How to Download Music from Tidal for Free

By Miley Swift Updated on 2024-04-07 / Update for Tidal Tips

Known for its high-quality music, Tidal is widely used by many music lovers. It has a music library with over 100 million songs, music videos and exclusive releases. And subscribers can use Tidal on computers, mobiles, watches and more devices. Some people find that there is a 'Download' option on Tidal but others say they can't see it. Is it a random feature?

Actually not. Tidal offers a 'Download' function for Premium members to download music from Tidal but it has some limitations. Only the users who purchase a paid plan and use the Tidal mobile app can download Tidal music officially. How about other users? Don't worry. Let's see the parts below to learn how to download tracks from Tidal on computers, the Tidal web player and GitHub for free.

download music from tidal

Part 1. Can You Download Music from Tidal

We find many posts on Reddit about 'Can you download music from Tidal', 'How to let Tidal download songs on my computer', etc. As we say above, if you subscribe to Tidal's plan, you can download its songs on its mobile app. Besides, the downloads will expire when you cancel Tidal subscriptions.

It's very inconvenient, right? So, we're going to give you some ways including free ways to download Tidal songs to computers. In this post, you are able to use your Windows/Mac, Android/iPhone, or Linux operating systems to get Tidal high-quality music downloads.

Part 2. How to Download Songs from Tidal to Phone

Tidal lets users download Tidal MQA, HiFi and other music to phones via its mobile app. There is no doubt that it's a straight way. And the Tidal mobile app is available on Android and iOS devices. Moving on, you can refer to the tutorial below to learn how to download songs on Tidal on Android and iOS devices. Note that you are not allowed to download single tracks. Also, make sure you have a stable network connection and a valid Tidal subscription.

How to Download Tidal Playlist Offline to Phone Officially

Step 1. Run the Tidal app on your phone and log in with your Tidal account.

Step 2. Start to discover your loved Tidal playlist under the 'My Collections' section.

Step 3. Once you have found a playlist that you'd like to download, tap on it to open its 'Overview' page. You can see a 'Download' option near the top or on the 'Three lines' list. Hit it to download Tidal playlists and it will show that the songs in this playlist are added to the download queue.

download tidal playlist mobile

How to Download Album on Tidal to Phone Officially

Step 1. Fire up the Tidal app on your iPhone or Android devices and sign in to your premium Tidal account.

Step 2. You can search for a certain album in the 'Search' bar to find your favorite Tidal album.

Step 3. Tap it and activate the 'Download' button to download albums from Tidal to your phone.

download tidal album to phone

Play Tidal Music Downloads without Data Service or WiFi

To play downloaded Tidal music offline, please click 'My Collection' > 'Settings' to turn on the 'Offline mode' option. If you want to use data to listen to Tidal music again, simply disable the offline mode.

open offline mode tidal phone

Then, find your downloaded Tidal music on 'My Collection' > 'Downloaded' and play it without using data or WiFi.

downloaded tidal music phone

Part 3. Tidal Download Music to Computer Locally - for All Tidal Users

The Tidal desktop app does not have a download feature, even if you subscribe to a paid plan. However, things have changed after the release of the AudFree Tidal Music Downloader. It is capable of downloading Tidal music to computers, including Windows and macOS operating systems. Even better, you can keep the downloads on your device forever without any limitations.

Moreover, as an all-in-one software, it allows you to convert Tidal music to MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A and M4B. It keeps 100% lossless sound quality and all metadata. With remarkable technology, AudFree Tidal Music Downloader supports downloading individual songs, entire playlists or albums from Tidal. Plus, it works at 5 times faster speed while converting Tidal songs. With this all-in-one Tidal playlist downloader, you can enjoy Tidal music offline on any device.

