How to integrate or migrate from Google Music to Microsoft’s Groove Music on Windows 10

Google Play Music is a great service if you have your own music collection, you can uploaded it to Google’s cloud and then access your music from Android and iOS devices as well as there being a web based version. However when it comes to Window 10 unsurprisingly Microsoft’s latest OS is less well supported, particularly Windows 10 mobile.

There used to be a few 3^rd party Windows apps that integrated with Google Play Music but recent changes to the APIs have meant that the apps no longer work. You could use Internet Explorer and the web version at play.google.com/music (It doesn’t work with the Edge browser) but that doesn’t work on the phone at all. There is a good solution available for the PC and phone if you are happy to use Microsoft’s OneDrive.

Just as Google have a cloud music service Microsoft also have a music storage service using OneDrive and there is a simple way to get them to work together using a PC. With OneDrive and Microsoft’s Groove Music apps (called Xbox Music currently on iOS) you can sync your music collection to the cloud and then you can access the content on Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Phone, Xbox One, iOS and Android.

If you have already uploaded your music collection to Google from a PC then all you need to move your music to OneDrive’s Music folder or if you want to use both services move the Google Music folder using the Google Music Manager and change the music folder to the OneDrive’s Music folder (you can’t move OneDrive’s music folder). If the Windows PC doesn’t have your collection on it you can download it to your PC using Google’s Music Manager app available from the Google Play Music https://play.google.com/music/listen#/manager.

Download Music Manager and run the setup, during the setup process after signing in with your Google account the program asks if you want to upload music or Download song form Google Play to your computer. Select Download and click next.

Then select your Music folder and here you should pick your OneDrive Music folder. You are then asked if you want to download your whole music library which includes songs you have uploaded or just purchased music.

If you have already uploaded your music collection to OneDrive and just want songs you have purchased you can selected purchased option otherwise select the “my library” option.

As soon as songs download into the OneDrive Music folder they will begin uploading to OneDrive and then they are accessible via any of the Groove Music apps.

If you don’t have OneDrive syncing your music collection you adjust OneDrive’s sync settings by right clicking on the OneDrive icon in the taskbar, click on settings and then click on the Choose Folders tab. Tick your Music folder and then your OneDrive music folder will be available on your PC. Anything you add to this folder will be uploaded and available via the Groove apps.

Having the Google Music syncing with OneDrive means you have the best of both worlds, you can use either Google’s apps or Microsoft’s. I prefer to use OneDrive and Groove over Google Play Music and so I have used the above steps to mirage my music to OneDrive.