Listening to my own MP3s on iPhone
October 11, 2023 10:22 AM Subscribe
What's the easiest, fastest, or best way to get music from my MacBook to my iPhone? What's the best app for listening to that music once it's there? Assume I have no interest in paying for a subscription but am fine with a one-time purchase for an app.
Apple Music seems to imply that I can listen to my own MP3s but I don't see how to do that. It certainly is not obvious.
Apple Music seems to imply that I can listen to my own MP3s but I don't see how to do that. It certainly is not obvious.
Best answer: Yeah, add your music to the Music app:
* Dragging the file from the Finder into the Music app or
* Double clicking the song from a folder in Finder or
* While in Music, File->Import and select the files in a file browser to import
Then plug your phone into your macbook, open a Finder window and select your phone, then select "Music" from the "General / Music / Movies / TV Shows / Books / Photos / Files / Info" and select what part of your library you want to sync (all of it if you don't have a lot of MP3s, one assumes), then click on sync.
All free, all part of the computer and phone OS, no subscriptions necessary. Just say no when / if it asks you if you want to subscribe to Apple Music.
posted by Kyol at 10:53 AM on October 11, 2023 [9 favorites]
* Dragging the file from the Finder into the Music app or
* Double clicking the song from a folder in Finder or
* While in Music, File->Import and select the files in a file browser to import
Then plug your phone into your macbook, open a Finder window and select your phone, then select "Music" from the "General / Music / Movies / TV Shows / Books / Photos / Files / Info" and select what part of your library you want to sync (all of it if you don't have a lot of MP3s, one assumes), then click on sync.
All free, all part of the computer and phone OS, no subscriptions necessary. Just say no when / if it asks you if you want to subscribe to Apple Music.
posted by Kyol at 10:53 AM on October 11, 2023 [9 favorites]
I moved my MP3 music collection to my iPhone with iTunes, and listen to it with Apple Music. You can make playlists, shuffle all your songs, listen to albums, etc, just like an iPod. However, I agree that it is not obvious how to navigate to your library. I also use it all the time with Apple CarPlay to listen to my music while driving.
posted by fimbulvetr at 10:54 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by fimbulvetr at 10:54 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
On second look, I see you are asking about moving them from a MacBook, and I have Windows computer, so still have iTunes.
posted by fimbulvetr at 10:56 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by fimbulvetr at 10:56 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
You do not need an Apple Music subscription to listen to your own music on your iPhone through the Music app. You only need an Apple Music subscription if you want your entire library of music to be available for streaming on any Apple device you have. This is a good option if you have a large music library and limited space on your devices, and don't want to mess around with downloading to/syncing to various devices. If space isn't an issue and all of the music will fit on your phone, you don't need the subscription to listen to it. You just need to add your music to the app per Kyol's instructions.
posted by yasaman at 10:59 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by yasaman at 10:59 AM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
Kyol's explanation is good, but also here are the instructions from Apple on how to do this. Be sure to select your Mac's OS version from the dropdown menu at the top, though I don't think the procedure has really changed much over the past few versions.
posted by theory at 11:42 AM on October 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by theory at 11:42 AM on October 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Kyol's method worked fine with my Macbook Air M1 (Sonoma) and iPhone 15 PM. Thanks!
Now... suggestions for best apps for listening to said music? I know Apple Music can play them as I just tried.
Any other apps people prefer?
posted by dobbs at 11:48 AM on October 11, 2023
Now... suggestions for best apps for listening to said music? I know Apple Music can play them as I just tried.
Any other apps people prefer?
posted by dobbs at 11:48 AM on October 11, 2023
Response by poster: And I have a somewhat related followup question.
I have a few 90 minute lectures that are MP3s.
When I copy these over and try to play them in Apple Music, they play fine, but it never remembers where I left off, despite that I have the checkbox labeled "Remember playback position" checked in the Artist and on each individual track. Any way to correct this?
