Moving Your Playlists: How to Handle a Spotify to Apple Music Transfer Without Losing Your Mind

You've finally decided to do it. Maybe it was the superior spatial audio, the integration with your Apple Watch, or just that shiny three-month trial that actually got you to bite. Moving away from a streaming service you've used for years feels like moving out of a house you've lived in since college. It's cluttered. There are "Daily Mix" playlists you've cultivated like fine bonsai trees and "Liked Songs" folders that represent the last decade of your life. Honestly, the thought of manually searching for 4,000 songs on a different platform is enough to make anyone just give up and keep paying the $11.99 a month.

But you don't have to do that. A spotify to apple music transfer is actually pretty streamlined these days, provided you don't try to DIY the whole thing.

The reality is that Apple and Spotify don't talk to each other. They’re rivals. They want to make it as hard as possible for you to leave. Apple wants you in their ecosystem; Spotify wants to keep its monthly active user (MAU) count climbing. Because there is no "Export" button in your Spotify settings that spits out a file for Apple Music to read, we have to rely on third-party "bridge" tools.

Why People Are Actually Making the Switch Right Now

It isn't just about the hardware. While the Apple ecosystem is a massive draw, many users are jumping ship because of bitrates. Spotify still hasn't rolled out "Spotify HiFi" or "Supremium" or whatever they’re calling it this week to the general public in a consistent way. Meanwhile, Apple Music offers ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) at no extra cost.

If you have a decent pair of wired headphones or a high-end DAC, the difference is noticeable. It's not just placebo.

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Then there's the curation. Some people prefer the algorithmic "Radio" feel of Spotify, but Apple has doubled down on human curation. They have actual DJs like Zane Lowe and specialized shows that feel more like "old school" radio in a way that feels premium. If you're tired of the "echo chamber" of the Spotify algorithm—where it keeps playing the same five songs regardless of what playlist you start—Apple’s editorial approach is a breath of fresh air.

The Metadata Nightmare

Here is the thing no one tells you about a spotify to apple music transfer: it is rarely 100% perfect.

Music libraries are built on metadata. Think of it like a digital fingerprint including the song title, artist name, album name, and duration. If Spotify has a "Remastered 2009" version of a track and Apple Music only has the "Original 1974" version, the transfer tool might get confused. Sometimes it grabs a live version. Sometimes it grabs a karaoke cover.

It's annoying.

You’ll likely end up with a 95% success rate. That missing 5%? You'll have to hunt those down manually. It’s the tax you pay for switching.

The Best Tools for the Job (That Aren't Total Scams)

You’ll find dozens of apps claiming to handle your spotify to apple music transfer. Some are great. Some are just trying to harvest your login credentials. Be careful.

SongShift is basically the gold standard for iOS users. It’s an app you download directly onto your iPhone. You connect both accounts, and it scans your Spotify library. What makes it better than the rest is the "Review" stage. Before it commits the transfer to Apple Music, it shows you the matches it's unsure about. You can manually fix them right there. The free version is okay for small batches, but if you have a massive library, the pro version is worth the few bucks just to save the headache.

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FreeYourMusic is another heavy hitter. It works on desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux) which is sometimes easier if you’re dealing with tens of thousands of tracks. It’s fast. It’s robust. It’s also a paid service if you want to move more than a handful of songs.

Then there’s Soundiiz. This is a web-based powerhouse. It doesn't just do Spotify and Apple; it does everything from Tidal to Deezer to Qobuz. It’s a bit more "technical" in its interface, but it offers the most granular control. You can sync playlists so that if you add a song to Spotify, it automatically pops up in Apple Music. This is great for people who are "trialling" Apple but aren't ready to delete Spotify yet.

A Note on Privacy and Permissions

When you use these tools, you are giving a third-party app "Read" access to your Spotify and "Write" access to your Apple Music. This is unavoidable. However, once you are done with the spotify to apple music transfer, go into your Apple ID settings and Spotify's "Apps" settings and revoke those permissions. There is no reason for a random transfer tool to have permanent access to your accounts.

Step-by-Step: The Cleanest Way to Move

Don't just hit "Transfer All" and hope for the best. That’s how you end up with a messy library.

