How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (2023)

Welcome to this guide on how to transfer music from PC to iPad without iTunes. For many people, iTunes can be a cumbersome tool to use, and they may want to avoid syncing their iPads with a computer altogether. Additionally, iTunes may not always recognize your iPad, or there may be size limits that prevent you from transferring your entire music library. (iTunes not recognize iPad/iPhone?)

This guide provides alternative methods for transferring songs to your iPad, including using iOS Transfer, File Explorer, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Email. Whether you have non-Apple music files or simply prefer to avoid using iTunes, this post will help you copy your favorite songs and playlists to your iPad with ease.

How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (1)

  • Way 1: How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes Free via File Explorer
  • Way 2: How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes in 1 Click
  • Way 3: How to Put Music on iPad without iTunes via iCloud Drive
  • Way 4: How to Add Music to iPad without iTunes via Google Drive
  • Way 5: How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes via Dropbox
  • Way 6: How to Put Music on iPad without iTunes over Email

Way 1: How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes Free via File Explorer

Do you want to know how to transfer files from a PC to an iPad through a USB connection? If you're running Windows 10 or 11, File Explorer is an indispensable tool for this task. Learn how to put songs on iPad without iTunes via File Explorer:

  • Attach your iPad to your PC using a USB cable.
  • Run File Explorer on your computer and find the music files you want to transfer.
  • Pick the music files you desire to transfer to your iPad, right-click and choose "Copy".
  • Go to "This PC" in File Explorer, and locate your iPad under "Devices and drives".
  • How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (2)

  • Double-click on your iPad to open it and navigate to the "Internal Storage" folder.
  • Create a new folder inside the "Internal Storage" folder to store the music files, if necessary.
  • Right-click inside the folder and choose "Paste" to transfer the music files from your PC to your iPad.
  • Once the transfer is complete, safely eject your iPad from your PC.
  • Open the "Music" app on your iPad, and the transferred music files should be available for playback.

It's a reliable way to transfer music, photos, and videos, but it may not work well with other file formats. In addition, after the transfer, you may need to use a music player app on your iPad to play the transferred files.

Read Also:

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Music from iPad on PC or Mac
  • 6 Creative Ways to Connect iPad to Computer Instantly [2023 Latest]

Way 2: How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes in 1 Click

Initially, it is advisable to pick iOS Transfer instead of iTunes to transfer music from your computer to your iPad. This versatile program allows you to transfer all or selected songs without erasing any existing data on your device. For transferring music to your iPad, it is the best bet due to its seamless performance, safety, and lossless migration.

What can iOS Transfer do for you?

  • Deftly transfer music from your PC to your iPad without the need for iTunes effortlessly.
  • Easily copy data among iOS devices, PCs, and iTunes.
  • Transfer a broad range of file types, including Music, Photos, Podcasts, Ringtones, Audiobooks, Voice Memos, Playlists, Movies, Home Videos, TV shows, Contacts, Text Messages, WhatsApp, Messenger, Notes, and more.
  • Access detailed music information such as name, time, size, and artist.
  • Best iPad/iPhone music manager to manage iOS music by editing album covers, artist information, and genre, converting music formats, creating playlists, deleting songs from your iPod, and playing iPod music directly.
  • Apply to almost all iDevices, including iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, iPhone, iPod touch, etc.
  • It won't let out your privacy.

Easy guide: How to Transfer music from PC to iPad without iTunes using iOS Transfer?

Step 1. Connect your iPad to your computer and open iOS Transfer, which you should have installed on your computer. Once your device is detected by the program, an interface will appear.

How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (5)

Step 2. On the left side menu, click "Music" to access the music management screen. Then, on the top menu, click the "+" button and choose either "Add File" or "Add Folder" to select the music files you want to transfer from your computer to your iPad.

How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (6)

Step 3. Select the songs you want to transfer and click "Open" to start the transfer process. Once the transfer is over, you can check and enjoy the transferred music in the Music app on the iPad.

Way 3: How to Put Music on iPad without iTunes via iCloud Drive

To transfer music from PC to iPad, upload the files to iCloud and access them on the iPad via a stable WiFi connection. Note that the songs can only be played on iCloud Drive with the default voice app and won't be synced to the iPad's music player.

