In this quick guide we’ll show you how to transfer iTunes music to your Galaxy S9. So whether you just switched from the iPhone, or simply use iTunes, you can still get all of your music on Android. There are a few different ways to transfer it, that way you’re not leaving your entire Apple music collection behind.
Samsung’s new phones have a lot to offer. Along with big screens or dual cameras on the Galaxy S9+ is a 3.5mm headphone jack. Apple ditched headphone jacks, and users aren’t happy about it. Which is why some iPhone users are making the switch from iPhone to Android.
Read: 10 Best Music Player Apps for Android
Thankfully there are multiple different ways to transfer all of your iTunes music. You can move it directly from your old iPhone to the Galaxy S9 or copy it from a computer. We’ll explain them all in detail so you can keep on enjoying your tunes.
How to Transfer iTunes Music to the Galaxy S9
The first and easiest way to bring your iTunes with you to the Galaxy S9 is to simply copy it from your old phone. If you switched from iPhone Samsung has an easy to use tool that does all the work for you. In fact, Samsung’s “SmartSwitch” app will transfer your entire phone, some apps, text messages, call logs and all of your music. It’s an all-in-one solution. We’ll start with that, then share a few other one-click solutions to make the switch easier than ever before.
Transfer with SmartSwitch
Samsung’s tool comes pre-installed on your Galaxy S9, then you just need it for your PC or Mac. Download Samsung SmartSwitch on your computer, or use a USB cable to transfer everything from phone to phone. Either way works great.
Connect an iPhone Lightning cable to the iPhone and the USB end to the Samsung dongle provided in the box with the Galaxy S9. That little dongle (pictured below) is what makes this work. Then find and launch the SmartSwitch app. Follow Samsung’s how to use SmartSwitch for more details.
Follow the on-screen prompts, and it will transfer your entire phone and iTunes library in around 30 minutes. Give or take a few minutes depending on how much music you have. With 64GB of storage on the Galaxy S9, you should be able to take all of your music with you. Or, add it to a microSD card.
Alternatively, download SmartSwitch for your computer and use it to drag and drop music from your PC to the Galaxy S9. If you didn’t have all of your music on your iPhone, this works right from iTunes on your computer too.
Transfer with the Drag & Drop Method
Personally, the drag and drop method is the easiest way to do things. Not to mention you can control what does or doesn’t transfer to your new phone. This is basically connecting your phone to the computer, then manually dragging and dropping music to the Galaxy S9.
Plug your phone into the computer with the included cable, or a microSD card, then drag all songs, albums, or collections to a new folder. You can name it Music, or iTunes Music. This moves everything at once and is extremely simple. Then, you’ll have all your music on the S9, or on an SD card you can throw in and take with you next time you upgrade. Here’s where to find your music on a computer.
Using the included USB to USB Type-C cable connect your phone and get started.
iTunes Locations
- Windows XP – C:\Documents and Settings\ (username)\ My Documents \My Music \iTunes
- Windows 7, 8, 10 or Windows Vista – C:\ (username) \My Music \iTunes
- Mac OS X – /users /username/ Music/ iTunes
Once you find your iTunes music folder you’ll want to open that and have it handy on the desktop. Now simply connect the Galaxy S9 via USB to your computer, or insert an SD card. You may need to pull down the notification bar on your phone and select USB options to turn on Media Transfer Protocol (MTP). This lets the phone and PC talk to each other.
If you have a Mac, download the Android File Transfer program. Install that, then plug your phone in with the USB Cable and you’ll see something like our image below. Locate or create a music folder and get started.
Now, just click on the iTunes Music folder you left on your desktop or from our first set of instructions and drag it to the “Music” folder or any folder inside the Android File Transfer window above. Basically, you’re dragging all of iTunes, or select folders, to your Galaxy S9.
Read: Best Galaxy S9 MicroSD Cards
If you don’t have enough space, use a microSD card from our recommended list above. Once the transfer completes, unplug your phone and enjoy the music with one of the many music player apps for Android.
iTunes to Android Transfer Tool
Next, you can use one of several tools to transfer iTunes for you. Those who’d rather not dig through files and folders can use iTunes to Android Galaxy Transfer. This is a free tool you can download on Windows or Mac, that lets you easily transfer your stuff. It’s a pretty handy and powerful tool, but we’re focusing on music and iTunes here.
Install iTunes to Android Transfer on your PC or Mac, and open the program. It will open iTunes at the same time, basically making the process even easier. Next, just connect your Galaxy S9 to the computer and follow the on-screen instructions. There are two options you can choose: “Sync iTunes to Android” and “Clean Up iTunes Library”.
Click on “Sync iTunes to Android”, then choose “Entire library” or “Select playlists” to sync iTunes to a new Galaxy. It works for music, movies, and other file types. Choose what you want to move, and watch the magic happen. This just automates everything for you, which is nice.
They have a nice interface that’s easy to follow and understand. Albums have full artwork so it’s easy to see what you’re transferring too. Use this if the other steps are too confusing. It’s an all-in-one tool you’ll really enjoy.
Transfer iTunes to Google Play Music
And finally, you can use Google Play Music, which is what we recommend. It’s one of the best options because you can stream your music from the cloud, or manually add it to your phone. Either option works great with Google’s music situation. You can transfer everything quickly over WiFi, or upload iTunes music to the Google cloud. Google Play Music lets you store up to 50,000 songs in the cloud too, completely free.
Head to Google Play Music in a web browser on a computer. Tap the three lines at the top left and scroll down to “upload music”. From here you’ll be instructed to download Music Manager. This is the tool you need.
Sign into your Gmail account, install Music Manager, and follow the on-screen prompts. You then upload everything from iTunes to Google Play Music and access it from your Galaxy S9 with ease. Google’s tool will scan your computer and find any and all music, then, instantly transfers your entire collection. Head to Settings > Preferences to control your upload settings.
Other Details
In closing, make sure you know how you want to listen to and access your music before you start. All of our methods above put your iTunes music physically on the Galaxy S9. That way you can listen to music whenever you want. That said, if you use Google Music, it stores everything in the cloud. Meaning you’ll need a WiFi connection to listen to music, or you’ll use up your monthly data plan streaming your iTunes music.
Google Music does let you download the entire collection to your phone too, that way you can listen without the internet. Just keep that in mind while you’re moving all of your songs. Personally, I have all of my music on a microSD card. That way I’m not wasting space on my Galaxy S9, and I don’t need the internet to listen to anything. It’s all available 24/7.
Before you go, take a peek at these 20 best Galaxy S9 cases.
