On SoundCloud, you'll find some musical gems that you won't find on other music streaming services, and it's because of this great music that you'll want to listen to whenever you can, especially if you're outdoors without any connectivity. So, can you listen to SoundCloud offline? Luckily, the answer is yes! Whether you're a SoundCloud Go, Go+ user, or using a free account with SoundCloud, we've got you covered! Plus, we'll share some great troubleshooting tips to help you solve some common offline issues and make your attempts 100% effective.
Part 1. Can You Listen to SoundCloud Offline?
Yes, you can. SoundCloud provides an official way to listen to music offline through its subscription services: SoundCloud Go and SoundCloud Go+.
SoundCloud Go Offline Listening: Key Facts
- What You Can Save: You can offline your entire library, including Liked tracks and curated playlists.
- Device Support: Mobile only. This feature is restricted to the SoundCloud app on iOS and Android; offline listening is not supported on desktops.
- How It Works: Tracks are "synced" as encrypted cache files within the app. You cannot export them as MP3 files or transfer them to other devices.
- Automatic Syncing: To save data, you can toggle on "Save automatically" in settings. This allows the app to download your "Likes" and playlists only when connected to Wi-Fi.
Note: Since these are not actual MP3 files, your offline access will expire if your subscription ends.
SoundCloud Go vs. Go+: Which one for Offline?
Both SoundCloud plans let you listen offline, but they offer different library access. Just a heads up, the offline listening feature requires a subscription, so if your membership runs out or you log out, you'll lose all your offline music.
| Feature | SoundCloud Go | SoundCloud Go+ |
| Offline Playback | Yes | Yes |
| What You Can Save | 120M+ tracks | 150M+ tracks |
| Audio Quality | Standard (128 kbps) | High Quality (256 kbps AAC) |
| Ads | No ads | No ads |
| Price (Approx.) | $4.99/month | $10.99/month |
Part 2. How to Listen to SoundCloud Offline without SoundCloud Go/Go+
Can you listen to SoundCloud offline without paying for a subscription? Sure. Here are two ways to download music from SoundCloud for offline playback. One is to use a dedicated SoundCloud music downloader, and the other is using the direct download button enabled by some artists.
Since the first method offers more flexibility, allowing you to batch download any track into permanent MP3 files, we'll introduce it first.
Method 1. Use ViWizard SoundCloud Music Converter
ViWizard SoundCloud Music Converter helps you download tracks, playlists, albums, and podcasts from SoundCloud, even with a free account. Better than SoundCloud's offline mode, ViWizard gives you SoundCloud music in MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, M4A, and M4B formats, so you can play your music on any of your favorite devices offline.
Key Features of ViWizard SoundCloud Music Converter
Free Download Free Download* Security verified. 5, 481,347 people have downloaded it.
- Download songs, playlists, albums, remixes, podcasts, and more from SoundCloud
- Export SoundCloud music to MP3, M4A, M4B, WAV, FLAC, and AIFF formats
- Convert SoundCloud tracks in bulk at up to 65× faster speed
- Preserve original SoundCloud audio quality, up to 320 kbps MP3
Step 1Set Your Download Format and Quality
Open ViWizard Streaming Audio Recorder on your computer. Click the menu icon and choose Preferences. In the pop-up window, navigate to the Conversion tab. Here, select your desired output format and adjust the audio quality. Click OK to save your settings.
Step 2Open the Built-in SoundCloud Player
From the ViWizard main interface, you will see 9 music streaming icons. Click the SoundCloud icon and ViWizard will automatically open the built-in SoundCloud web player.
Step 3Add Tracks, Playlists, Albums, Podcasts to Download
Use the search bar to find tracks, playlists, albums, or your favorite collection in the built-in player. Click the "+" button to make ViWizard scan all available tracks on the current page. Add or remove songs you don't need and then click Add to List.
