Watch Series 4.0 and Music Collection

[Bothrops]

Hello,
I am considering the Apple Watch 4.0 but have a question regarding connecting to my music library.
I have a large catalog of music that I uploaded to iTunes. I do NOT subscribe to Apple Music.

Do you know if I will be able to connect to my iTunes music library and access the music that I uploaded on the Watch 4.0?

Thank You,
Bothrops

[Raz0rEdge]

The Apple Watch will only stream Apple Music or Podcasts by itself. Your music library needs to be synced to your iPhone and the Watch will control playback of it.

[Bothrops]

Thank you for your quick reply.
I just want to clarify, my music library IS synced to my iPhone but I do not subscribe to Apple Music. Based upon your reply, it sounds like I could access my music library through the Apple Watch.

[Raz0rEdge]

Actually, I looked a bit further into this, and let's see if this works for you since you have music on your iPhone. On your iPhone, open up the Apple Watch app and scroll down to the Music option. You should now be able to select music that's on your iPhone to be synced with your Apple Watch.

On your Apple Watch, launch the Music app and you will have the options On iPhone and Library. The Library option is for music that's on the watch and you should be able to play there. I wonder if you choose On iPhone, if it will play the music on the iPhone or 'stream' it to the Apple Watch.

[Bothrops]

Actually, I looked a bit further into this, and let's see if this works for you since you have music on your iPhone. On your iPhone, open up the Apple Watch app and scroll down to the Music option. You should now be able to select music that's on your iPhone to be synced with your Apple Watch.

On your Apple Watch, launch the Music app and you will have the options On iPhone and Library. The Library option is for music that's on the watch and you should be able to play there. I wonder if you choose On iPhone, if it will play the music on the iPhone or 'stream' it to the Apple Watch.

No, I haven’t purchased the watch yet so I can’t test your suggestion.

[MacInWin]

I have an AW4 and do not subscribe to Apple Music. I did download a few songs to the  watch, tapped the Music icon to launch. It asked, as Ashwin said, whether I wanted to play what was on my iPhone or what was in Library. I chose iPhone and it launched into one of the tracks. So the AW4 can be a controller for the iPhone music. Next I disconnected my AirPods from the iPhone, left them connected to the  Watch. Launched Music, chose Library, tapped "Albums" and found the one I had downloaded to the AW, picked a track an it played through the AirPods. Went to iPhone, selected a stream of music and that played through the iPhone speakers. So you can play music from the AW directly, after storing it on the AW, or you can use the AW as a controller for Music on the iPhone. You put music on the AW through the Watch app on the iPhone.

[Bothrops]

Thank you, this is very helpful.

[Raz0rEdge]

Thanks Jake for going through the process.