Switching from Android to iPhone always involves the need to transfer data - photos, contacts and, of course, your favorite music. If everything is more or less clear with photos and videos (they can be uploaded to the cloud or sent via messenger), then difficulties often arise with audio files. Formats may not be supported, and standard tools like AirDrop work only between devices Apple.

In this article we will examine 5 proven methods transferring music - from simple (via the cloud) to advanced (using a PC and specialized software). You will find out which method is the fastest, which one preserves the original quality of the tracks, and which one is suitable if you don’t have a computer at hand. We will also compare supported formats on Android and iPhoneso that you know in advance whether you will have to convert the files.

Important: if you use streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music, you may not need to transfer local files - just log in to the new device. But if you have a collection in the format .mp3, .flac or .wav, read on.

1. Transferring music through cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud)

The most universal method that does not require a computer is uploading tracks to the cloud and then downloading to iPhone. Suitable for small collections (up to 5–10 GB), since free plans are limited.

How it works:

  • 📁 Upload music from Android to the cloud (for example, Google Disk or Dropbox).
  • 📱 Download files to iPhone via a browser or cloud service application.
  • 🎵 Transfer downloaded tracks to the application "Music" (or a third-party player).

Detailed instructions for Google Drive:

  1. On Android open the application Google Drive, click + → Download and select music files.
  2. Wait for the download to complete (speed depends on the Internet).
  3. On iPhone install Google Drive from App Store, log in and find the downloaded tracks.
  4. Click on the file → "More" (three dots) → Save. The file will be downloaded to the folder "Downloads".
  5. Open the application "Files" on iPhone, find the downloaded track and click "Share" → "Save to Music".
⚠️ Attention: When uploading to Google Drive files larger than 250 MB are converted to format .mp3 with a bitrate of 320 kbps. If it is important to maintain the original quality (for example, for .flac), use Dropbox or iCloud Drive.
📊 Which cloud service do you use most often?
Google Drive
Dropbox
iCloud
Yandex Disk
Other

2. Transferring music via cable (via a computer)

If you have PC or Mac, this method will be the most reliable - it works even with large collections (tens of gigabytes) and saves all track metadata (covers, tags). You will need a cable USB-Type C for Android and Lightning/USB-C for iPhone (depending on the model).

Step-by-step guide for Windows:

  • 🖥️ Connect Android to the computer in mode "File transfer" (select the appropriate mode in the notification shade).
  • 📂 Find the music folder (usually this Music or Download) and copy the files to your computer.
  • 🍎 Connect iPhone to the PC, open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and newer).
  • 🎶 Go to the section "Files" → "Music" and drag the copied tracks to the library.
  • 🔄 Synchronize iPhone with iTunes (click "Apply").

For macOS the algorithm is similar, but instead iTunes used Finder. Important: if this is your first time connecting iPhone to a computer, you will need to unlock the device and confirm trust.

Method Max. speed Maintain quality Do you need a computer? Complexity
Cloud (Google Drive) Up to 10 Mbit/s ❌ (conversion >250 MB) ❌ ⭐
Cable + iTunes Up to 40 Mbit/s (USB 3.0) ✅ ✅ ⭐⭐
AirDroid Up to 20 Mbit/s ✅ ❌ ⭐⭐
Email/Messengers Up to 5 Mbps ✅ (size limit) ❌ ⭐

Is Android connected in "File Transfer" mode?

Is iTunes installed (or Finder on Mac)?

Is the iPhone unlocked when you first connect?

Is there enough space on the iPhone for music?

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3. Wireless transfer via AirDroid or Send Anywhere

If you don’t have a cable at hand and the cloud seems slow, you can use specialized applications for transferring files via Wi-Fi. The most popular are AirDroid i Send Anywhere. They work directly between devices without intermediaries, which speeds up the process.

Instructions for Send Anywhere:

  1. Install the application on both devices (Android and iPhone).
  2. On Android select files to send and click "Send". A 6-digit code will be generated.
  3. On iPhone enter this code in the field "Receive".
  4. Confirm the transfer on Android — files will start downloading to iPhone.
  5. After downloading, transfer the tracks to the application "Music" via "Files" → "On my iPhone".

AirDroid works similarly, but requires registration. Its advantage is the ability to transfer entire folders without compression. The downside is the limitation on free traffic (up to 200 MB/day).

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If the transfer is interrupted, check whether both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If your router blocks P2P connections, try using a mobile hotspot on Android.

4. Transfer via messengers (Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp)

The simplest, but most limited way is to send tracks to yourself in the messenger. Suitable for a small number of files (up to 1–2 GB), since:

  • 📌 WhatsApp limit the file size to 100 MB.
  • 📌 Telegram allows you to upload files up to 2 GB (in regular chats) or 20 GB (in channels).
  • 📌 Viber — up to 200 MB.