Step 4Download SoundCloud Music for Unlimited Offline Access
Hit the Convert button to start the download process. For Free SoundCloud users, ViWizard batch downloads at speeds up to 15 times faster. Once done, click the History tab, play the downloads directly in ViWizard's software, or click the folder icon to open the file location. You will see that your SoundCloud offline music is now saved in an open-file format, ready to play on any device at any time.
Step 5Transfer to Any Device for Offline Listening
Once you've downloaded the SoundCloud tracks to your computer using ViWizard, you can transfer the MP3 files to your iPhone, Android, or MP3 Player via a USB cable or cloud service. Now you can listen to your favorite SoundCloud music offline using any local media player, like VLC Meida Player, Apple Music, or Samsung Music.
Method 2. Use the Official "Download file" Button
SoundCloud allows artists to make their tracks downloadable for free. If an artist has enabled this feature, you can save the track directly to your computer without a subscription. This button is only visible on the SoundCloud web version (Desktop). You cannot find the direct download button on the mobile app. Here's how to find the download button and download the song:
- Open the SoundCloud website on your computer and find the song you want.
- Click the "More" button (represented by three dots) below the waveform.
- If the artist has enabled downloads, you will see a "Download file" button in the dropdown menu.
- Simply click it, and the track will be saved directly to the Downloads folder of the web brower.
Part 3. How to Download SoundCloud Music for Offline via Official Subscription
If you have an active SoundCloud Go or Go+ subscription, you can easily save content for offline playback within the official app. Here is how to download your playlists, likes, and entire library.
3.1 Download a Playlist for Offline Use
- Open the SoundCloud app on your Android or iOS device.
- Navigate to the playlist you want to download.
- Tap the download button (a downward arrow) next to the Like button.
- SoundCloud will start to download the included tracks in the playlist.
- You can view the progress of the download via the orange progress bar (iOS) or the drop-down menu (Android).
3.2 Save Your Likes for Offline Play
- Open the SoundCloud mobile app on your device.
- Go to your Library.
- Find and tap on Your Likes.
- Tap the download button next to the shuffle button.
- Refresh the Likes page to make sure the new Likes have been saved offline.
- Once the download is complete, you will be able to play all your favorite tracks without any internet connection.
Read More : How to Download SoundCloud Entire Like List on PC & Mobile
3.3 Download Your Entire Music Library
If you have too many playlists and want to download your liked tracks all at once, it's best to let SoundCloud download your library directly. Here's how to do it:
- Open the SoundCloud app on your mobile device.
- Go to the Offline Listening settings in the SoundCloud app.
- Turn on Save automatically.
- This will allow SoundCloud to download all the Likes and playlists in your library.
Pro Tips for SoundCloud Offline Mode
Enable Wi-Fi Only Downloads:
To save mobile data while downloading music for offline use, you should:
- Go to Offline Listening settings in the SoundCloud app.
- Toggle on Only save via Wi-Fi.
- Then, SoundCloud will only download music when there is a WiFi connection, avoiding unexpected data usage.
Remove Previously Downloaded Songs:
If one day you want to delete downloaded tracks to free up space, you can do so:
- Likes/Playlists: Click the download arrow button on the Likes/Playlists page until the button turns gray.
- Entire Library: Go to Storage in Settings and tap Remove all downloads. All downloaded tracks in the SoundCloud app will then be deleted at once.
How to Listen to Your SoundCloud Downloads Offline
Once the sync is complete, you don't need to do anything special to "activate" offline mode. SoundCloud is designed to play your downloaded content automatically when you lose your internet connection.
To find the offline music, open the SoundCloud app and go to Library > Downloads. Here, you will see all the tracks and playlists currently available for offline playback. If you want to ensure the app uses zero data, simply turn off Wi-Fi or Cellular Data in your device's Control Center.
Part 4. How to Fix SoundCloud Offline Listening Not Working
SoundCloud's offline feature is just a tap away, but sometimes you may not be able to easily download tracks and playlists. You may encounter some problems, but it's okay. You can try using the following solutions to deal with them one by one.
