How to Upload iTunes Music /Apple Music to OneDrive

Part 1. Apple Music vs. iTunes Purchases: What You Can Upload to OneDrive

Before you begin the upload process, it is critical to understand the difference between iTunes purchases and Apple Music subscription tracks. OneDrive treats these two file types very differently.

Files You CAN Upload and Play:

• iTunes Purchases: Songs you bought individually from the iTunes Store (after 2009) are "iTunes Plus" files. They are DRM-free (.m4a) and are fully compatible with OneDrive.
• Ripped CDs & Imports: Any music you ripped from your own CDs or downloaded from other sources (.mp3, .wav, .aac) belongs to you and will work perfectly.

Files You CANNOT Play on OneDrive:

• Apple Music Subscription Tracks: If you use the monthly Apple Music service to download songs for offline listening, these files are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM). They usually have an .m4p extension. Even if you successfully upload them to OneDrive, they will not play because they are encrypted to only work inside the Apple Music app.

Part 2. How to Upload Protected iTunes Music to OneDrive

To upload your protected music library to OneDrive, you first need to find where the actual files are stored on your computer's hard drive. Apple often tucks these away in specific system folders.

Step 1Finding the Music Folder on Your Computer

For Windows (10 & 11)

By default, Windows stores your iTunes media in your user profile's Music folder.

1. Open File Explorer from your taskbar.
2. Navigate to this path: C:\Users[YourUserName]\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music.
3. If the folder is empty or missing, open the iTunes app, click Edit > Preferences > Advanced, and look at the "iTunes Media folder location" box to see the custom path where your files are saved.

For macOS Computer

On a Mac, your music files are integrated into the system's Music app structure.

1. Open a Finder window.
2. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Go and select Home.
3. Open the Music folder. Inside, you will find a folder named Music, and within that, a Media folder containing your artist directories.

Step 2Upload iTunes Music to OneDrive

Once you have located your compatible files, you can choose between two upload methods depending on the size of your library.

From Web Interface (Best for Small Batches)

If you only want to back up a few specific albums or artists, the web browser is the quickest route.

1. Log in to your account at the OneDrive website.
2. Click the + Create or Upload button in the top left corner and select Folder upload.



3. Navigate to the music folder you located in the previous step. Select the specific Artist or Album folders you wish to upload and click Open.
4. A progress bar will appear. Keep the browser tab open until the upload completes. After that, you can view all iTunes songs under the My Files section.

From Desktop Sync App (Best for Full Libraries)

For larger collections (10GB+), using the OneDrive desktop app is more stable and allows you to pause/resume the process.

1. Ensure the OneDrive app is running on your computer. You should see a cloud icon in your Windows taskbar or Mac menu bar.
2. Open your OneDrive folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
3. Create a new folder inside OneDrive and name it something clear, like "Music Backup".
4. Drag your local music folders into this new "Music Backup" folder.
5. Watch the sync status icons. Blue arrows mean the files are uploading; a green checkmark means the upload is complete and your music is safe in the cloud.

Part 3. How to Upload Apple Music to OneDrive

As we've established, DRM (Digital Rights Management) is the primary barrier preventing you from uploading Apple Music or protected iTunes tracks to OneDrive. To bypass this, you need a reliable way to convert these files into an unprotected format.

While the market is flooded with various converters, DRmare Apple Music Converter remains a top-tier choice. It is a specialized, user-friendly tool engineered to strip protection from Apple Music and iTunes M4P songs. By converting your Apple Music library into formats like MP3, FLAC, or WAV, it makes your music collection compatible with OneDrive and any other cloud service or device. It preserves the original audio quality and all ID3 tags (like cover art, artist, and album info), so your OneDrive library remains organized.

How to Download and Put Apple Music on OneDrive

Step 1Import Apple Music tracks to DRmare

Please double click on the DRmare Apple Music Converter to open it on your computer. Then move your mouse to the top-right corner within the built-in Apple Music Web Player and hit on the 'Sign In' button to authorize your Apple Account. Then, you can browse your library and tap the 'Add' > 'Add to List' button to load them to the conversion queue.

Step 2Set Apple Music output format for OneDrive

You can click the 'DRmare Apple Music Converter' name from the Apple menu bar or 'Menu' icon to open the settings window. Here, you can go to the 'Conversion' option to set the Apple Music output format, codec, bit rate, sample rate, channel, etc. as you want for OneDrive.

Step 3Convert Apple Music for OneDrive

Now touch on the big 'Convert' button and the conversion will start. Once finished the conversion, you will find the converted Apple Music files at the target folder on your computer. Just click on the 'Converted' > 'Folder' button and you will be navigated to the right place.

Now that your files are DRM-free, you can use the standard upload methods to back up your Apple Music to OneDrive. Whether you prefer using the OneDrive desktop app or the web browser, the process is as simple as dragging and dropping your new files into your cloud storage.

Part 4. In Conclusion

Uploading music to OneDrive is absolutely possible, as long as your files are DRM-free iTunes purchases. While Apple Music subscription tracks cannot be uploaded due to DRM restrictions directly, you can use DRmare Apple Music Converter to bridge the gap.

By understanding the file types, locating or converting your music, and choosing one of the upload methods above, you can successfully back up your Apple Music library to OneDrive and access it anywhere.