How to transfer music via Telegram:

  1. On Android open the chat "Saved messages" (or any other chat with you).
  2. Attach music files as documents (click "Paperclip" → "File").
  3. On iPhone open the same chat, download the files (click on the track → "Save to Files").
  4. Transfer the downloaded tracks to the application "Music".
⚠️ Attention: When sending via messengers .flac i .wav files may be automatically converted in .mp3 with loss of quality. Check the format after downloading!

5. Using specialized apps (Syncios, AnyTrans)

If you need to transfer not only music, but also playlists, album covers or other metadata, you should pay attention to paid apps like Syncios or AnyTrans. They can:

  • 🔄 Transfer music directly between Android and iPhone without a computer (via Wi-Fi).
  • 🎧 Save playlist structure and tags tracks.
  • 📱 Work with other types of data (contacts, messages, photos).

Cons:

  • ⚠️ Paid license (from $30 for AnyTrans).
  • ⚠️ There may be problems with supporting new models iPhone (check compatibility on the developer's website).

Instructions for Syncios:

  1. Install Syncios on your computer and connect both smartphones.
  2. In the main menu, select "Data transfer" → "Android to iOS".
  3. Tick the checkbox "Music" and click "Next".
  4. Wait for the process to complete (may take up to 30 minutes for large collections).
What to do if the app does not see the iPhone?

1. Update iTunes to the latest version.

2. Reinstall the Apple Mobile Device drivers (download from the official website).

3. Try another USB port or cable (original Lightning).

4. Restart your computer and smartphones.

Format comparison: what iPhone supports and what it doesn't

Before transferring music, check whether your files are compatible with iPhone. Here is a list of supported formats:

Format Supported on iPhone? Notes
.mp3 ✅ Any bitrate (up to 320 kbps).
.aac ✅ Standard format for Apple Music.
.wav ✅ No compression, but takes up a lot of space.
.flac ❌ Requires conversion or a third-party player (for example, VOX).
.ogg ❌ Not supported by the standard Music application.

If you have files in unaccompanied formats (.flac, .ogg), there are two options:

  1. Convert them to .mp3 or .aac using apps like Audacity or Freemake Audio Converter.
  2. Install on iPhone a third-party player that supports these formats (for example, VOX or FLAC Player).
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If you use streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music), there is no need to transfer local files - just log in to your new iPhone and download playlists for offline listening.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

When transferring music, users often encounter serious problems and ways to solve them:

  • 🚫 Files aren't showing up in the Music app

    Reason: the tracks are not synchronized with the library iTunes. Solution: connect iPhone to your computer, open iTunes, go to "File" → "Library" → "Update library".

  • 🚫 Music plays without sound

    Cause: unsupported format or damaged files Solution: check the format (see table above) or convert the tracks again.

  • 🚫 Not enough space on iPhone

    Reason: music takes up too much memory. Solution: use cloud storage services (for example, Apple Music Match for $25/year you can store up to 100,000 tracks in the cloud).

If you transfer music via iTunes and you see an error "Unable to sync iPhone", try:

  1. Update iTunes to the latest version.
  2. Restart your computer and iPhone.
  3. Disable your antivirus (sometimes it blocks file transfers).
  4. Reset synchronization settings in iTunes ("Edit" → "Settings" → "Devices" → "Reset warnings").
Is it possible to transfer music from Android to iPhone without computer?

Yes, there are several ways:

  • Through cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox).
  • Using file transfer applications (Send Anywhere, AirDroid).
  • By sending files to your messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp).

The fastest option is Send Anywhere (transfer via Wi-Fi without size restrictions).

Why does music play in the wrong order on iPhone after transfer?

The reason is incorrectly saved metadata (tags) of the tracks. To fix:

  1. Use a tag editing app (for example, Mp3tag on a PC).
  2. Make sure that the fields «Track Number» are filled out correctly (for example, 01, 02, 03...).
  3. Restart your media library to iPhone ("Settings" → "Music" → "Optimize storage" → "Turn off and on").
How to transfer playlists from Android to iPhone?

Standard methods (cloud, cable) transfer only files, but not playlists To save. structure:

  • Use Spotify or Apple Music —they synchronize playlists between devices.
  • Export playlists to a file .m3u on Android (using apps like Powerampand then import to iPhone via VOX or iMazing.
Is it possible to transfer music from Android to iPhone via Bluetooth?

Technically it is possible, but this extremely inconvenient:

  • Bluetooth transfers files very slowly (speed ~1–2 Mbit/s).
  • iPhone does not support receiving files via Bluetooth from Android (sending only).
  • To bypass restrictions, third-party applications are needed (for example, Bluetooth File Transfer), but they often work unstable.

We recommend using other methods from this articles.

What to do if there is not enough space for music on your iPhone?

Solution options:

  • 🎵 Use Apple Music or Spotify —stream music instead of storing locally.
  • 🖥️ Store music in the cloud (iCloud Drive, Google Drive) and stream from there.
  • 📱 Delete unnecessary applications or photos to free up space ("Settings" → “Basic” → “iPhone Storage”).
  • 🔄 Convert music to .aac (takes up less space than .wav or .flac).