1. Clean your Spotify library first. Delete those "Summer 2017" playlists you haven't touched in six years. There is no point in moving digital clutter.
2. Open your chosen tool (let’s say SongShift). Connect your accounts using OAuth—never give an app your actual password; always use the official login pop-up.
3. Start with your "Liked Songs." This is usually the biggest chunk. Let the tool process it.
4. Review the "failed" matches. This is crucial. If a song didn't transfer, it's usually because of a naming discrepancy.
5. Move your created playlists one by one. Doing it in batches prevents the app from crashing and makes it easier to spot errors.

Interestingly, Apple Music has a limit on how many songs you can add in a short period sometimes. If you try to move 50,000 songs in ten minutes, you might get rate-limited. If the transfer stalls, just wait an hour and try again.

What Actually Happens to Your Music?

When you perform a spotify to apple music transfer, you aren't actually "moving" files. You’re moving instructions. The tool tells Apple Music: "Hey, this user likes 'Blinding Lights' by The Weeknd, go find it in your catalog and add it to their library."

This means if Spotify has an exclusive podcast or a "Spotify Singles" recording, it won't move. Apple simply doesn't have the rights to host those files. You'll see them listed as "Missing" or "Not Found" in your transfer report. For these specific tracks, your only option is to download them as MP3s (if you own them) and upload them to your Apple Music Cloud Library via a Mac or PC. That’s one of the "killer features" of Apple Music—the ability to mix your own uploaded files with their streaming catalog seamlessly.

The Algorithm Reset

Brace yourself: your "For You" page on Apple Music is going to be terrible for the first week.

Even though you’ve moved your library, Apple’s algorithm hasn't "heard" you listen to them yet. It doesn't know that you skip that one specific song every time it comes on. You have to train it. Spend a few days "Loving" songs and "Suggesting Less" of others. The spotify to apple music transfer moves the data, but it doesn't move your "taste profile." That has to be rebuilt from scratch.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

One of the biggest mistakes people make during a spotify to apple music transfer is forgetting about their "Following" list.

These tools are great at moving playlists, but they often struggle with the list of artists you "Follow" on Spotify. If you want those artists to appear in your Apple Music "Library" under the Artists tab, you often have to make sure the tool is specifically set to "Add to Library" and not just "Add to Playlist."

Also, watch out for "Clean" vs "Explicit" versions. Sometimes, these tools will default to the Clean version of an album to be safe. If you're wondering why your favorite hip-hop track sounds like a radio edit from 1998, that's why. You'll have to swap it out for the Explicit version manually.

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Is It Actually Worth It?

If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem—HomePods, CarPlay, Apple Watch—then yes. The integration is night and day. Siri actually works with Apple Music. It doesn't work well with Spotify.

If you're an audiophile, the Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless tiers are a massive upgrade, assuming you have the gear to hear it. But if you’re just listening on $20 Bluetooth earbuds, you won't hear a difference. In that case, you’re switching for the interface and the features.

Apple Music’s lyrics view is also objectively better. The "Sing" feature (which is basically karaoke mode) is miles ahead of Spotify’s lyrics implementation.

Actionable Next Steps

If you're ready to pull the trigger on a spotify to apple music transfer, don't overthink it.

• Download SongShift if you're on an iPhone; it's the most user-friendly starting point.
• Pick your top 5 "must-have" playlists and transfer those first to test the waters.
• Check for "Greyed Out" tracks in Apple Music immediately after the transfer. If they’re greyed out, it means they’re "Matched" but not available in your region, or the link is broken. Delete and re-add them manually.
• Cancel your Spotify Premium only after you've verified the transfer. Keep the free version of Spotify for a month just in case you realized you missed a specific, obscure playlist.
• Upload your local files. If you have rare bootlegs or remixes on your computer, use the "Music" app on a Mac or iTunes on Windows to upload them. They will then sync to your iPhone automatically.

The transition is a bit of a chore, but once you’re settled in, the "New Music Daily" and "Discovery Station" on Apple Music usually do a pretty good job of catching up to your taste. Just give it time to learn who you are.