Maybe you created a new Apple ID—for personal reasons, regional access, or just a fresh start. Either way, you don't want to lose the playlists, downloads, and favorites you've built up in Apple Music.
The problem? Apple doesn't make it easy to move your library to a new account. Your music is tied to your original Apple ID, and there's no built-in way to transfer everything over. Only your purchases can be merged into another account. The rest? They'll disappear if you stop subscribing to Apple Music on the original account and switch to the new one.
So when it's time to switch accounts, transferring your library isn't as simple as signing in and out. But don't worry—there are workarounds. In this guide, we'll show you what you can move, what you can't, and the best ways to take your music with you when switching Apple IDs. Bottom line—we'll help you keep the music you care about.
Part 1. Can You Transfer Apple Music to Another Account?
Your Apple Music library is tied to your Apple ID. That means your playlists, downloads, and favorites stay with that account.
When you switch to a new Apple ID, your music won't move over automatically. Apple doesn't let you transfer your whole library between accounts. Most of your music comes with an Apple Music subscription, which costs $10.99 per month. If you want to use a new Apple ID, you'll need some workarounds. Some music, like iTunes purchases, can be moved freely. But most Apple Music songs are protected and won't transfer unless you convert them.
You might still have downloaded songs on your device, but playlists and your iCloud Music Library won't follow. These songs have DRM protection, which means you'll need a special DRM-removal tool to remove limits before you can move them. Tools like ViWizard Apple Music Converter can help. They convert your songs to MP3, so you can add them to any library or account.
Managing multiple Apple IDs can get complicated. Devices need to be authorized for each account, and switching back and forth can cause syncing problems.
The easiest way? Keep your current Apple ID and just update the email address linked to it.
A full-featured Apple Music converter that easily converts Apple Music songs, albums, playlists—including iCloud Music Library content, personalized recommendations, and curated playlists—into MP3, M4A, M4B, WAV, AIFF, and FLAC so you can keep your Apple Music forever or transfer it to any device without restrictions.
So, while you can't transfer Apple Music directly, there are ways to keep your music with you. We'll show you how next.
Part 2. How to Transfer Your Apple Music Library to Another Apple ID
The easiest way to transfer your Apple Music library to a new Apple ID is by using ViWizard Apple Music Converter. It lets you access your Apple Music library, convert your songs, and download them as local files. Once converted, you can upload your music to iCloud Music Library or keep it stored locally. iCloud Music Library will match your files and provide features like high-quality 256 Kbps AAC audio and Dolby Atmos support.
Why ViWizard Apple Music Converter?
ViWizard works with all kinds of Apple Music content — subscription tracks, iTunes purchases, podcasts, and more. It converts protected files into universal formats like MP3, so you won't face any limits when switching accounts or devices. After conversion, your music is yours to keep forever. You can add it to your new Apple ID's library and sync it across devices, no matter which Apple ID you use.
This way, you can enjoy your music with or without an active Apple Music subscription, giving you freedom and peace of mind when switching accounts.
Key Features of ViWizard Apple Music Converter
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- Convert Apple Music songs, albums, playlists, and artists into MP3 for easy access
- Preserve lossless audio, high-resolution lossless, and Dolby Atmos quality
- Strip DRM from Apple Music for unrestricted offline listening
- Save converted audio files while retaining full ID3 tag details
Step 1: Convert and Export Your Songs
Before anything else, use ViWizard Apple Music Converter to convert your Apple Music tracks to MP3 (or another widely supported format). The converter includes a built-in Apple Music Web Player—just sign in with your Apple ID, access your music library, and add songs to the conversion list. Once converted, click the folder icon in ViWizard to locate your downloaded songs. From there, move the files to a folder on your desktop or an external drive.
Step 2: Sign in with Your New Apple ID in iTunes
Next, open the iTunes app (or Apple Music app on Mac) and sign in with your new Apple ID. On iTunes for Windows, go to Account in the top menu bar and select Sign In. Enter your new Apple ID and password. If you're on a Mac, go to Music > Preferences > General and check that you're signed in with the correct account.
Step 3: Import Your Converted Music
Once you're signed in, it's time to import your converted songs. Click File > Add to Library, and select the folder where your converted MP3s are stored. iTunes or Music will automatically add them to your new library. You can organize them into playlists just like before.
Step 4: Sync or Upload to iCloud Music Library
If you use iCloud Music Library (now called Sync Library), make sure it's turned on. On iTunes, go to Edit > Preferences > General and check iCloud Music Library. On Mac, it's under Music > Settings > General. Once enabled, your imported songs will upload to iCloud, and you'll be able to access them on all your devices signed in with your new Apple ID.
Step 5: Enjoy Your Music Anywhere
Now your songs are part of your new Apple Music account. You can stream them from iCloud, download them again, or even sync them to an iPhone or iPad. And since they're no longer tied to your old Apple ID or an active subscription, they're yours to keep.
Full Tutorial: User Guide of ViWizard Apple Music Converter
Part 3. How to Transfer Playlists from One Apple ID to Another
Apple doesn't let you directly transfer playlists between accounts. But there's a simple workaround: you can share your playlists with another Apple ID just like you would with a friend. This works well if you've already added all your songs into a single playlist—smart or regular.
Step 1: Create a New Playlist for All Songs
Open the Apple Music app on your Mac or iTunes on your PC. From the menu bar, go to File > New > Playlist. A new playlist will appear in the sidebar—name it something like "All My Music" so you'll recognize it easily. Now go to your Library, press Command+A (Mac) or Ctrl+A (Windows) to select all your songs, then drag them into the new playlist. If you have a lot of music, this might take a minute.