How to transfer music from PC to iPad without iTunes free using iCloud Drive?

  • Sign in to iCloud.com on your PC using the Apple ID you use on your iPad. (Can't sign into your Apple ID?)
  • Select "iCloud Drive" from the available options.
  • Click on the "Upload" button and choose the items you wish to transfer from your computer to your iPad.
  • On your iPad, open "Settings" and tap on your name, followed by "iCloud" and then "iCloud Drive".
  • How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (7)

  • Open the "Files" app and select "Browse" followed by "iCloud Drive".
  • You should now see the files you copied from your PC to your iPad.

See More:

  • [Quick Start Guide] How to Transfer iBook from iPad to Another iPad?
  • [SOLVED] 5 Ways to Sync Music Between Android Phone/Tablet and Computer

Way 4: How to Add Music to iPad without iTunes via Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage service, allowing you to sync files and folders between your phone or PC. The free version of Google Drive offers 15GB of storage and supports various file formats such as audio, image, markup or code, text, video, and archive formats.

How to sync music from PC to iPad without iTunes via Google Drive?

  • First, open Google Drive on your PC's web browser and log in to your Google Account using the correct credentials.
  • Next, click on the "New" button located on the left side of the screen.
  • Upload the music files you wish to transfer to your iPad.
  • How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (8)

  • After that, head to the App Store on your iPad before downloading and installing the Google Drive app.
  • Once installed, open the app and log in to your Google account.
  • Finally, locate the music files you uploaded to Google Drive and download them onto your iPad.

Way 5: How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes via Dropbox

Despite being typically linked with accessing documents or videos, Dropbox allows users to store music files. However, this does not enable users to add music to their iPad playlists. Furthermore, this presents an alternative means of streaming audio files directly to an iDevice.

How to add music to iPad Pro/mini/Air/4/3/2 without iTunes via Dropbox?

  • Have Dropbox installed on both your computer and iPad.
  • Sign in to the same Dropbox account on both devices.
  • After that, upload files from your computer to Dropbox by clicking "Upload files" in the Dropbox application on your PC.
  • Next, open Dropbox on your iPad and download the music files.
  • Once downloaded, you can listen to music on your iPad without an Internet connection.

How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (9)

Way 6: How to Put Music on iPad without iTunes over Email

Email can be a convenient way to share files, but it has a limited file size of 25MB. You can email music, photos, and audio files to yourself, but compressing them can damage their quality.

How to transfer music from PC to iPad without iTunes using Email?

  • Begin by accessing Gmail via your web browser and logging into your account.
  • From there, create a new email and attach the music files you wish to transfer.
  • How to Transfer Music from PC to iPad without iTunes [Fixed] (10)

  • Send the email to yourself by entering your email address as the recipient.
  • Once the files have been successfully sent, open the Gmail app on your iPad and download the attachments to your device.

Conclusion

Upon going through the passage above, we can draw the conclusions as follows:

  • Although File Explorer is a simple way to transfer music from a PC to an iPad, it does have some drawbacks, such as limited file format support, DRM protection incompatibility, lack of organization, and slow transfer speeds.
  • While iTunes allows you to transfer music from a computer to an iPod, it may delete any previous songs stored on the device.
  • Uploading a large number of songs to Dropbox can be time-consuming, and there may not be enough storage space available.
  • Although Google Drive and iCloud Drive can transfer music from a computer to an iPad, they may not always be the most efficient or convenient options, and compatibility issues can arise.
  • iOS Transfer is an excellent tool for transferring music, offering seamless, secure, reliable, and efficient migration, as well as comprehensive music management capabilities.

Related Articles:

5 Most Effective Ways to Transfer Music from iPhone/iPad to iTunes Library

5 Ultimate Ways to Transfer Music from iPad to iPhone 14/13/12/11/Xs Max?

How to Mirror iPad Pro/Air/mini/4/3/2 to PC in 6 Ways [2023 Latest]

3 Practical Ways to Find Loved Songs on Apple Music on iPhone/iPad [Quick]

How to Fix "iPad Is Disabled Connect to iTunes" Easily with 4 Solutions.

