Google Music in Other Music Players: How to Access

Yes, you can access your Google Music library in other music players, but the method depends on whether you still have a Google Play Music account or have migrated to YouTube Music. This article explains the current options for playing your purchased or uploaded music outside of Google’s own apps, including downloading files and using third-party players that connect to your library.

Background: Google Play Music and YouTube Music

Google Play Music was Google’s music streaming and storage service, launched in 2011. It allowed users to upload up to 50,000 of their own songs and stream them for free, alongside a subscription service. In 2020, Google replaced Play Music with YouTube Music. The old service was shut down completely in December 2020. If you had a Play Music library, Google transferred your purchases and uploads to YouTube Music. That migration is now complete, so there is no way to access the old Play Music interface or its API. The only current Google music services are YouTube Music (for streaming and your personal library) and Google Play Store (for buying individual songs or albums, which then appear in YouTube Music).

How to Download Your Music from YouTube Music

To use your Google music in another player, you first need to download the actual audio files. YouTube Music lets you download your purchased or uploaded songs as MP3 files, but not your streamed subscription tracks. Here’s how:

1. Open YouTube Music on the web (music.youtube.com) and sign in with the Google account that holds your music.
2. Go to the Library tab and select Songs, Albums, or Artists.
3. Find the song or album you want. For a single song, click the three-dot menu next to it and choose “Download�. For an album, do the same on the album page.
4. The download will start as a ZIP file (for albums) or a single MP3 file (for songs). Check your browser’s downloads folder.
5. Extract the ZIP if needed. The files are DRM-free MP3s, so you can copy them to any device or player.

Note: You cannot download songs that are only available through a YouTube Music Premium subscription. Those are streamed only and are not yours to keep. Only your uploaded or purchased music is downloadable.

Using Third-Party Music Players with Your Files

Once you have the MP3 files, you can play them in virtually any music player that supports local files. Popular options include:

• VLC Media Player – free, open-source, works on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS.
• Foobar2000 – highly customizable, available on Windows, Android, Mac.
• MusicBee – a feature-rich player for Windows.
• Poweramp – a powerful Android player with a wide format support.
• Apple Music (iTunes) – you can import MP3s into your library and sync to your iPhone.

Simply import the downloaded files into the player’s library. For mobile, you can transfer the files via USB, cloud storage (like Google Drive), or a file-syncing app. There is no direct integration between YouTube Music and these players – you must download first.

Streaming Your Library in Other Apps (Without Downloading)

If you want to stream your Google music library inside another app without downloading every file, the options are limited. Some third-party apps, like CloudPlayer or DoubleTwist, can connect to cloud storage services (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) and stream music from there. You could upload your downloaded MP3s to Google Drive and then use such an app to stream them. However, this is not a direct connection to YouTube Music. There is no official API that lets other players access your YouTube Music library. So, if you want to keep your library in a single third-party player, you must download your files and then either store them locally or in a cloud service that the player supports.

Common Problems and Solutions

Problem: I can’t find the download option for a song. If the three-dot menu doesn’t show “Download�, the song is likely not your purchase or upload – it’s a streamed track from YouTube Music. Only your own content is downloadable.

Problem: The downloaded file is a ZIP and I can’t open it. Use any file extractor (like 7-Zip, WinRAR, or the built-in Windows extractor). After extracting, you’ll get a folder of MP3s.

Problem: The MP3 files have no metadata (artist, album). Some downloads may lose tags. You can use a tag editor like MP3Tag to fix them manually.

Problem: I transferred files to my phone but they don’t appear in my player. Make sure the player is set to scan the folder where you placed the files. In many apps, you need to add the folder to the library manually.

Problem: I had Google Play Music, but now I can’t log in. Google Play Music is gone. You must use YouTube Music with the same Google account. If you don’t see your library, check that you are using the correct account and that the migration was completed (it was automatic).

Comparison: Downloading vs. Streaming in Another Player

• Downloading gives you permanent files, works offline, and works with any player. It requires storage space and manual transfer.
• Streaming via cloud (e.g., upload to Google Drive and use a cloud player) saves local storage but requires an internet connection and a third-party app that supports that cloud.
• Direct integration is not available – no app can play your YouTube Music library without you first downloading the files.

If you have a large library, downloading all of it may take time and space. But it’s the only way to use your music in a different player.

Costs and Limitations

Downloading your own purchased or uploaded music is free. There is no charge for that. However, if you want to stream your library in another app via cloud, you may need to pay for cloud storage if you exceed the free tier (Google Drive gives 15 GB free). Also, you cannot download songs that you only have through a YouTube Music Premium subscription – those are licensed for streaming only. If you cancel Premium, you lose access to those streamed tracks, but your purchased and uploaded music remains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Google Play Music app to play my music in another player? No, the Google Play Music app is shut down. It no longer works. Your music is now in YouTube Music.

Can I connect my YouTube Music account to VLC or another player? No, there is no official integration. You must download the music files first and then open them in the player.

Does downloading from YouTube Music remove the song from my library? No, downloading a copy does not delete the original from your YouTube Music library. You can keep both.

Can I download all my music at once? There is no bulk download button for the entire library. You have to download songs or albums individually. Some third-party tools claim to automate this, but they may violate YouTube’s terms of service and are not recommended.

Are the downloaded files DRM-free? Yes, your purchased and uploaded music is downloaded as DRM-free MP3s, so you can play them anywhere.

What if I don’t see my old Play Music uploads in YouTube Music? If you had a Play Music account, your uploads should have been transferred automatically. If they are missing, contact Google support – but note that the migration period is over, and there might be no recovery option.

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