AudFree Tidal Playlist Downloader

audfree tidal music downloader
  • Losslessly download Tidal playlists/tracks/albums/podcasts
  • Convert Tidal to FLAC, MP3, AAC, WAV, etc. on PC
  • Work at 5X speed to keep HiFi audio quality and ID3 tags
  • Support customizing other audio parameters of Tidal music
  • Download Tidal Hi-Res music to listen locally

How to Download Music from Tidal for Free to Computer

Before getting started, make sure you have installed the AudFree Tidal Music Downloader and the Tidal desktop app on your computer. Then let's see how to let Tidal download music to PC.

Step 1Add music from Tidal to AudFree Tidable
add tidal music to audfree tidable
Launch the AudFree Tidal Playlist Downloader, and you will see the Tidal app also opens. There are two simple and easy ways to load Tidal music. Simply drag and drop songs/playlists/albums/podcasts from Tidal to this software. Or, you can copy the URL of your desired music and paste it into the address bar of AudFree Tidable and click the '+' button to load them.
Step 2Set Tidal music download output format
set tidal output format for download on tidable
Go to 'Menu' from the top-right corner and select the 'Preferences' > 'Convert' section. Here, you can select your ideal format for Tidal music. You can also customize other Tidal audio parameters including bit rate, sample rate, and audio channel. If you plan to download high-quality music from Tidal, you should select 'Format' as FLAC.
Step 3Download Tidal music to PC and Mac
download music from tidal via audfree tidal music downloader
When all the settings are saved, please click the 'Convert' button to start downloading songs on Tidal. After that, you can open the 'Converted' list and click the 'Search' icon. It's able to locate your downloaded Tidal music files in the destination folder on your computer and enjoy Tidal music offline.

Part 4. How to Download Music from Tidal for Free - All Tidal Users

Can you download Tidal music without Premium? Yes. Audacity is a free and open-source audio recorder and editor. It is capable of recording audio from your computer, including Tidal music. Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and GNU, it allows you to download from Tidal to computers. Audacity also keeps high-quality Tidal audio and allows to export Tidal recordings to multiple file formats.

But there are also some disadvantages, like it is not easy for new users, unable to maintain HiFi sound quality, and so on. If you don't mind these, follow the steps below to how to download songs from Tidal for free via Audacity.

Step 1. Download, install, and open Audacity on your computer. Then click the 'Edit' option from the top-left corner. After that, choose 'Preferences' > 'Audio Host Box' > 'Windows WASAPI' to set up the playback devices.

set up audacity preferences

Step 2. You need to turn 'Software playthrough' off when you record Tidal music on a computer. To do this, click 'Transport' and select 'Transport option'. Then turn off 'Software Playthrough'.

turn off software playthrough in audacity

Step 3. Now you can open the Tidal app and start playing a song. At the same time, press the red 'Record' button in Audacity to record and download Tidal for Mac and Windows. When it is over, click 'Stop' to save the Tidal downloads to your computer.

record and download tidal music for free by audacity

Part 5. Tidal Download Tracks on GitHub

As one of the largest sites for open-source projects, there are many developers sharing different types of software with others on GitHub. So, is there a program on GitHub to let Tidal download music to computers? Tidal-Media-Downloader is the surprising answer.

Tidal-Media-Downloader supports two versions, namely Tidal-dl and Tidal-gui. It is a free and easy-to-use solution where users can not only download Tidal music but also download Tidal videos. In addition to that, it is a cross-platform toolkit compatible with macOS, Windows, Android and Linux operating systems. However, the downside of this program is that a Tidal Premium subscription is required.

Here, we will take Tidal-gui as an example to illustrate how to make Tidal download tracks.