7 Practical Tips to Change Weather Widget Location on iPad Air/Pro/mini/4/3/2

FAQs

How do I transfer music from PC to iPad without iTunes? ›

Method 1: Transfer music from PC to iPad using iCloud Drive

As we all know, iCloud is the official cloud service for Apple devices. So, all you need is to upload the music files from your PC to iCloud, then access them on your iPad device.

How do I transfer music from PC to iPad? ›

Transfer files between your PC and devices with iTunes
  1. Connect your device to your computer. ...
  2. In the iTunes app on your PC, click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window.
  3. Click File Sharing.
  4. In the list on the left, select the app on your device that you want to transfer a file to or from.

What is the free app to transfer music from PC to iPhone without iTunes? ›

Cloud services like Google Play Music, Amazon Cloud Player, and Dropbox can sync your music library across your devices. By uploading music from your computer to the cloud service and then installing the service on your iPhone, you can get uploaded songs on your iPhone.

How do I transfer files from PC to iPad via USB? ›

Here is how to transfer files from PC to iPad with it:
  1. Connect your iPad to your PC through a USB Cable. Now, open the app to click on the "Device" icon on the upper-left side of the window.
  2. Next, click "File Sharing" and select the app to transfer the file. ...
  3. Click "Sync" to add files to your iPad.

How do I transfer files from PC to iPad without cable? ›

Use AirDrop to transfer files
  1. Choose an item on your iPad or Mac.
  2. Tap or click the button (such as , Share, AirDrop, or. ) that displays the app's sharing options. ...
  3. Tap or click. in the share options, then select your other device.

How do I transfer music without iTunes? ›

How to import music to iPhone without iTunes using Dropbox
  1. Download and install a cloud app on your computer, here we'll use Dropbox. ...
  2. Sign up for a Dropbox account if you haven't.
  3. Add the music files to Dropbox folder, which should be located in your system tray on Windows, or in your menu bar on Mac.
Jan 5, 2023

Why is my music not transferring to my iPad? ›

Make sure that all of your devices have Sync Library turned on and signed in with the same Apple ID that you use with Apple Music. If your music library is stored on your computer, check the cloud status of songs to find missing music and resolve issues.

How do I transfer files from PC to iPad via Bluetooth? ›

In Devices settings, select Send or receive files via Bluetooth. In Bluetooth File Transfer, select Send files > choose the device you want to share to > Next. Select Browse > the file or files to share > Open > Next (which sends it) > Finish.

How do I put MP3 files on my iPad without iTunes? ›

To add MP3 to iPad:
  1. Download and install Dropbox on both your iPad and computer. Then sign in with the same account.
  2. Upload the MP3 files from your computer to Dropbox.
  3. Open Dropbox on your iPad and you will see the songs from your computer.
  4. Choose and download the MP3 files to your mobile device for offline listening.
Apr 26, 2023

How do you manually transfer music from computer to iPhone? ›

Transfer files between your PC and devices with iTunes
  1. Connect your device to your computer. ...
  2. In the iTunes app on your PC, click the Device button near the top left of the iTunes window.
  3. Click File Sharing.
  4. In the list on the left, select the app on your device that you want to transfer a file to or from.

Can you still transfer music from PC to iPhone? ›

If you have an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 4 or later, or an iPad, you can use iTunes to transfer files between your computer and your device using apps that support file sharing.

Does iTunes still exist? ›

Today, iTunes is Apple's media player. While much of iTunes has faded into obscurity, the functionality lives on through Apple Music and the iTunes Store. We take a look back at the launch of iTunes and the iTunes Store, where iTunes is today and the state of downloading music in 2022.

Why is my iPad not connecting to my PC via USB? ›

Try a different port, cable or computer

The issue could be related to your computer, its USB port or the USB cable connecting it to your device. If possible, try a different computer, USB port or USB cable. Also check for any debris in the charging port on the bottom of your iPhone or iPad.

How do I transfer files from PC to iPad via WIFI? ›

Transfer files between iOS device and desktop using Wi-Fi
  1. Make sure that both your iOS device and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. ...
  2. Launch Documents.
  3. Tap the three dots icon at the top right - there you will find the Connect to Computer icon.
  4. Enter the 4-digit code you see on your iOS device.