Or anyway to play MP3s with a Podcast or Audiobook app that will remember the position?
posted by dobbs at 12:26 PM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
I have a few 90 minute lectures that are MP3s.
When I copy these over and try to play them in Apple Music, they play fine, but it never remembers where I left off, despite that I have the checkbox labeled "Remember playback position" checked in the Artist and on each individual track. Any way to correct this?
Or anyway to play MP3s with a Podcast or Audiobook app that will remember the position?
posted by dobbs at 12:26 PM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
"Or anyway to play MP3s with a Podcast or Audiobook app that will remember the position?"
Easy way - right click on the file in Music app, select Get Info and then when the dialog opens go to the Options tab. You should see a few options for playback including "Remember playback position" -- click that & save. It should do the trick. (Might also select "Skip when shuffling" if you don't want the podcast / lecture thrown in when shuffling music if you do that.)
posted by jzb at 12:57 PM on October 11, 2023
Easy way - right click on the file in Music app, select Get Info and then when the dialog opens go to the Options tab. You should see a few options for playback including "Remember playback position" -- click that & save. It should do the trick. (Might also select "Skip when shuffling" if you don't want the podcast / lecture thrown in when shuffling music if you do that.)
posted by jzb at 12:57 PM on October 11, 2023
I've tried a couple alternatives to the Music app on both my Macs and iPhones through the years. None of them have ever really made it worth the effort, at least to switch over entirely. I currently have Longplay loaded onto my phone, which provides an alternate interface for playing music, focused on shuffling by album (with some add'l features on top of that for discovery within your library). If shuffling by album or playing by album are not important to you, it's likely not worth it.
In terms of playing MP3s in a way where it will remember your position, it may be that you'd benefit by loading them into the Apple Books app (which will interface with your phone very similarly to, but separately from, the Music app). I think in the great de-iTunesification several years back the features around iTunes optimizing playback of multiple media formats were partially/completely eliminated from the more streamlined Music app.
posted by lousywiththespirit at 1:04 PM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
In terms of playing MP3s in a way where it will remember your position, it may be that you'd benefit by loading them into the Apple Books app (which will interface with your phone very similarly to, but separately from, the Music app). I think in the great de-iTunesification several years back the features around iTunes optimizing playback of multiple media formats were partially/completely eliminated from the more streamlined Music app.
posted by lousywiththespirit at 1:04 PM on October 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Easy way...
As I mentioned, this doesn't actually work.
In terms of playing MP3s in a way where it will remember your position, it may be that you'd benefit by loading them into the Apple Books app
Couldn't figure out how to do this. I managed to put the MP3s in the Books app and can play them there on the laptop, but can't figure out how to make them synch to the iPhone. When I choose iPhone in the Finder and click the Books tab, the mp3s are not listed even though they are in the Books app.
posted by dobbs at 1:52 PM on October 11, 2023
As I mentioned, this doesn't actually work.
In terms of playing MP3s in a way where it will remember your position, it may be that you'd benefit by loading them into the Apple Books app
Couldn't figure out how to do this. I managed to put the MP3s in the Books app and can play them there on the laptop, but can't figure out how to make them synch to the iPhone. When I choose iPhone in the Finder and click the Books tab, the mp3s are not listed even though they are in the Books app.
posted by dobbs at 1:52 PM on October 11, 2023
As I mentioned, this doesn't actually work.
Until it suddenly does. You have to force the device's database to update because the "resume position" flag isn't in the ID3 tags (the editing of which could maybe possibly update the file on your laptop's disk, "dirtying" it and marking it to re-sync), and honestly syncing anything beyond the binary "is this song on the portable device or not" has been sort of plaguing users since the iPod days. You might have luck removing all the media from the phone, making sure the flags are set in the Music app, then re-syncing, but even then the device can be "helpful" and retain the database on you. Annoying.