How to Download Music from Tidal on Github

Step 1. Tidal-Media-Downloader has a complicated installation process. If it's your first time using it, please navigate here to find the installment file and refer to the complete instructions. After installation, please open it to see the code of your device. Now, you need to log into your Tidal account and authorize your device to use it by entering the device code.

link device to tidal account

Step 2. Go to the Tidal web player and find liked songs, playlists, or albums that you'd like to download. Copy the link of Tidal audio and paste it into the text address bar of Tidal-gui. Click the 'search' icon to add them.

add tidal music to tidal gui to download

Step 3. All songs you add will be shown in the next window. You can select single songs by checking the mark for download. Also, you can customize the output quality as Normal, High, HiFi, or Master according to the actual supported download quality. Finally, tap the 'Download' button, this Tidal downloader will download Tidal without any hassle.

download tidal music with tidal gui

Part 6. How to Record and Download from Tidal Web Player

Besides using the Tidal downloader above, you can also use an audio recorder to capture Tidal tracks. This approach also enables users to download individual songs on Tidal for free with no quality loss.

AudFree Audio Capture is one of the most professional streaming music recorders. By adopting advanced high-quality recording technology, it can record and download songs from Tidal with the best quality. At the same time, it can keep the original ID3 tags or manually edit the ID3 tags of Tidal files. Also, you can effectively cut and trim unwanted Tidal audio clips. With it, you can convert Tidal to MP3 and other common audio formats. In this case, you can play Tidal music offline on any device.

AudFree Tidal Music Recorder for Windows and Mac

audfree tidal recorder
  • Losslessly record and download Tidal music on PC
  • Capture all types of sound passing through your computer
  • Convert recorded Tidal music to MP3, AAC, WAV, etc.
  • Grab multiple Tidal tracks simultaneously to save time

How to Download from Tidal onto Computer for Offline Playback

Please install the AudFree Audio Capture for Tidal on your Mac or Windows computer. It's well noted that the free-trial version can record 1 minute of each Tidal file. You can buy the full version to unlock the time limitation. Now, let's see how to use it to record and download Tidal music.

Step 1Launch and set up AudFree Tidal Recorder
set up audfree tidal audio recorder
Launch AudFree Tidal Recorder and click the big 'Select/Add an App' option to add any program like Tidal, Chrome, etc. You are suggested to use Chrome to download music from Tidal web player. It can keep the conversion process more stable.
Step 2Set Tidal output format and other parameters
set output format for tidal downloads on audfree audio capture
Now, find and click the 'Format' section on the screen. Then opt for the format and quality you want in 'Audio'. You can set your favorite audio format as the Tidal output format from MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A, M4B, APE, M4R, WMA, etc. Besides, hit the 'gear' icon to open the settings window. In this window, you can customize the Tidal output audio quality as you like. The sample rate can be set as 44100 Hz to 192000 Hz, and the bit depth can be adjusted as 16-bit or 24-bit.
Step 3Play and download from Tidal to computers
download songs from tidal via audfree audio capture
You can choose the target program like Chrome to navigate to the Tidal web player. Or select the Tidal app to discover your favorite Tidal playlists or albums. After choosing, click the 'Start' button. Then you can start to play the Tidal music in the pop-up Tidal music app or Chrome app. And AudFree will start to record and download tracks from Tidal automatically.
Step 4Edit and save Tidal music downloads
save tidal music downloads on audfree audio capture
Once the Tidal music has been downloaded, you can hit AudFree's 'Stop' button to finish the recording process. Clicking the 'Trim' and 'Edit Tag' icons at each track, it's able to cut or split unwanted Tidal audio segments and customize the ID3 tags of Tidal tracks according to your needs. Then, click 'Save' to store Tidal files on your computer. Now, you can play them or transfer them to any device.

Part 7. Comparison of the 5 Methods to in Downloading Songs from Tidal

In this part, let's have a quick glance at the complete comparison among the above 5 ways to download songs from Tidal to PC and mobile devices.