Step 2: Share the Playlist to Another Account
Click on the playlist name to open it. Then click the three dots (•••) next to the playlist title and choose "Share Playlist…". You'll get several sharing options, including sending a link via Messages, Mail, or AirDrop. If you're using the Music app on Mac, you might also see the option to share it directly with friends on Apple Music.
Step 3: Open the Shared Playlist in the New Account
Now switch to the new Apple ID account you want to use. Open the link you just shared—either on the same device or another one that's signed into the new account. It'll open the "All My Music" playlist inside Apple Music. From there, click +Add to save the playlist to the new library.
Note: This only shares the playlist, not the statistics behind like play counts or likes, but it will keep the same songs and order. If the new account already has access to the same Apple Music catalog, it'll stream just fine.
Step 4: Use It with Your Converted Files (Optional)
If you've already transferred your music using ViWizard Apple Music Converter, this playlist can help you organize those tracks again. Just import the converted MP3s into your new library, then drag them into the same playlist.
Now you'll have your music sorted just like before—even under a different Apple ID.
Part 4. How to Transfer Purchased Music Between Apple IDs
If you've bought music from the iTunes Store, there's some good news—purchased songs aren't locked the same way Apple Music subscription tracks are. That means you can transfer them more easily between Apple IDs using a couple of built-in features.
4.1 Using Apple's ‘Migrate Purchases'
Step 1: Sign Out of Media & Purchases
To begin the migration, open the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and tap your name at the top to access your Apple ID settings. Find Media & Purchases and tap it. When prompted, tap Sign Out to temporarily disconnect your current account from the App Store and Apple Music. This will not sign you out of iCloud or affect your other data like photos, notes, or messages. After signing out, you'll notice the Media & Purchases label changes to Set Up—that means you're ready for the next step.
Step 2: Sign In with the Secondary Apple ID
Tap Media & Purchases again. If your device still shows your original Apple ID, tap Not [Your Name]? to switch accounts. Enter the credentials for the secondary Apple ID—the one that has the purchased music you want to move. Complete any verification steps, such as entering a code sent to a trusted device or phone number linked to that account. You should now be logged in under the secondary Apple ID for purchases only.
Step 3: Access Migrate Purchases
While still in Settings, tap Media & Purchases again, then choose View Account from the menu that appears. This takes you to the account management screen. Scroll down and look for the Migrate Purchases option. Tap it. If prompted, enter the password for your primary Apple ID—this verifies that both accounts are yours or linked appropriately.
Step 4: Confirm Both Accounts
In the Migrate Purchases screen, you'll see your primary and secondary Apple IDs listed. Double-check that both are correct. If your secondary account is not part of a Family Sharing group with your primary account, or if any other requirements are missing, you'll get a warning before continuing. Once confirmed, tap Continue.
Step 5: Review What Will Be Transferred
Apple will display a list of eligible items for migration, such as songs, albums, or ringtones you've purchased using the secondary account. You may also see a note about content that can't be moved. Scroll down the list and tap Continue once you've reviewed what will transfer.
Step 6: Start the Migration
On the final screen, tap Migrate to begin moving your purchases. Apple notes that this process may take a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the size of your library. Once the process is complete, you'll be prompted to sign out of Media & Purchases again. Go ahead and do this, then sign back in with your primary Apple ID. All eligible purchases from the secondary account should now appear in your library and purchase history.
4.2 Using Apple's Family Sharing
Step 1: Set Up Family Sharing on Your Primary Account
To begin, open the Settings app on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac that uses your primary Apple ID—the one you want to use as the "organizer" of the family group. Tap your name at the top of the screen, then tap Family Sharing. From here, tap Set Up Your Family. Apple will guide you through a short setup process. You'll be asked to confirm that you want to be the organizer, agree to the terms, and verify your Apple ID with a password or Face ID.
Step 2: Invite the Secondary Apple ID to Join
After the initial setup, tap Add Member and choose Invite People. You can invite a family member using their Apple ID email address—in this case, enter the email address of the secondary Apple ID that holds the music purchases you want to share. An invitation will be sent to that account. You can also send the invitation via Messages, AirDrop, or have the person enter their credentials directly if they're nearby.
Step 3: Accept the Invitation on the Secondary Account
Next, switch to the device signed in with the secondary Apple ID. Open Settings, tap your name, and you should see a prompt to Join Family Sharing. Tap Accept and follow the instructions on-screen. You may be asked to enter a verification code or password to complete the process. Once accepted, the secondary account is now part of your family group.
Step 4: Enable Purchase Sharing
Now return to the primary Apple ID device. Inside the Family Sharing settings, tap Purchase Sharing. Tap Continue, then confirm that you'd like to share your purchases with the group. You'll also see which Apple ID will be used for shared purchases. Once purchase sharing is enabled, music, movies, TV shows, and more from the secondary account can be accessed by everyone in the family group.
Step 5: Access Shared Music
To listen to music purchased from the secondary Apple ID, open the Music app on any device signed in with your primary account. Tap Library, then look for the Purchased section. Tap it, and choose the secondary account's name (now a family member) to see the shared purchases. From here, you can stream or download the music just like it was your own.
Step 6: Keep Managing or Remove Members Anytime
If you ever want to remove a family member or stop sharing purchases, go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing on your primary device. You can remove any member or turn off Purchase Sharing at any time. Just note: once a person leaves your family, they'll lose access to all shared purchases immediately.
Full Tutorial: How to Family Share Apple Music
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Adam Gorden, the digital media specialist at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing the best solutions for digital media management, including audio and video conversion, file optimization, and media workflow enhancements.
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