Favorite or add to library in Apple Music: what is the difference
People ask both versions of this: how to favorite a song without adding it to the library, and what the difference between the two is. The short answer: they are two separate actions
Add to library
Adding puts the song in your library, the list of everything you keep. It is how a streaming song becomes part of your collection, and it is what lets you download it
Favorite
A favorite is a flag on a song, plus the Favorite Songs playlist that Music fills from that flag. It says "I like this" and helps Music tune its suggestions. Favorites also work for albums, artists and playlists, not only songs
Can I favorite a song without adding it?
Yes. When a song is playing from radio or the Apple Music catalog and you have not added it, Music plays it as a stream item. Favoriting it works: a few seconds later a copy of the song appears in Favorite Songs. In our tests that copy shows up in Favorite Songs but not in the main library list
So the two lists answer different questions. The library is what you own or saved. Favorite Songs is what you liked, whether you saved it or only heard it once
Removing a favorite you set on a stream
Removing is where it gets odd. The copy in Favorite Songs is the record Music shows you, so the favorite has to be cleared on that copy. Clearing the flag on the stream item itself changes nothing you can see. Likeit does this for you: it finds the song with the same title and artist in Favorite Songs and clears it there
Which one to use
- Want to keep it and download it: add to library
- Just want to mark it and find it later: favorite
- Both: do both, they do not conflict
Likeit sets the favorite from the menu bar and leaves your library alone