Issue 1: Offline Content Disappeared
All offline content disappears after you reinstall the SoundCloud app or logging out. This is because the downloads are technically in-app cached files and they are tied to your app session. If you delete the SoundCloud app, all the downloaded tracks and playlists will be removed.
Solutions:
- Re-save your content after signing back in or reinstalling the app.
- Try downloading the music from SoundCloud to MP3. This ensures you get the actual audio files that store locally on your device.
Issue 2: Recently Added Tracks Not Saving Offline
It is necessary to refresh your library, likes, playlists before you download. If you still can't download recently added tracks after refreshing, it may be because you have limited the download to Wi-Fi and you are using mobile data.
Solutions:
- Check your Offline Listening settings and disable Only save via Wi-Fi if you are now using mobile data.
- Check track availability. Not all tracks can be downloaded for offline playback, even if you have a subscription. Some artists disable offline listening for listeners.
Issue 3: Offline Tracks Won't Play
If you have successfully downloaded the desired songs and are ready to listen to them offline, but the songs won't play or the app won't load the offline content.
Solutions:
- Check your subscription. Once your SoundCloud subscription expires, the download will automatically disappear.
- Open the SoundCloud app when you have a signal. It's possible that SoundCloud may need to check your account and membership status so the app can load the downloads.
- Clear cache. It's also possible that the app's cache is causing file corruption or storage issues. Therefore, go to SoundCloud's Settings and navigate to Storage where you can clear the cache.
- Enable background app activity on your phone. If a downloaded song stops playing when you lock your phone's screen, you'll need to make some setups on your mobile device. Check out the detailed step-by-step tutorial in the guide.
Read More : How to Keep SoundCloud Playing After Turning Off Your Phone
Part 5. FAQs about SoundCloud Offline Listening
Can I listen to SoundCloud on a plane?
Yes. If you have a SoundCloud Go or Go+ subscription, you can listen to the downloaded tracks in Airplane Mode without a Wi-Fi or data connection. Be sure check your Downloads section in the SoundCloud app to ensure your music is ready before take-off.
Can I listen offline on my computer or web browser?
No. Official offline listening is currently restricted to the SoundCloud mobile app for iOS and Android. If you want to listen offline on a PC, Mac, or laptop, you must use a dedicated tool like ViWizard SoundCloud Music Converter to save the songs as local files.
Why are some songs in my playlist not downloading?
This usually happens for three reasons:
- Subscription Tiers: If you have SoundCloud Go, you cannot download Go+ premium tracks.
- Artist Restrictions: Rights holders can choose to disable offline listening for specific tracks, even for Go+ subscribers.
- Settings: Your app may be set to Only download via Wi-Fi. If you are on cellular data, downloads will pause until you connect to Wi-Fi or change this setting in your app's Download menu.
What happens to my offline tracks if I cancel my subscription?
You will retain access until the end of your current billing cycle. After that, your account reverts to the free tier, and all locally synced offline content will be removed or locked.
Do my offline plays count toward an artist's total plays?
Yes. SoundCloud tracks your offline plays and syncs the data to the artist's total play count the next time your device connects to the internet.
Should I choose SoundCloud Go or a downloader for offline listening?
Choose SoundCloud Go for convenience and support: It allows one-tap syncing of entire playlists, supports artists through royalties, and ensures higher security within the official app.
Choose a downloader for portability: It lets you enjoy music on various devices like MP3 players, car stereos, and Bluetooth speakers, plus you can keep your music forever without paying a monthly fee.
Conclusion
Does SoundCloud work offline? Yes, for SoundCloud Go and Go+users, they can save playlists, likes, and entire library for offline playback. For free users, tools such as ViWizard Streaming Audio Recorder provide a solution for enjoying offline music on SoundCloud. With our troubleshooting and professional tips for SoundCloud downloads, your offline listening experience will be as seamless and smooth as online listening. Let's unlock SoundCloud offline mode today!
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Matt Smith, a digital entertainment industry enthusiast at ViWizard, is dedicated to providing insightful commentary and solutions for music and media-related topics, including industry trends, analysis, and recommendations.
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