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How to stream music from iCloud Drive on my iPhone or Mac


working office place with macbook and iphone

In an era where music transcends boundaries and playlists define moods, having access to your favorite tunes anytime, anywhere is nothing short of essential. With the advent of cloud technology, the days of being tethered to a physical music collection are long gone. Welcome to the world of streaming music from your iCloud Drive, where your personalized symphony is just a few taps away.


Your iPhone, the ever-reliable companion, becomes your gateway to an audio universe stored securely in the digital skies. Whether you're a fan of meticulously curated playlists or cherish an eclectic mix of melodies, this guide will walk you through the steps to harness the power of iCloud Drive, transforming your iPhone into a portable jukebox that's ready to serenade you at any moment.


In this post, we'll delve into the intricacies of streaming music from iCloud Drive, exploring the tools, tips, and techniques that make this musical journey seamless. No matter whether you've been using iCloud Drive for a while or you're just discovering its potential, by the end of this guide, you'll be well-equipped to make your iPhone sing your favorite tunes, directly from the cloud.


So, if you're ready to unlock a harmonious world of convenience and discover how to effortlessly stream your cherished melodies on your iPhone, let's dive in!


Getting Started: Installing the Necessary Apps


Before you can start enjoying your iCloud Drive music on your iPhone or Mac, you'll need to install the right apps. Here are the steps:


For iOS:

1. Head to the App Store and download Evermusic if your music is stored in standard audio formats like mp3 or wav. If you have lossless music in dsd or flac, opt for Flacbox. Both apps are available for iOS and MacOS.

2. Evermusic: Download Link

3. Flacbox: Download Link


For MacOS:

1. Visit the App Store on your Mac and install Evermusic or Flacbox based on your music format preferences.

2. Evermusic: Download Link

3. Flacbox: Download Link

Once you've installed the app on your iPhone or Mac, you're ready to proceed.


Setting Up iCloud Drive for Music Streaming


Now that you have the necessary app installed, follow these steps to set up iCloud Drive for streaming music:


For iOS:

1. Open the app and navigate to the "Connections" tab.

2. Tap on "Connect a cloud service."

connect a cloud service

3. Choose "iCloud Drive" from the options.


select icloud drive from options menu

4. Tap "Browse" item on the bottom tab bar and scroll down to the "Locations" section. Tap "iCloud Drive" to open the folders located in your iCloud account.


select icloud drive folder

5. Select a folder in your iCloud Drive containing audio files. Tap "Open" to confirm your selection.


select files in icloud drive folder

6. Once you've selected the folder, it will appear in the "Cloud Services" section.


connected icloud drive folder in the connections screen

7. Tap on the added folder to access its content and start playing your music directly from iCloud. The application plays audio files directly from your iCloud account without downloading them to the device to keep up your storage clean. You can download needed files using three dots menu. But now tap any audio file to start player.


list of files in connected icloud drive folder

8. You can manage your music player settings, including queue, equalizer, and more, by tapping the mini player above the tab bar or using the full-screen player.


audio player screen

For MacOS:

1. Launch the app and click on "All Connections" in the left sidebar.

2. Select "Connect a cloud service" to begin adding a cloud service.

all connections menu item on mac screen

3. Choose "iCloud Drive" from the list of options.

choose icloud drive from options menu

4. A system "File Choose Dialog" will appear.

system file picker dialog

5. Tap on the folder chooser located at the top of the dialog and switch to "iCloud Drive".

choose icloud drive from menu

6. Select your folder within iCloud Drive and tap "Open" to confirm your selection.

choose files in icloud drive folder

7. The selected folder will now appear in the "All Connections" screen under the "Cloud Services" section.

all connections screen with connected icloud drive folder

8. Tap on the added folder to open it. Tap audio file to start playback.

icloud drive folder content

9. Tap "Audio player" on the left side bar to open full screen audio player.

full screen audio player on mac

By following these steps, you'll be able to enjoy your music directly from iCloud Drive, without the need to download files to your device, keeping your storage clean and your tunes accessible.


Add songs from iCloud Drive to Music Library


You can also add songs from your iCloud Drive to the "Music Library" and all tracks will be grouped by Artist, Album, Genre, and Composer after the application finishes track metadata reading.


1. To add music to your "Music Library" select the "All Music Library" menu item on the left sidebar.

2. Tap three dots on the top right corner of the "Music Library" screen.

3. Select the "+ Add music" menu item to open the file chooser.

add music to library

4. On the next screen tap "Connections" and select connected iCloud Drive folder.

choose music location

5. On the next screen select files you want to add to your music library. You can also select a folder and in this case, the application will scan selected folders and all found files will be added to the music library.

folders chooser

Add songs from iCloud Drive to a Playlist


You can also add iCloud files to a playlist and change song order.


1. To do this tap the "All Playlists" menu item on the left sidebar.

2. On the "All Playlists" screen tap the three dots button in the top right corner choose the "+ New playlist" menu item and enter a name for a new playlist.

3. After this, you will see the "Add songs" dialog.

4. Tap the "Connections" menu item and select the connected iCloud Drive folder.

add songs to a playlist

5. On the next screen select files you want to add to a playlist and tap "Done" button to confirm selection.

select songs for a playlist

6. Tap the three dots button in the top right corner to see all available actions for the created playlist.


If you have enabled the "Save audio player state" options in the application Settings - the playback position will be saved for all your folders/albums/playlists between app launches. To restore the playback position open a playlist and tap the "Continue playback" button.


"Play all" - start a new audio player queue and songs will be played one-by-one from the first song (if shuffle mode is disabled).


"Shuffle all" - start a new audio player queue and shuffle all songs from this playlist before starting playback.

playlist with added icloud drive songs

Conclusion


With your iCloud Drive and the right app, your iPhone and Mac can become your go-to music hubs, allowing you to enjoy your carefully curated collection anytime, anywhere. Plus, with the added convenience of playlists and organizational features, you can rediscover your cherished tunes like never before.


So, whether you're a long-time iCloud Drive user or new to its capabilities, this guide has equipped you to unlock the world of convenience and effortlessly stream your favorite melodies on your Apple devices. Your personal musical journey awaits in the cloud, ready for you to explore and enjoy!


Now, go ahead, start streaming, and let the music play!

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