How to Add Your CDs and Vinyl to Apple Music
Updated September 28, 2026 · Marquee Guides
Quick answer
To add your CDs and vinyl to Apple Music, find each album in the Apple Music catalog and add it to your library. You can search for every album by hand, or use Marquee’s free barcode scanner: point it at the barcode on the case or sleeve and it jumps straight to that album in Apple Music.
Shelves of CDs and records say a lot about what you love, but they don’t come with you on your phone. If you listen on Apple Music now, the albums you already own should be in your library too — ready for your commute, your car, and your playlists.
Here are the two ways to add your CDs and vinyl to Apple Music: the manual way, and the fast way with a barcode scanner.
Why rebuild your physical collection in Apple Music
Your physical collection is a record of years of choices, and most of it is on Apple Music. Adding those albums to your library puts them in one place with the rest of your music: they show up alongside everything else you listen to, and you can download them for offline listening.
It also makes your library the source for anything built on it. In Marquee, for example, Upcoming Releases watches the artists in your library, so adding your records means you’ll hear about those artists’ next albums too.
The manual method: search for each album
- Open the Music app and go to Search.
- Type the artist and album title from the case or sleeve.
- Open the matching album and tap the Add button to add it to your library.
- Repeat for every album on the shelf.
This works, and for a handful of albums it’s fine. For a real collection it’s slow: you type every title, and you sort through deluxe editions, remasters, and compilations to find the right one.
The fast method: scan barcodes with Marquee
Most CD cases and record sleeves carry a barcode. Marquee’s barcode scanner reads it and jumps straight to that album in Apple Music, so there’s nothing to type. The scanner is free.
- Download Marquee free from the App Store and allow access to Apple Music.
- Open Marquee’s barcode scanner.
- Point your camera at the barcode on the back of a CD case or record sleeve.
- Marquee jumps to that album in Apple Music. Add it to your library, then scan the next one.
Work through a shelf at a time and you can rebuild your collection in minutes instead of an afternoon. Then play those albums in Marquee’s Vinyl player style, a turntable for the records you just scanned.
Try it with Marquee — free
The Apple Music player with themes, Last.fm scrobbling, Library Insights, and Upcoming Releases tracking. Requires an Apple Music subscription.
Frequently asked questions
Is Marquee’s barcode scanner free?
Yes. The barcode scanner is a free feature in Marquee. You need an Apple Music subscription to add albums to your library.
Does the scanner work with vinyl records?
Yes. It reads the barcode, so it works with any record sleeve or CD case that has one printed on it.
What if an album isn’t on Apple Music?
Not every release is in the Apple Music catalog, so some albums can’t be added. Try searching by artist and title in case another edition, such as a remaster or reissue, is available.
Does adding an album copy the music from my CD?
No. Adding an album puts the Apple Music catalog version in your library. It doesn’t rip or import audio from the disc or record.