How to back up your Google Music library
Google Music recently rolled out an update allowing users to download their music library in bulk, instead of one by one.
Google Music launched with much fanfare and anticipation, but with one giant flaw for downloading your library: you could only download one track at a time.
With the latest release of Music Manager, you are now able to download either your entire library, or only purchased music from Google Music in just a few clicks.
To see the new download option, you will have to have previously uploaded some of your library to Google Music via the Music Manager tool, as well as be running the latest version of Music Manager. The current version number for both Mac and Windows is 1.0.24.7712 (you got all of that, right?).
- If you are still running an older version, visit music.google.com, click on "Upload Music," and download the latest Music Manager build.
- Launch the Music Manager and click on the Download tab.
- You are then given the option to either download your entire library, or only the songs you have purchased using Google Music. Downloading your entire library can be useful if you were to lose a hard drive or get a new computer and want to transfer your entire library over.
- Click on the either button to begin downloading the respective files.
- Once you begin the download, you will be able to view the progress in the Music Manager.
Even if you don't use Google Music on a daily basis, uploading your music library and storing it for safekeeping is a great way to keep a backup of your library should anything happen to your computer.
If you happen to be on a different computer and don't want to install the Music Manager, you can download albums and songs from your library through the Google Music site, but there is a limit of two downloads on each album/song. After reaching that limit, you will have to use the Music Manager app.