Spotify is making it easier than ever to take your music library with you. By integrating TuneMyMusic directly into its mobile app, Spotify now allows users to transfer playlists seamlessly between rival streaming services with just a few taps. This new feature lowers a significant barrier for those considering switching platforms, ushering in a new era of portability in the streaming wars.
You can find this option in Your Library. Simply tap “Import your music” at the bottom, select the source service, and follow the prompts. At launch, supported services include Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer, Pandora, SoundCloud, and more. Transfers copy your tracks into Spotify playlists, with songs from the source service organized into a new playlist within Spotify.
How the transfer process works inside Spotify’s app
After tapping “Scan to Add,” Spotify connects you to TuneMyMusic within the app and requests permission to read and add items in your library. Users can migrate individual playlists or entire collections. The tool matches tracks to Spotify’s catalog, accounting for differences in regional availability, album editions (such as standard versus deluxe), and clean versus explicit versions.
While third-party migration tools generally achieve high match rates for popular releases, some exceptions like unofficial remixes or region-locked content may need manual attention. Occasionally, a live version replaces a studio recording, and duplicates can result if a song appears on multiple compilations.
TuneMyMusic’s standalone website traditionally limits free transfers to 500 tracks, requiring a paid plan beyond that. Spotify has not disclosed the terms of its partnership, but integrating this capability within the app simplifies the process and encourages more users to try migrating their music libraries fully.
Why this matters for switching services
Library lock-in has long been a hurdle for subscribers wanting to switch platforms. Moving years of playlists—road-trip mixes, workout sets, and favorite tracks—can be daunting. By embedding transfers into the app, Spotify captures users right at the moment they decide to switch, making the cost of change almost negligible.
With hundreds of millions of active users globally, even slight improvements in onboarding can lead to significant user gains for Spotify. This integrated feature might be the decisive factor for many considering a switch.
How competitors compare and streaming landscape context
Apple Music offers a native import feature on iOS and iPadOS, with similar functionality on Android. YouTube Music Premium lets users upload their own tracks and import playlists from other services. Until now, Spotify users largely relied on third-party tools like SongShift, TuneMyMusic, or Soundiiz—functional but less convenient solutions.
Spotify’s in-app migration closes this feature gap, positioning playlist portability as standard rather than a power-user hack. This move also pressures competitors to streamline their transfer processes or risk losing potential subscribers.
Data portability and privacy considerations
This feature aligns with a broader tech industry push for data portability, reinforced by regulatory frameworks like Europe’s GDPR and initiatives such as the Data Transfer Project. Music libraries fit naturally within these principles, emphasizing user control over personal data.
As with any account connection, users should review permissions carefully to understand what data is shared. The transfer requires access to view and add to your library, but you can revoke third-party access anytime through your Spotify account settings.
Limitations and tips for smoother transfers
Some nuances don’t carry over perfectly. Collaborative playlists import as regular playlists until you re-enable collaboration in Spotify. Playlist visibility (private/public) might change, so double-check after import. Local files, play counts, and some metadata tags typically do not transfer.
For best results, start by moving a small playlist to check match accuracy before migrating larger ones. After importing, review for missing tracks, live-versus-studio substitutions, and explicit content tags. To avoid duplicates, consider merging multiple versions of the same track.
Bottom line: reducing streaming lock-in
Spotify’s native transfer tool turns a complex chore into a quick, intuitive step, breaking down barriers and giving users freedom to switch services. If you’re thinking about moving from Apple Music, YouTube Music, or any other platform, simply go to Your Library — Import your music, and within minutes you’ll have your favorite playlists ready to stream on Spotify.