How do I enable USB transfer on my iPad? ›

Allow access to USB, Thunderbolt and other accessories

In Settings, go to Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, and turn on Accessories under Allow Access When Locked. When the Accessories setting is off, you may need to unlock your device to connect accessories.

How do I transfer files from Windows 10 to iPad wirelessly? ›

Use AirDrop to transfer files
  1. Choose an item on your iPad or Mac.
  2. Tap or click the button (such as , Share, AirDrop, or. ) that displays the app's sharing options. ...
  3. Tap or click. in the share options, then select your other device.

How do I manually transfer data to my iPad? ›

Transfer iPad data with Finder or iTunes
  1. Turn on your new iPad.
  2. Select your language and country.
  3. Choose Set Up Manually.
  4. Connect to Wi-Fi.
  5. Enter your current iPad's passcode.
  6. Set up Face ID or Touch ID on your new device, if you want to use these features.
  7. From the Apps & Data screen, choose Restore from Mac® or PC.
Dec 15, 2022

How do I mirror my iPad to my computer using a USB cable? ›

How to mirror iOS and Android screens to a PC via USB Cable?
  1. Step 1: Download and install AirDroid Cast. Cast End (iOS and Android devices): Download AirDroid Cast from AppStore and Google Play. ...
  2. Step 2: Log in to your account in AirDroid Cast Destkop Client. ...
  3. Step 3: Cast the device's screen via USB Cable.
Sep 28, 2022

Where is my music library on iPad? ›

View albums, playlists, and more in Music on iPad
  1. Under the Library heading in the sidebar, tap a category, such as Albums or Songs; tap Downloaded to view only music stored on iPad.
  2. Type in the search field to filter your results and find what you're looking for.

Why does is it say this device Cannot be transferred to Apple Music? ›

Depending on when you associated your device with your Apple ID, you might need to wait up to 90 days to associate the device with another Apple ID. If you can't click Remove (the button is dimmed), the device that you're trying to remove is connected to your Apple ID.

How do I transfer files from Windows PC to iPhone wirelessly? ›

You just need to turn on iCloud Drive to transfer your files from PC to iOS device.
  1. Visit “iCloud.com” on your PC then sign in with your Apple ID details.
  2. Then choose the “iCloud Drive” option.
  3. Click on the “Upload” button and choose the file you wish to transfer from your computer to the iOS device.

How do I add MP3 library to my iPad? ›

How to Transfer MP3 to iPad with iTunes
  1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes.
  2. Launch iTunes and plug in iPad.
  3. Click File and select Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library to add the MP3 files to iTunes library. ...
  4. Click Device tab.
Oct 28, 2022

Can iPad open MP3 files? ›

Mp3, even though it is an outdated format, is natively supported by the ipad. Many third-party Apps are able to access and play MP3 files that are locally stored on your iPad. However, there are relatively few that are able to access the iPad's own Music Library.

Can you transfer music from computer to iPhone wirelessly? ›

If you're on a Wi-Fi network, and have iOS 5 (or later) installed on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can sync your device (add items to it from your computer) without connecting it to your computer (if your computer and device are connected to the same network).

How do I import music to my iPhone? ›

Touch and hold a song, album, playlist, or video, then tap Add to Library. When viewing the contents of an album or playlist, tap. near the top of the screen to add the album or playlist, or tap. , then tap Add to Library to add individual songs.

How can I transfer files from laptop to iPhone using USB? ›

See which of your iOS and iPadOS apps can share files with your computer
  1. Open iTunes on your Mac or PC.
  2. Connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device.
  3. Click your device in iTunes. ...
  4. In the left sidebar, click File Sharing.
Dec 1, 2021

How do I put MP3 files on my iPhone without iTunes? ›

To add music to iPhone without iTunes:
  1. Download and install Dropbox on both your iPad and computer. ...
  2. Upload the MP3 files from your computer to Dropbox.
  3. Open Dropbox on your iPad and you will see the songs from your computer.
  4. Choose and download the MP3 files to your mobile device for offline listening.
Apr 18, 2023

How to transfer music from computer to iPhone without syncing? ›

To add music to iPhone without syncing:
  1. Connect your iPhone to the computer and wait for iTunes to launch automatically.
  2. Unlock the iPhone and trust the computer.
  3. In iTunes, click the device icon and choose "Summary."
  4. Disable automatic sync and check "Manually manage music and videos".

