on the number of playlists you’re transferring and their size, the process could take several hours.
One caveat is that if the destination service doesn’t have a particular song available, that track won’t be transferred.
This update is a significant step for users who frequently switch between streaming platforms, offering them more flexibility and control over their music libraries.
With Apple and YouTube Music now officially supporting this functionality, it’s easier than ever to explore new services without leaving your carefully curated playlists behind.
This new playlist transfer feature between Apple Music and YouTube Music represents a significant convenience for users who want to switch services without losing their carefully curated collections. While the feature has limitations, such as not transferring non-collaborative playlists or certain media types, it offers a straightforward way to retain your favorite music across platforms.
As streaming service preferences evolve, this functionality provides more flexibility, making it easier to explore different options while keeping your music intact.
