With the announcement of Google Play Music shutting down in October, users of the service have been wondering how to transfer Google Play Music over to the new platform. When the doors finally close on Google Play Music, Youtube will become Google’s primary platform for music.
A transfer process has been released for people to bring over their music libraries, playlists, paid content, personal uploads, and recommendations to the new platform. The process can be completed either on a mobile device, or on your desktop, and with a few easy clicks, you’ll be converted over in no time.
Using an Andriod or iOS Device
The process for transferring over is the same regardless of the mobile device you are using.
- Check to see that you have the latest version of both Youtube Music and Google Play on your device.
- Open the Youtube Music app, and navigate to the home screen. When you’re there, you will see a “Transfer your Play Music library” banner at the top of the app. You can also find an option to transfer your library in the settings page as well.
- Tap on that banner, and you’ll be taken to a screen preparing you for the transfer. There will be a “Let’s Go!” button on that screen, press it. You will then see a screen presenting all of the playlists, paid content, recommendations, and liked and disliked songs that will transfer over.
- Press the “Start Transfer” button and sit back and relax. The process often only takes a few minutes to complete. Please note, as you press that button, you will be prompted to agree to Youtube’s Terms of Service.
- You can track the progress of the transfer with a glance, by looking at the loading bar that will appear at the top of the Youtube Music app. The transfer speed will be tied directly to the size of the library you had on Google Play.
- You will receive a notification when the transfer is complete. Take a second to look around the app and make sure all of your content has been transferred successfully.
Using a Web Browser
You can also begin the transfer using the web browser, both on your mobile and desktop device. A helpful video was posted by Team Youtube guiding users through the process.
To begin the process, simply go to music.youtube/transfer and click “Transfer.”
One Transfer, One Snapshot
After you transfer your library over to Youtube Music, if you continue to use the Google Play app your settings will not automatically update on the new platform. This means you will have to do another transfer process to get your new settings back over to Youtube.
This is because there is no constant connection between the two platforms, as they operate independently from one another. When you change something on Google Play, the servers in Youtube are not there to be aware of it. This includes new purchases, changes to your playlist, and recommendation changes.
The good news, however, is that Google has programmed the transfer process to only move over changed settings in a new transfer. This means the process won’t have to move your entire library over again, saving you a lot of time.
Common Questions Answered
I want to keep using Google Play, when does it shut down?
Google has stated that the service will close sometime in October, and in September for users in New Zealand and South Africa.
What happened to all the music I purchased on Google Play?
All of your paid content will be ported over to the new platform. However, Youtube, unlike Google Play, does not let you buy music directly. Despite this, you will still be able to access the songs you have purchased.
What happend to my podcasts?
Podcasts have now moved over to Google Podcasts, and that is where you can find all of your podcast content from now on.
Can I lose music in the transfer?
It is possible to lose your music in the transfer, yes. Since the two libraries of Google Play and Youtube are not exactly the same, some songs may encounter licensing issues when you port over. This may be resolved at a later time, as licensing is renegotiated for Youtube in the wake of Google Play closing.
Will I lose my subscriptions?
In an surprise act of extreme generiousity, Google will port over any subscription that you have with Google Play onto the Youtube platform with no changes. That means if you’re still enjoying that $8 a month deal from 2013, then you’re still going to have that on Youtube.
How long do I have to transfer over my library?
The transfer process will be closed in December of 2020. The exact date has not been announced.
Youtube Music – An Exciting New Music Platform?
With the death of Google Play, the tech giant now stands solely behind Youtube Music as their platform for music content. Will this mean, moving forward, that Youtube will become more competetive with Spotify and iTunes? Time will tell. Google has definately tried their best to sweeten the pot to users moving over from the Google Play platform.
Do you have a wealth of music on Google Play to transfer over?
Did this article help you get your library over?
Tell us all about it in the comment section down below!