How to Burn Apple Music Songs/Playlists to CD [2026]

Part 1. Quick View: Can You Burn A CD with Apple Music Songs?

As we mentioned, whether you can burn Apple Music songs to CD depends on where the music comes from:

The key point is that having a song available for offline playback in Apple Music does not mean you have a regular audio file that can be burned to a CD. Subscription-based Apple Music tracks remain protected within the service.

If you want to create a CD from Apple Music subscription content, you first need to prepare compatible local audio files using a suitable tool, and then burn those files with your preferred CD-burning software.

Part 2. What You Need to Burn Apple Music to CD

Before you start, prepare the following:

* A Mac or Windows PC: You'll need a computer to prepare the music and create the CD.
* A CD/DVD drive: If your computer doesn't have a built-in optical drive, use a compatible external USB CD/DVD drive.
* A blank CD-R: CD-R is generally the better choice for compatibility with traditional CD players and car stereos.
* CD or DVD burning software: Mac users can use the Apple Music app, while Windows users can use iTunes or Windows Media Player.
* Compatible local audio files: Apple Music subscription content cannot be burned directly. You'll need standard audio files that your CD-burning software can use.
* AudFree Apple Music Converter, if needed: If you need to prepare Apple Music subscription tracks as compatible local audio files, AudFree can handle this step.

What Type of CD Should You Use?

For a traditional audio CD, CD-R is usually the safest choice.

A CD-R can be written once and is widely supported by standalone CD players, car stereos, and other compatible devices. CD-RW discs can be erased and reused, but some older CD players and car stereos may not recognize them.

If your goal is maximum compatibility, choose a blank CD-R.

Prepare Apple Music Songs with AudFree

Apple Music subscription tracks are protected for playback within the Apple Music ecosystem. As a result, simply making them available offline in the app does not turn them into ordinary MP3, WAV, or other freely usable audio files.

AudFree Apple Music Converter is designed to remove the protection from Apple Music content and save the tracks in common formats such as MP3, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and M4A. It can also retain song information such as titles, artists, albums, and other metadata.

Once you have compatible local audio files, you can add them to a playlist in Apple Music on Mac or iTunes/Windows Media Player on Windows and use the built-in CD-burning functions. With some simple steps, you can burn these songs from Apple Music to CD.

Part 3. How to Prepare Apple Music Songs for CD Burning

If you are working with Apple Music subscription songs, you need to prepare compatible local audio files before starting the CD-burning process. With AudFree Apple Music Converter, you can prepare to burn CDs from your whole Apple Music library with ease. Here is how to get the DRM-free audio files from Apple Music.

Step 1. Add Apple Music Songs to AudFree

Install and launch AudFree Apple Music Converter on your Mac or Windows PC. The built-in Apple Music web player will appear in the main window. Browse your Apple Music library and find the songs or playlists you want to use. Select the desired music, then click the Add button to add it to the conversion list.

Step 2. Choose An Output Format for Apple Music

Open 'AudFree Apple Music Converter' > 'Preferences' > 'Conversion' to configure the output settings for Apple Music songs. You can choose a common output format, such as MP3, M4A, AIFF, WAV or FLAC. You can also adjust settings such as the sample rate, bit rate, and audio channel according to your needs. Click 'OK' to save your settings.

Tip:

For creating a traditional audio CD, WAV or AIFF can be convenient choices because they are uncompressed formats. MP3 is also widely supported by software and can be useful if you are creating a compatible data/MP3 disc instead.

Step 3. Save the Apple Music Tracks as Local Audio Files

Return to the conversion window and click 'Convert'. AudFree will process the selected Apple Music tracks and save them as compatible audio files in your chosen output folder. Once the process is complete, you can use those local files with supported CD-burning software.

Part 4. How to Burn Apple Music to CD on Mac With Apple Music App

Mac users can use the Apple Music app to create a CD from compatible local audio files. This is the most convenient option if you're using a modern Mac and already have the music prepared.

