According to our 2026 tests, there are two main ways to convert Apple Music, depending on whether you are converting streaming songs or purchased files:

  1. For Streaming Songs (DRM Protected): You need a specialized converter like APLMate (Free Online) or MusicFab (Desktop) to save Apple Music songs as local files.
  2. For Purchased/Local Files (DRM Free): You can use the built-in Apple Music app or iTunes by changing the "Import Settings" to "MP3 Encoder."

Method 1: Official Free Way Convert Apple Music to MP3 (iTunes/Music App)

This way only works for files you actually own, that is, those you have already purchased.

Best for: Purchased iTunes songs, ripped CDs, and non-DRM files.

Steps to convert using the Apple Music App or iTunes to MP3:

  1. Open the Apple Music app (Mac) or iTunes (Windows).
  2. Go to Music > Settings (or Edit > Preferences on Windows).
  3. Click the Files tab (or General tab), then click Import Settings.
  4. Change "Import Using" to MP3 Encoder. Click OK.
  5. Select the song in your library, go to File > Convert > Create MP3 Version.

If you want to convert a streaming song, read the tools listed below.

Method 2: Free Online Apple Music to MP3 Converters (No Install)

We tested several popular tools. Some failed our tests (such as the Soundloaders), while others remain viable for 2026. We tested them mainly for audio quality, ads & redirects, playlist support, and stability.

  • Best for: Downloading single MP3s from streaming links without installing software.

APLMate (Best for High Quality 320kbps))

APLMate is a flexible Apple Music to MP3 downloader. It is currently the crowd favorite. Unlike others, it parses the actual Apple Music link rather than just searching YouTube. Using this free online Apple Music downloader, you can download any song, album, or entire playlist and enjoy them offline. 

  • Website: https://aplmate.com/
  • The Experience: During our test, it was one of the few tools that successfully downloaded the Album Cover (HD) separately and saved songs as MP3 at 320 kbps.

Convert Apple Music to MP3 With APLMate

Pros Cons
  • Save tracks to 320 Kbps, 44.1 kHz MP3
  • No registration or installation
  • Download HD cover
  • No account needed
  • Limited ID3 tags saved with website watermark
  • No batch mode: you need to download song by song
  • Only MP3 format 
  • Including ads 

How to use APLMate to convert Apple Music to MP3 as 320kbps

  1. Copy your song link from Apple Music (Web or App).
  2. Paste it into APLMate and click "Download".

aplmate-downloaded-mp3-files

AAPLmusicDownloader (Batch Download Support)

AAPLmusicDownloader (also known as AppleMusicMP3) is your only free online option that creates a ZIP file when converting Apple Music playlist to MP3. It has a very straightforward working interface for downloading Apple Music urls to MP3. 

Download Apple Music to MP3 With Applemusicmp3

  • Website: https://aaplmusicdownloader.com/
  • The Experience: We pasted a playlist link, and it offered to zip the tracks. However, the server speed was incredibly slow, taking 10 minutes to process 5 songs.
Pros Cons
  • Save whole Apple Music playlists or albums into a ZIP file
  • Easy to use
  • It has various audio bitrate options
  • Support MP3 and M4A formats
  • Slow speeds: generating a ZIP file takes a long time
  • No ID3 customization
  • It may often go offline or fail to parse links

How to use AAPLmusicDownloader to download Apple Music Playlist to MP3 in ZIP:

  1. Copy the playlist link from the Apple Music and paste into the AAPLmusicDownloader
  2. Click Download ZIP button and choose the audio bitrate you want
  3. Click Download button to start downloading

applemusicmp3-testing-results

Apple Music Downloader (Single Track)

Apple Music Downloader is a simple tool for saving a single track from Apple Music to MP3 online without any separate software or app installation hassle. It works with a simple copy-paste function to export the Apple Music song or music track to MP3. 

How to Convert Apple Music to MP3 With Apple Music MP3 Downloader

  • Website: https://apple-music-downloader.com/
  • The Experience: It fails to analyze the playlist URL.
Pros Cons
  • No ads
  • No subscription required
  • Clean interface
  • MP3 only
  • No playlist or album URLs support
  • Many tracks still come out at around 130 kbps
  • Unstable and low success rate compared to others

How to use Apple Music Downloader to convert Apple Music link to MP3:

  1. Copy the track link from Apple Music and paste it into the tab
  2. After analyzing, choose the download button.

apple-music-MP3-downloader-fail-to-analyze

KeepVid Apple Music Downloader (128 kbps MP3)

KeepVid Apple Music Downloader

KeepVid Apple Music Downloader works on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac via a browser, etc. While its Apple Music to MP3 function works, it essentially treats songs like video rips. When you paste an Apple Music link, it finds the matching video on YouTube and converts it. This means lower quality.

  • Website: https://keepvid.ch/apple-music-new4
  • The Experience: Support the single song link only, and no quality option. 
Pros Cons
Free to use Only 128 kbps MP3 
No ads Can't handle album or playlist URLs

How to use KeepVid Apple Music Downloader:

  1. Find the song URL you want to download on Apple Music
  2. Paste the URL into Keepvid, and click Start
  3. Select the Download icon to save the MP3

ACETHINKER (Built-in search)

ACETHINKER

ACETHINKER is a general online music downloader that can also handle Apple Music links to MP3. It supports song titles and links. 

