How to Add Your CDs to Apple Music
(Every Method, 2026)
There are two ways to get a CD into Apple Music, and they give you different things. Ripping copies the audio off the disc into files you own. Adding to your library puts the Apple Music version of the album next to the rest of your music, streamed rather than copied. Which one you want depends on whether you need the files or just want to listen.
The short answer
- You want the actual audio files, lossless or for an iPod: rip the CD on a computer with a disc drive.
- You have Apple Music and want your collection in your library: scan the barcodes on your iPhone. No drive, no computer.
- You have a big shelf: ripping takes about ten minutes per disc. Scanning 100 CDs takes about an hour.
Method 1: Rip CDs on a Mac
The Music app on a Mac can still import CDs, but you need a disc drive. No current Mac has one built in, so for most people that means an external USB drive.
- Connect the drive and insert the CD.
- Open the Music app. The CD appears in the sidebar.
- Click Import CD and choose the format. AAC is the default; Apple Lossless keeps full quality.
- Wait for the import to finish, then eject.
To get the ripped albums onto your iPhone, either turn on Sync Library (needs an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscription) or sync your iPhone with a cable.
Apple's own steps: support.apple.com/guide/music/mus2935/mac
Method 2: Rip CDs on Windows
This used to be simple in iTunes. It isn't anymore. Once you install Apple's newer Windows apps (Apple Music, Apple TV or Apple Devices), iTunes only handles podcasts and audiobooks, and the Apple Music app for Windows has no CD import.
The workaround most people end up with:
- Uninstall Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices.
- Reinstall iTunes and import the CD there.
- Move the files into your library, or keep using iTunes for syncing.
It works, but it means choosing between Apple's new apps and your CDs.
Method 3: Add CDs from your iPhone, no computer
If you don't need the files, you can skip ripping entirely. Every CD has a barcode on the back of the case. A scanner app reads it, identifies the album and adds the Apple Music version to your library.
What you need:
- An iPhone
- An active Apple Music subscription
- The CD cases (the discs themselves aren't needed)
What you get: the album in your Apple Music library, with artwork and track list, playable on every device. What you don't get: files. If you cancel Apple Music, the albums go with it.
Scanner apps compared
| App | Price | Scanning | What it adds | Album data from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stakkr | $4.99 once | Batch: scan a stack, send all at once | Albums to your library | Discogs |
| Marquee | Free (Pro subscription available) | One album at a time | Opens the album in Apple Music to add | Apple Music |
| iDigMusic | $0.99 | One album at a time | Albums to your library | Not stated |
| Digital Disc | Paid | Scan or browse | Apple Music playlists | Discogs |
Prices vary by country and change; check the App Store.
Marquee is a good free choice if you have a few albums and want a nicer Apple Music player anyway. I built Stakkr for the other situation: a box or a shelf, where scanning one album, adding it, then going back to the camera gets slow. In Stakkr you scan the whole stack, check each album against its cover art, and send them all to Apple Music in one tap.
What if an album isn't on Apple Music?
Some CDs won't come across. Rare pressings, small labels and some regional releases aren't on Apple Music, and catalogues differ between countries. A good scanner app tells you which albums failed instead of skipping them silently. Stakkr shows you what was added and what wasn't. For the ones that are missing, ripping is still the answer.
Which method should you use?
- A few CDs, have a Mac and a drive: rip them.
- Need lossless files or an iPod: rip them.
- On Windows with Apple's new apps installed: scanning avoids the iTunes workaround.
- A whole collection and Apple Music: scan them. An hour, not a weekend.
Stakkr is on the App Store. $4.99, once.
FAQ
Can I upload my CDs to Apple Music?
Not directly from the disc to the cloud. You either rip the CD on a computer and let Sync Library upload the files, or you add the Apple Music versions of the albums to your library with a scanner app.
Do I need a subscription?
For ripping, no, though syncing ripped files across devices needs Apple Music or iTunes Match. For scanning into your library, yes: an active Apple Music subscription.
Does scanning copy the music from my CD?
No. It adds the Apple Music version of the same album. The CD stays the only copy you own.
Can I add CDs to Apple Music without a computer?
Yes, by scanning the barcodes with an iPhone app. You need Apple Music for this.
How long does a full collection take?
Ripping: roughly ten minutes per disc. Scanning: a few seconds per case, so 100 CDs takes about an hour.
Does it work with vinyl?
Stakkr is built for CDs. Barcode scanning in general only helps with records released after barcodes became standard in the late 1970s and early 1980s, so most older vinyl can't be scanned at all. For vinyl, Marquee scans sleeves and covers, or you search Apple Music by hand.
What if my CD has no barcode?
Some early CDs and certain pressings don't have one. Stakkr works with the barcode on the case. For a CD without one, add the album in Apple Music directly.