How to Burn A CD from Apple Music with the Apple Music App

Step 1. Open the Apple Music app on your Mac. From the menu bar, choose 'File > New > Playlist'. Give the playlist a name, such as "My CD". Then add the compatible local audio files you want to burn to the playlist.

Step 2. Insert a blank CD-R into your Mac's built-in optical drive or a connected external CD/DVD drive.

Step 3. In the Apple Music app, select the playlist containing the songs you want to import to the CD, like "My CD".

Step 4. With the playlist selected, go to 'File > Burn Playlist to Disc'. A CD-burning settings window will appear.

Step 5. Select 'Audio CD' as the disc format. You can also configure options such as the gap between songs and the preferred burn speed, depending on the available settings.

Step 6. Click 'Burn' to begin creating the CD. Wait until the process finishes before removing the disc. Once completed, you can test the CD in a compatible CD player or car stereo.

Part 5. How to Burn Apple Music to CD on Windows With iTunes/Windows Media Player/VLC

For Windows users, you can easily burn a CD using iTunes or Windows Media Player once you have compatible local audio files. If you're looking for advanced media management features, VLC Media Player is another excellent free option.

Method 1. Burn Apple Music Songs to CD with iTunes on Windows

Step 1. Launch iTunes on your Windows or Apple Music app on your Mac computer and go to 'File' > 'New' > 'Playlist' to create a new playlist. Simply type a name for the playlist and drag the DRM-free songs into the newly created playlist.

Step 2. Insert a blank CD-R into your computer's optical drive. If your Windows PC doesn't have a built-in disc drive, connect an external USB CD/DVD drive.

Step 3. Then right-click the playlist and select 'Burn Playlist to Disk'. Then, in the popup window, select a disc format and click 'Burn' to start burning your Apple Music songs to CD.

Step 4. When the process finishes, safely eject the CD and test it on your intended playback device.

Method 2. Burn CDs from Apple Music via Windows Media Player

Step 1. Insert a blank CD disc into your Windows PC. Then find and open the Windows Media Player to detect your CD disc. If necessary, connect an external USB optical drive.

Step 2. Tap on the 'Burn' option on the right side of the player, then drag the local Apple Music files to the burn list. You can also arrange the tracks in your preferred playback order if needed.

Step 3. Now, click on the 'menu' icon near the 'clear list' option on the right. Then choose 'Audio CD' from the list.

Step 4. After that, click the 'Start Burn' button to start burning a CD from Apple Music playlists and songs. Once finished, eject it safely.

You can then test the finished CD in a compatible CD player, car stereo, or other device.

Method 3. Import Apple Music to A CD via VLC Media Player

Step 1. Install and open VLC media player on your Windows or Mac computer. Then head to insert a blank CD into your computer.

Step 2. Click on 'Media' > 'Convert/Save' from the list.

Step 3. Tap on 'Disc' in the pop-up window, check 'Audio CD' and then click 'Browse' to choose the CD drive. After that, hit on 'Convert/Save'.

Step 4. In the Convert window, tap on the 'tool' icon, pick up MP3 as the output format and hit 'Save'.

Step 5. Hit on 'Browse' and select the folder with converted Apple Music files. Then choose songs you want to burn.

Step 6. At last, hit on the 'Start' button to burn a CD from Apple Music.

Part 6. FAQs About Burning Apple Music to CD

Conclusion

Burning Apple Music to a CD is possible, but Apple Music subscription songs cannot be burned directly while they remain protected. The process therefore depends on whether you already have compatible, DRM-free audio files or only an active Apple Music subscription.

If you already have DRM-free audio files, you can burn them to a CD directly with a compatible CD-burning tool. If you're working with Apple Music subscription content, you'll need an additional preparation step with AudFree Apple Music Converter to save the songs as compatible local audio files first.

Once your music is ready, the rest is simple: create a playlist, insert a blank CD, choose Audio CD, and start burning. You'll then have your selected Apple Music tracks on a physical CD for playback on compatible devices. You can also keep the compatible local audio files for listening to Apple Music offline whenever and wherever you want.