  • Website: https://www.acethinker.com/online-downloader-8
  • The Experience: It acts as a search engine. It will display multiple results.
Pros Cons
Built-in search Free tier is limited to 5 downloads per day
Offers a few different servers if one fails No batch support
No redirects Many are 128 kbps MP3

How to use ACETHINKER:

  1. Search or paste the song title or link you want to download
  2. Choose the song you want to download, and select the audio quality
  3. Click Download

PasteDownload Apple Music Downloader (Easy to Use)

PasteDownload Apple Music Downloader

PasteDownload Apple Music Downloader is a multi-site downloader that supports Apple Music to MP3 on iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac. 

  • Website: https://pastedownload.com/apple-video-downloader/
  • The Experience: Although it supports parsing playlist links, it fails to load all tracks and only allows downloading one song at a time.
Pros Cons
Can output MP3 or other formats Ad-heavy
No login required No true batch downloads

How to use PasteDownload Apple Music Downloader:

  1. Open Apple Music, and click the song > Share > Copy Link
  2. Paste the URL in the tab and click Download

Apl Music Downloader (Often offline)

Apl Music Downloader is another Apple Music to MP3 downloader that is compatible with all devices. 

Apl-music-downloader-test-results

  • Website: https://aplmusicdownloader.net/
  • The Experience: It fails to parse the single song or playlist link
Pros Cons
Simple web-based workflow Too many ads
No software install required Low success rate

Soundloaders Apple Music Downloader (Expired)

Save Apple Music to MP3 with Soundloader Apple Music Downloader is quite easy. Using any of the common web browsers, you can access this tool on different devices and platforms.

  • Website: https://www.soundloaders.com/apple-music-downloader/ (redirected)
  • The Experience: In our 2026 testing, we found that Soundloaders' website no longer exists. So it is unavailable.
Pros Cons
Claims up to 320 kbps output for some tracks No playlist batch support
Can keep basic ID3 tags Slow and less stable than other online converters

Method 3: Best Professional Apple Music to MP3 Converter: MusicFab

If you are tired of ads, slow speeds, and failed downloads, the professional solution is MusicFab Apple Music Converter. It solves this by respecting your time:

  • Speed: Download an entire 100-song playlist in 5 minutes (20x Speed).
  • Quality: Get Lossless ALAC or 320kbps MP3 directly from Apple's server (not YouTube).
  • Accuracy: Lyrics, ID3 Tags, and Artwork are auto-saved.
musicfab
  •   Various formats supported like MP3, FLAC, M4A, WAV, OPUS
  •   Download songs, albums, podcasts, or playlists in batches
  •   Save accurate and entire ID3 tags and lyrics 
  •   Save songs in high quality up to 320 Kbps/24-bit, 44.1 kHz.

How to Download Apple Music Playlists to MP3 Using MusicFab 

Most free online converters fail when you paste a Playlist URL. They either ask you to download songs one by one or crash due to server overload.  To download a full playlist (e.g., "Top 100 Global" or your personal mix), you need MusicFab, which supports real quick batch conversion.

  • Step 1: Launch the MusicFab on your computer, go to VIP Services > Select the “Apple Music”

How to Convert Apple Music to MP3 using musicfab

  • Step 2: Log in to your premium Apple Music account.  Use the built-in browser to browse and select your favorite Apple Music song or music track and tap the Arrow button. The program will automatically analyze the music information.

musicfab apple music converter analyze

  • Step 3: Choose your desired output format and quality in the pop-up window. After that, select “Download Now” to finish the Apple Music to MP3 conversion process.

Downloading Apple Music Playlist to MP3 with MusicFab

Tips:

  • If you need to convert Apple Music to MP3 on iPhone, transfer the files to your device.
  • You can download 3 full songs with no limits to try it for free.

Best Apple Music to MP3 Converters Overview

Here are the honest picks about the top free option and the professional solution during our test.

Best For Recommended Tool Why it Wins
Best for Single Songs APLMate

No installation required

free online Apple Music to MP3 tool

Best for Playlists

MusicFab

Top Pick

Downloads lossless audio & lyrics at 20x speed

Conclusion

While a quick Google search reveals many Free Apple Music Converters, our testing shows that most of these tools are actually YouTube downloaders in disguise. They don't download from Apple's server; they record low-quality audio from YouTube videos. This leads to:

  1. Low Bitrate: Often capped at 128 kbps-192 kbps, not the 320kbps or lossless quality you expect.
  2. Instability: Pop-up ads, malware risks, and frequent server failures.
  3. No ID3 Tags: Missing artwork and album info

For stable, high-quality files and full playlists, a desktop converter like MusicFab is often the better route.

FAQs

Is It Legal to Save Apple Music to MP3?

It depends on how you use the files. Recording or converting streaming music for personal offline use is okay. But distributing or sharing those files with others is strictly illegal and violates copyright laws. Disclaimer: This guide is for educational purposes only.

Can You Convert Apple Music to MP3 Directly?

You can't download streaming music from Apple Music to MP3 inside the Apple Music app. Apple Music itself doesn't give you a "Download as MP3" button. 

If you purchased songs from the iTunes Store, they come as AAC files. You can convert them to MP3 using the Music app or iTunes for Windows by changing the import settings and creating an MP3 version.

To convert DRM files to MP3, you need either:

  • A free Apple Music to MP3 converter online for quick downloads 
  • A long-term advanced desktop Apple Music to MP3 converter for batch downloads 

Can you download music from Apple Music to MP3 on iPhone directly?

Yes, using web-based tools (like APLMate mentioned above) in Safari. But iOS file management is tricky. You have to save the file to Files and then find a third-party player. It is much easier to convert on a PC/Mac first using MusicFab and then sync the MP3s to your iPhone.

What is the best method for Apple playlist to MP3?

  • For 1-3 songs: Use a free online site like APLMate.
  • For playlists/albums: use MusicFab Apple Music Converter. It handles batch downloading, ID3 tags and high quality.