Beats Music never reached a wide audience, and never made it even close to the 15 million subscribers that Apple Music had racked up by late October, so the transition won’t cause mass difficulties. But for the few Beats Music subscribers who remain—and who have dragged their feet when it comes to saving their playlists—Apple is making it as easy as possible to make the jump to its new service.
Subscribers will receive an email from Apple today notifying them that the service is holding on to their data, including playlists and preferences, until Jan. 19. Beats listeners are also getting the same free 3-month trial upon transitioning that Apple gave newcomers to the service. Like Apple Music, Beats Music was $9.99 a month.
How to make the switch: Transferring your Beats information to Apple Music is easy. Make sure you’re on the latest version of iOS for best results, and that your Beats Music app is up to date. When you open the app, a message about Apple Music will pop up. Tap on “Get started” to make the switch and sign up for Apple Music with your Apple ID. You’ll get to keep your music library, playlists, recommendations, the artists you follow, and even your username (unless someone else has claimed it in Apple Music). This transfer happens behind the scenes within 24 hours, no need to take extra steps. If your stuff is still missing after a day, contact Apple Support to figure out what went wrong.