How to Transfer Music to iPhone Without iTunes: 4 Ways

When you want to enjoy music on your iPhone, add soundtracks to videos, or share your favorite songs with others, you might first wonder: How do I get music onto my iPhone? This guide breaks down how to download or transfer music from Apple Music, your PC, USB drives, Dropbox, or your Mac—no matter your source, we’ve got you covered.

Method	Connection	Supported System	Transfer Speed	Storage Limitation	Effectiveness
Apple Music	Wireless	iOS/MacOS	Medium	×	Moderate
FoneTool🔥	USB	Windows	Super-Fast	×	High - 3 Steps
Dropbox	Wireless	iOS/MacOS/Windows	Depends on Internet	2 GB for Free	Moderate
Finder	USB	MacOS	Medium	×	Moderate

1. Transfer music to iPhone without iTunes - Apple Music

For users who have subscribed to a streaming service named Apple Music. You can directly add music to your iPhone without iTunes to have offline listening.

Step 1. Launch the Settings app on iPhone > Scroll down to find Music and tap it > Turn on Sync Library. To automatically download music to your library for offline listening, enable Automatical Download.

Step 2. Open the Music app > Preview your targeted song, album or playlist > Tap 3 dots in the upper right corner > Choose Add to Library from the menu.

Step 3. Go to the Library tab at the bottom > Choose the song, album or playlist you just added > Tap three dots at the right side of the song, and click Download from the pop-up menu.

Step 4. Once your songs, album or playlist have been completely downloaded to iPhone, you can get a grey circle with a down arrow in it.

Now you can listen to music on your device without any Wi-Fi connection or Cellular data consumption.

2. Best software to transfer music to iPhone without iTunes

If you have downloaded some beautiful songs from PC, and you need to move them to your iPhone. What is the fastest way to transfer files from PC to iPhone? That’s a professional iPhone data transfer software named FoneTool!

Now you can download FoneTool to your Windows PC and follow the steps to transfer music/ringtones from PC to iPhone.

Step 1. Launch FoneTool > Connect your iPhone to the computer via a USB cable > If asked, tap Trust on iPhone to continue.

Step 2. Launch FoneTool > Go to Phone Transfer > Choose PC to iPhone and click Get Started.

Step 3. Go to the Music or Ringtones option > Preview and choose the data you need > Drag and drop music to iPhone without iTunes.

Step 4. Confirm the files you need to move and click on Start Transfer to begin the task.

3. How to transfer music from Dropbox to iPhone without iTunes

If you are considering transferring music to iPhone with a cloud storage service like Dropbox, you will need to upload your favorites to the cloud, and then download it to your iPhone. This process requires a Wi-Fi or Cellular network connection.

Step 1. Download and install Dropbox on your source device > Log in with your account > Upload the music files to the Dropbox folder. It's compatible with MP3, AIFF, M4A and WAV audio formats.

Step 2. Once the data is uploaded completely, install the Dropbox app on your iPhone > Launch it, and select the song to play on your iPhone > If you need offline listening, choose a song in the list and tap the three dots next to it, and then Make Available Offline.

4. How to transfer music from Mac to iPhone without iTunes

Starting with macOS Catalina, Finder has replaced iTunes, integrating its functionality. This means you can now use Finder to transfer music from your Mac to your iPhone.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable and open Finder.

Step 2. Unlock your iPhone and tap Trust on the prompt. Enter your passcode if required.

Step 3. In Finder, locate your device under the Locations section and select Music.

Step 4. Check the box for Sync music onto [your iPhone name] and choose between syncing your entire music library or specific selections.

Step 5. Ensure the desired songs are selected, then click Apply to start the transfer.

FAQs about how to sync iPhone without iTunes

1. How do I get my entire music Library onto my iPhone?

Open the Apple Music app and tap the photo iconPhoto icon. Tap Account Settings and make sure that you're signed in with the same Apple ID that you use with your Apple Music subscription > Open the Settings app > Tap Music > Turn on Sync Library.

2. Why can't I get all my music on my iPhone?

Make sure that all of your devices have Sync Library turned on and signed in to the same Apple Account that you use with Apple Music. If your music library is stored on your computer, check the cloud status of songs to find missing music and resolve issues.

Conclusion

To transfer music to iPhone without iTunes, you can use these 4 ways to move music to iPhone from Apple Music, PC, USB, Mac or Dropbox. For Windows users, it's better to use FoneTool to send music or ringtones to your iPhone. Its powerful features can help you transfer thousands of music files in a very short time and you can also transfer music from iPad to iPhone without iTunes.