Apple has quietly introduced a new feature allowing Apple Music subscribers to transfer their playlists to YouTube Music, marking a significant shift in the company’s approach to music streaming interoperability. Previously, Apple was known for its closed ecosystem, but this move suggests a more open attitude, at least when it comes to YouTube Music.
The new feature is straightforward but comes with certain limitations. Only self-created playlists, including those created collaboratively, can be transferred. Unfortunately, music files themselves, non-collaborative shared playlists, curated playlists, and folders where playlists are organized are not transferable. Moreover, only songs available on YouTube Music can be included in the transfer. Any exclusive content such as podcasts, audiobooks, or user-uploaded audio files will be excluded.
To begin the transfer, users need to visit Apple’s Data and Privacy page, sign in, and select “Transfer a copy of your data.” The process, which requires an active Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription and a YouTube Music account, can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the number of playlists and their size. Apple sends a confirmation email once the transfer is complete, and users can find their transferred playlists in YouTube Music’s Library tab. The tech giant further specifies that If you cancel your transfer, playlists that have already transferred will remain in YouTube Music.
While this feature is currently limited to YouTube Music, the vague language used in Apple’s support documents suggests that additional streaming services might be supported in the future. However, there is no word yet on whether Apple plans to extend this functionality to other platforms like Spotify or Tidal.
A new era?
This new playlist transfer feature is another step in Apple’s ongoing efforts to improve data portability between its services and those of its competitors. Earlier this year, Apple and Google collaborated on photo transfers, and now music seems to be the next frontier. While the ability to transfer playlists is a welcome addition, users looking to switch to Spotify or other music streaming services will have to wait for further developments.
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