If you haven't taken the time to download tracks for when your internet connection starts acting up, or you only have older songs you don't feel like listening to anymore, you'll have a bad time. That would be the case with any regular music streaming service, but not YouTube Music.

The Google-owned music streaming app lets you use automatic Smart Downloads for your convenience. In this article, you'll learn what YouTube Music's Smart Downloads feature is about, how it works, and how to enable it.

What Are YouTube Music’s Smart Downloads, and How Do They Work?

Music streaming platforms let you download music, so you have something to listen to when you're offline. But this feature needs you to get involved by actively downloading music yourself. While it gives you complete and direct control over your downloads, if you don't update it, it becomes irrelevant as your music taste evolves.

YouTube Music goes the extra mile and lets you use the more convenient Smart Downloads feature. YouTube Music's Smart Downloads automatically downloads music and updates your downloads regularly. The point is that you always have something to jam to when you're offline. It's also one of the ways you can reduce mobile data usage and save money in this economy.

A woman sitting outdoors in nature drinking water and listening to headphones

Whether you're hiking off-trail or rejuvenating yourself at an out-of-town retreat with limited internet service, you can stay plugged in with familiar sounds. Need a better internet connection? Consider fixing your unstable Wi-Fi connection.

So, how does YouTube Music know what to download? It downloads music you're likely to enjoy based on your listening habits.

Please note that you must connect to the internet at least once a month (every 30 days) to keep your downloads. Additionally, Smart Downloads are only available on the YouTube Music mobile app, and it's only available for YouTube Music Premium subscribers.

How to Use Smart Downloads on YouTube Music

You first must enable Smart Downloads to use it on YouTube Music. Turning Smart Downloads on is a straightforward process.

Follow along to get started.

  1. Launch YouTube Music on your mobile phone.
  2. Tap your Profile icon > Downloads > Smart Downloads > Turn on.
  3. The download process will start immediately.

You can find and manage all your downloads under Downloads. If you need to free up space on your phone, simply pause the downloads. And if you want to remove some songs, simply tap the three-dot menu > Remove download.

Download Your Favorite Tunes on YouTube Music

YouTube Music subscribers enjoy several benefits that free users don't, including Smart Downloads. Whether you're bored or can't connect to the internet, you can enjoy your favorite YouTube Music tracks and videos without additional effort.