How do I add music from my computer to Apple Music? ›

If you have songs or music video files on your computer, you can import them into Music so they appear in your music library. In the Music app on your Mac, choose File > Add To Library or File > Import. If you selected “Copy files to Music Media folder when adding to library” in Files settings, you see File > Import.

What replaced iTunes? ›

Q. What is Apple's replacement for iTunes? With the launch of macOS Catalina, Apple introduced dedicated apps namely Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books to replicate the functionalities of iTunes.

Is iTunes discontinued for PC? ›

So far iTunes is still available for Windows users and receives regular maintenance updates. In macOS Catalina, iTunes was already replaced with four other apps in 2019.

Why did Apple stop using iTunes? ›

After 18 years, Apple is discontinuing iTunes. iTunes is being phased out as part of the launch of Apple's latest software release, MacOS Catalina, and replaced with three separate apps – Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV – which will aim to plug the gap and, hopefully, leave user experience unaffected.

How do I pair my iPad with my PC? ›

Using a USB cable or adapter, you can directly connect iPad and a Mac or Windows PC.
  1. Make sure you have one of the following: ...
  2. Connect iPad to the USB port on your computer using the charging cable for your iPad. ...
  3. The first time you connect the devices, select Trust when asked on iPad whether to trust this computer.

How do I get my iPad to recognize my USB? ›

Any iPad Air model, iPad released before 2018, iPad Mini, a fourth generation or newer iPad will require that you buy an Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter for use with USB devices. Connect this adapter to the lightning port along the bottom of your iPad, then plug in your USB device.

How do I restore my iPad without iTunes? ›

1Restore/Reset iPad via Settings
  1. Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone (or Reset in older iPhones).
  2. On the next interface, tap Erase All Contents and Settings.
  3. Your iPhone will show a list of the data that will be erased. Tap Continue to keep going.
  4. Enter your iPad's passcode to confirm your action.
Feb 20, 2023

How do I transfer files to my iPad without WIFI? ›

If it is a cellular model, get a Dropbox free account (or box.net, sugarsync, etc). From the public computer, use a web browser to transfer the file to your Dropbox account. Then on the iPad allow cellular data use for the Dropbox app and fetch the file over a cellular data connection.

How do I turn on USB file transfer mode? ›

With a USB cable, connect your phone to your computer. On your phone, tap the "Charging this device via USB" notification. Under "Use USB for," select File Transfer. An Android File Transfer window will open on your computer.

Can I transfer files to iPad with USB adapter? ›

Transfer files between your iPad and computer with an external storage device. Connect your iPad or computer to an external storage device, such as a USB drive or SD card. To connect to iPad, you may need a cable adapter. See Connect external storage devices to iPad.

How do I get my iPhone to recognize my USB? ›

Allow access to USB, Thunderbolt, and other accessories

In Settings, go to Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, and turn on Accessories under Allow Access When Locked. When the Accessories setting is off, you might need to unlock your device to connect accessories.

How can I download free music to my iPad? ›

Download music from Apple Music to your iPad
  1. Download a song, album, or playlist: Touch and hold music you've added to your library, then tap Download. ...
  2. Always download music: Go to Settings > Music, then turn on Automatic Downloads. ...
  3. See download progress: In the Library menu, tap Downloaded Music, then tap Downloading.

Why can't I get my music on my iPad? ›

Make sure all of your devices have Sync Library turned on and signed in with the same Apple ID that you use with Apple Music. If your music library is stored on your computer, check the cloud status of songs to find missing music and resolve issues.

What happened to iTunes on my iPad? ›

With macOS Catalina, your iTunes media library is now available in the Apple Music app, Apple TV app, Apple Books app, and Apple Podcasts app. And Finder is where you can manage and sync content on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Does iTunes exist anymore? ›

Today, iTunes is Apple's media player. While much of iTunes has faded into obscurity, the functionality lives on through Apple Music and the iTunes Store. We take a look back at the launch of iTunes and the iTunes Store, where iTunes is today and the state of downloading music in 2022.

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