For what it's worth, when I just tested it the tag synced through Apple Music's cloud database syncing, so maybe their sync services are improving? Ah ha ha ha, no - probably not, and it's just a fluke.
posted by Kyol at 2:09 PM on October 11, 2023
Until it suddenly does. You have to force the device's database to update because the "resume position" flag isn't in the ID3 tags (the editing of which could maybe possibly update the file on your laptop's disk, "dirtying" it and marking it to re-sync), and honestly syncing anything beyond the binary "is this song on the portable device or not" has been sort of plaguing users since the iPod days. You might have luck removing all the media from the phone, making sure the flags are set in the Music app, then re-syncing, but even then the device can be "helpful" and retain the database on you. Annoying.
For what it's worth, when I just tested it the tag synced through Apple Music's cloud database syncing, so maybe their sync services are improving? Ah ha ha ha, no - probably not, and it's just a fluke.
posted by Kyol at 2:09 PM on October 11, 2023
that's an interesting issue, maybe I hadn't fully considered it. AFAIK, one of the major limitations of the Books app is there's no ability to edit ID3 tags in it (which you can still do in Music), so there's e.g., no way to give a particular track a "book title", which maybe Books need to expose it in the Books synching interface. I've never tried that with loose MP3s myself (only multi-mp3 "books"), so I apologize that my advice wasn't helpful.
posted by lousywiththespirit at 2:57 PM on October 11, 2023
posted by lousywiththespirit at 2:57 PM on October 11, 2023
Best answer: If you've got a bunch of mp3 files (or other audio formats) that you want to put on your iPhone and treat as audiobooks, it might be easiest to use an app like BookPlayer [iOS App Store link].
First, install the BookPlayer app. Then, transfer the mp3 files in question from your computer to your phone by syncing in Finder. It's just like when you synced your music, except this time select the 'Files' tab instead of the 'Music' tab. You'll see BookPlayer listed as a destination in the window, so just drag and drop the mp3 files onto BookPlayer (if you get an error message just make sure your phone is unlocked and try again).
When you look at BookPlayer on your phone, you'll see the files that you synced and it'll ask if you want to import them into the app. That's it.
Bonus note: when your iPhone is connected to your Mac, you can choose to allow Wi-Fi syncing (see under the 'General' tab where it says 'Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi'). Now your phone will always show up in the Finder sidebar (as long as they're both on the same Wi-Fi network) without needing to plug it in via a cable and you can do all your syncing wirelessly.
posted by theory at 3:34 PM on October 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
First, install the BookPlayer app. Then, transfer the mp3 files in question from your computer to your phone by syncing in Finder. It's just like when you synced your music, except this time select the 'Files' tab instead of the 'Music' tab. You'll see BookPlayer listed as a destination in the window, so just drag and drop the mp3 files onto BookPlayer (if you get an error message just make sure your phone is unlocked and try again).
When you look at BookPlayer on your phone, you'll see the files that you synced and it'll ask if you want to import them into the app. That's it.
Bonus note: when your iPhone is connected to your Mac, you can choose to allow Wi-Fi syncing (see under the 'General' tab where it says 'Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi'). Now your phone will always show up in the Finder sidebar (as long as they're both on the same Wi-Fi network) without needing to plug it in via a cable and you can do all your syncing wirelessly.
posted by theory at 3:34 PM on October 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, folks! Problems solved! Woohoo!
posted by dobbs at 7:31 PM on October 11, 2023
posted by dobbs at 7:31 PM on October 11, 2023
One alternative music player I liked is Doppler. I didn't stick with it because it was missing one or two features I wanted, but it's worth a go.
Like lousywiththespirit, I like the Longplay app, and it's the only alternative to Apple's app that I've stuck with.
posted by fabius at 5:10 AM on October 12, 2023
Like lousywiththespirit, I like the Longplay app, and it's the only alternative to Apple's app that I've stuck with.
posted by fabius at 5:10 AM on October 12, 2023
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Also, whatever you put on your phone gets synced at iCloud, probably not hard to fix, but I'm tired of dealing with istuff.
posted by theora55 at 10:31 AM on October 11, 2023