How to Transfer Music from iPhone to Computer

Method 1 of 2:

Transferring Music

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    Make sure that you've purchased the music that you want to transfer. In order to move the music from your iPhone onto your computer's hard drive, you'll need to have the music in question fully downloaded into your iTunes library on your phone.
  2. How to Transfer Music from iPhone to Computer Picture 2
    Attach your iPhone to your computer. Plug one end of your iPhone's charging cable into the iPhone, then plug the other end (the USB end) into your computer.
    1. If you're using an iPhone 7 (or older) charger with a Mac, you may need to buy a USB-C charger cable in order to plug it into your computer.
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    Open iTunes. Its app icon resembles a multicolored musical note on a white background. The iTunes window should pop up after a few seconds.
    1. If prompted to update iTunes, click the Download button and wait for iTunes to update. You'll need to restart your computer before proceeding.
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    Click File. It's in the upper-left side of the iTunes window (Windows) or the top menu bar of the screen (Mac).
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    Select Devices. This option is near the bottom of the File drop-down menu.
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    Click Transfer Purchases from [Name]. Instead of "[Name]", you'll see your iPhone's name here. Clicking this option prompts the music to begin transferring onto your computer.
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    Wait for the purchased music to finish transferring. Depending on the amount of music that you need to transfer, this may take a few seconds to a few minutes.[1]
  8. How to Transfer Music from iPhone to Computer Picture 8
    Click Recently Added. It's a tab on the left side of the iTunes window. Doing so opens a list of recently added music.
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    Find the purchased music that you want to save. You may have to scroll up or down to find the music that you want to download onto your computer.
  10. How to Transfer Music from iPhone to Computer Picture 10
    Click Download
    How to Transfer Music from iPhone to Computer Picture 11
    . It should be to the right of your selected song (or album). This will prompt the music to download from iTunes onto your computer, ensuring that you have a backup of the music on your computer at all times.
    1. If you don't see the Download icon, the music is already on your computer.
    2. You can go to the music's location on your computer by selecting a song, clicking File, and clicking either Show in Windows Explorer (Windows) or Show in Finder (Mac).
Method 2 of 2:

Re-downloading Purchased Music

  1. How to Transfer Music from iPhone to Computer Picture 12
    Open iTunes. Its app icon resembles a multicolored musical note on a white background. If you accidentally deleted iTunes music from your iPhone or iTunes, you can re-download it as long as you're signed into the account with which you purchased the music.
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    Make sure that you're signed into the right account. Click Account at the top of the iTunes window (Windows) or the top of the screen, then look at the signed-in account. It should match the one that you use on your iPhone.[2]
    1. If the signed-in account isn't correct, click Sign Out..., then click Sign In and enter your Apple ID email address and password.
    2. If no account is signed in, click Sign In and enter your Apple ID email address and password.
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    Click Account again. The drop-down menu will appear.
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    Click Purchased. It's near the bottom of the drop-down menu. Doing so will take you to the iTunes Store tab.
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    Click the Music tab. This option is in the upper-right side of the iTunes window.
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    Click the Not in My Library tab. You'll find this near the top of the iTunes page. Clicking it shows you a list of all of your purchased songs that are no longer in your iTunes library.
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    Click Download
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    . It's in the top-right corner of the song or album that you want to re-download. Doing so will download the song or album back onto your computer.
    1. You can find the music on your computer by selecting a song, clicking File, and clicking either Show in Windows Explorer (Windows) or Show in Finder (Mac).
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