How to Turn Off iCloud Music Library to Stop Syncing

iCloud Music Library is a feature that allows Apple users to access their music across devices seamlessly. While this feature is convenient for many, there are situations where you might want to turn off iCloud Music Library to stop syncing. Whether you're looking to manage your music more manually or troubleshoot an issue, understanding the process is crucial.

In this article, we'll explore what happens when you turn off iCloud Music Library, provide step-by-step guides on how to turn off iCloud Music Library on iPhone, Mac, and PC, and offer a bonus solution for a more efficient way to transfer music between devices.

What happens if you turn off iCloud Music Library?

Before explaining how to disable iCloud Music Library, consider whether you truly need to do so. Additionally, we have an important suggestion for you before you proceed with turning off iCloud Music Library.

Key implications to disable iCloud Music Library
⛔ Loss of Features: You'll lose access to syncing music, cloud access to your collection, and automatic playlist and metadata updates.
⛔ Local Music Stays: Music downloaded or added locally on a device remains, but won't sync across other devices.
⛔ No Access to Apple Music: Turning off iCloud Music Library means no access to the full Apple Music library, and loss of offline music downloaded through Apple Music.

Before turning off iCloud Music Library or canceling Apple Music or iTunes Match, consider finding alternative methods to save your music library. If needed, we’ve prepared you a third party data backup and transfer tool for you in the Bonus part of this article.

How to turn off iCloud Music Library on iPhone/Mac/PC

Now, let's dive into the step-by-step guides on how to turn off iCloud Music Library on iPhone, Mac, and PC.

How to turn off iCloud Music Library on iPhone/iPad

Disabling iCloud Music Library on your iPhone can be done with a few simple steps. This process will turn off iCloud Music Library on your iPhone, and your device will no longer sync music through iCloud. Here's how:

Step 1. On your iPhone/iPad, go to the Settings app > Scroll down to locate and tap Music.

Step 2. Under LIBRARY, toggle off the switch next to Sync Library to disable iCloud Music Library.

How to turn off iCloud Music Library on Mac

If you want to stop syncing your music library through iCloud on your Mac, follow these steps:

Step 1. On your Mac running macOS catalina or later, open the Music app > Click Music > Preferences... If you’re using Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier, please refer to the steps to turn the function off on PC.

Step 2. Go to General tab > Uncheck the box next to Sync Library > Click OK button to save the change.

Your Mac will stop syncing your music library through iCloud once you've turned off iCloud Music Library.

How to turn iCloud Music Library off on PC

If you're using iTunes on a Windows PC or Mac running macOS Mojave or earlier and want to disable iCloud Music Library, follow these steps:

Step 1. Launch iTunes on your computer > Click Edit > Preferences.

Step 2. Go to the General tab, uncheck the box next to iCloud Music Library. Finally, click OK to confirm your operation.

Bonus: Better way to transfer music between iPhone and PC

If you're turning off iCloud Music Library for the purpose of managing your music more efficiently or transferring music between devices, there's a better way to do it. FoneTool, a comprehensive data management tool, offers a seamless solution for transferring music between iPhones and PCs.

FoneTool offers a more efficient and flexible way to manage your music library, allowing you to transfer music between devices from multiple sources without the need for iCloud Music Library.

Here's a bonus guide on how to use FoneTool for efficient music transfer between iPhone to iPhone, firstly, free download FoneTool on your computer by clicking the button below.

Step 1. Transfer music from iPhone to computer
• Connect the source iPhone to computer > Run FoneTool and click Phone Transfer from the left bar > Mouse over to iPhone to PC and click Get Started.

• Click the plus icon to browse iPhone music > Select the songs you want to transfer > Click OK to confirm.

• Click Start Transfer to begin the process.

Step 2. Transfer music from any source on computer to iPhone
• Now choose PC to iPhone > Choose Music > Tap the folder icon to preview and select the music files on your computer. You’re allowed to choose music from PC, USB, CD, etc. to transfer to iPhone.

• Finally, make sure you have added all wanted music files > Click Start Transfer to transfer music from USB to iPhone.

If you are wondering about how do I transfer music from CD to iPhone, you can also use this feature to make it efficiently.

Summary

There are situations where turning off iCloud Music Library is a practical choice, either to troubleshoot issues or to manage music more manually. And you’ll know how to turn off iCloud Music Library on iPhone, Mac, and PC in this guide.

Additionally, the bonus solution involving FoneTool offers a better way to transfer music between iPhones and PCs, providing you with more control and flexibility over your music management. Whether you choose to continue using iCloud Music Library or opt for manual music transfer, these options cater to diverse preferences and scenarios.