How to download music from SoundCloud
Trying to figure out how to download music from SoundCloud isn’t always the most straightforward of processes. While SoundCloud is amongst the world’s biggest music streaming sites, not all artists have chosen to make their tracks available for download. Never fear though, there are ways around this and you’ll find everything you need to know right here in this guide.
Signing up to SoundCloud is free and easy and we love how quick it is to create an account. Whether you have one of the best MacBooks and Macs, the best Windows laptop or the best iPhone, you’ll find SoundCloud a breeze to set up on both iOS and Android devices.
When it comes to how to download music from SoundCloud, you’ll normally see a ‘Free download’ link just above the comment box if a track has been made available to download. Otherwise, you’ll have to find another way. SoundCloud also has several restrictions which can be tricky to navigate at times, but as with most things in life, where there’s a will there’s a way!
If you’ve found a track that you like on SoundCloud, downloading it may or may not be straightforward. If the artist has made it available, that’s one less thing to worry about, but, SoundCloud only lets tracks be downloaded a certain number of times based on the membership level that the artist has signed up for.
Free and Pro users have their respective download limits. While Pro Unlimited users have unlimited downloads available for their tracks, free membership is capped at 100 downloads and the Pro membership tops at 1,000. So, even if they want to make their work available, it won’t be possible if they’ve hit that ceiling. But, the good news is that you can get around this by using one of the best audio editors. Many of these third-party apps are free to use and we’ll show you exactly how you can use them in relation to SoundCloud below.
Not into SoundCloud? No worries. Check out our guides to how to use a free YouTube download app to watch videos offline and the best free YouTube downloader apps if you’d prefer to download music from that platform instead.
If you do decide to download music from SoundCloud, however, bear in mind that many artists use the platform to monetize their work, and rely on it for a portion of their income. Only download tracks from SoundCloud if the artist is happy for you to do so, and never redistribute downloaded tracks without permission.
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Download music from SoundCloud
To download music from SoundCloud when it isn’t available for download on the app itself, you’ll have to use a SoundCloud downloader. One of the best free ones is KlickAud (opens in new tab). This online tool allows you to download music in MP3 format, and is updated frequently with new features and bug fixes. If it’s experiencing any temporary downtime, there’s also a mirror available (opens in new tab) as a backup.
Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of it before. KlickAud is very straightforward and easy to use. Plus, every downloaded track will include album art, which will appear in your media player. Here’s how to do use it for this purpose:
- Copy the URL of your chosen track from SoundCloud.
- Paste it into the URL box on KickAud.
- Click ‘Download’ and wait a few seconds for it to process.
- Click ‘Download the Song’.
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Convert the track to a different format
Again, KlickAud lets you download music from SoundCloud in MP3 format. And, while it is a versatile format, it might not be right for your needs. In that case, you can easily convert your downloaded tracks to a different file type. However, that means using another third-party app like Any Video Converter Free (opens in new tab).
Despite its name, this free software handles audio files just as well as videos, and supports just about every mainstream file type. Here’s how:
- Drag one or more MP3 files into AVC Free’s main window.
- Select an output format using the drop-down menu.
- Pick a destination under ‘Basic settings’ at the bottom right.
- Click ‘Convert now’.