  AudFree Tidal Music Downloader AudFree Audio Capture Tidal-Media-Downloader Audacity Tidal Mobile App
Output Quality Lossless Lossless High quality High quality Lossless
Compatible OS macOS, Windows macOS, Windows macOS, Windows, Android, and Linux macOS, Windows, Linux, and GNU Android, iOS
Supported Input Format Tidal songs, playlists, podcasts, and albums Any computer audio Tidal songs, playlists, albums, and videos Any computer audio Entire Tidal albums and playlists
Supported Output Format MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC, M4A, M4B WAV/MP3/M4A/WMA/
AAC/FLAC/AC3/AIFF/
M4B/AU/APE/MKA/
OGG/AMR/M4R/MP2
MP3 MP3, WAV, OGG, AIFF, and AU Encoded cache files
Customize Output Quality
Conversion Speed 5X Real-time Real-time Real-time Real-time
Cut / Merge Function
Download without Tidal HiFi/HiFi Plus
Price $14.95/month, $29.95/3-month, $79.95/lifetime $14.95/month, $29.95/3-month, $34.95/lifetime Free Free $10.99/month
Download in Bulk
Recommends ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️ ⭐️⭐ ⭐️⭐️⭐ ⭐️⭐️⭐

What we can draw is that AudFree Tidal Music Downloader stands out from other tools with its higher conversion speed and output quality. Just click the 'Download' button below and use it to get your favorite Tidal music on your computer instantly! You can then sync them to your mobile devices, including iPhones and Android devices, for offline listening forever.

Part 8. FAQs about Downloading Tidal Music

Q1: Do I Have to Pay for a Tidal Plan for Downloading Tidal Music?

A: Yes. The privilege of Offline Mode is only available for Tidal Premium users. Therefore, you need to pay for a plan to download Tidal songs on mobile devices.

Q2: Can You Download Individual Songs on Tidal?

A: No! Tidal only allows its plan subscribers to download entire playlists or albums. If you'd like to download single Tidal songs, you can add all your desired tracks to a playlist for downloading. Alternatively, you can use the third-party tools we talked about above to download individual Tidal tracks.

Q3: Is There a Tidal Download Limit?

A: Yes, you can only download up to 10,000 songs on Tidal. Once you exceed this amount, you must delete some downloaded songs before downloading Tidal tracks. To bypass the Tidal download limit, you can draw support from a professional Tidal downloader.

Q4: Can I Download Music from Tidal to My Computer?

A: Tidal doesn't allow you to download songs from Tidal onto computer officially. But you can install the AudFree Tidal Playlist Downloader to make it possible, which can download Tidal music to PC at a 5X fast speed.

Q5: Where Are Tidal Music Downloads Stored?

A: If you download songs from the Tidal app, you can click 'My Collection' at the bottom right and then hit the 'Download' button to find them. If you use AudFree Tidal Music Downloader to download music, you can click the 'History' list at the bottom or follow the 'Output' path to find your music files.

See also: Where Does Tidal Music Store Offline on Mobile/Desktop

Q6: How to Clear Tidal Download Queue?

A: Go to the home page of downloading tracks from Tidal, and then find the songs that you'd like to clear from the Tidal download queue. And then hit the 'three-dot' icon to choose 'Delete' to do that.

Q7: How to Download Music from Tidal to MP3?

A: You can use a Tidal to MP3 converter to help you. Some of them only support downloading Tidal songs to MP3 but AudFree allows you to download Tidal tracks to 6 formats.

Q8: Is There a Tidal Music Downloader for Android?

A: Of course. The Tidal downloader, Tidal-dl, we discuss in Part 5 can be used on Android devices.

Q9: Can You Rip Music from Tidal?

A: Using the AudFree Tidal Music Ripper also called AudFree Tidal Music Converter can easily rip music from Tidal for offline playback forever.

Part 9. In Conclusion

Today we have shown you how to download music from Tidal on computers or mobile devices. Obviously, AudFree Tidal Music Downloader is the best choice for users who plan to keep Tidal music forever or transfer it to other devices because it allows you to download lossless Tidal music in different formats. Even better, it supports batch downloading individual songs on Tidal as well as entire Tidal playlists and albums.

Miley Swift

Miley Swift

Staff Editor

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Miley Swift is a professional content creator in the field of music entertainment and tech. Passionate about Tidal streaming technology, she is adept in offering and updating relevant tech skills and tools of Tidal music.
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