How to Gift a Song on iTunes: Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you want to surprise a friend with a track they’ve been obsessing over, share an indie masterpiece, or help someone kickstart their digital music library, gifting a song on iTunes is a thoughtful and personal gesture.

While streaming services have largely taken over how we listen to music day-to-day, the iTunes Store and Apple’s digital ecosystem still make it simple to purchase and send permanent digital ownership of a song or album to someone else.

This complete, step-by-step guide walks you through everything you need to know to gift a song seamlessly.

Important Rules to Know Before You Begin

Before diving into the steps, keep a few logistical requirements in mind to ensure your gift goes through smoothly:

• Country Match: The recipient must have an Apple Account (Apple ID) registered in the same country or region as yours. (For example, a US-based account cannot gift a song directly to a UK-based account).
• Family Sharing Restrictions: If you use Family Sharing and have “Ask to Buy” turned on for your profile, you will not be able to purchase gifts.
• Device Nuances: Due to Apple’s layout updates, gifting individual songs is typically easiest done from a computer (Mac or Windows PC), whereas albums and apps can often be gifted directly from mobile devices.

Method 1: Gifting a Song Using a Mac or Windows PC (Recommended)

Using a computer gives you the most direct control over searching for individual tracks and initiating the gift process.

1. Open the App: On a Mac, open the Apple Music app and navigate to the iTunes Store sidebar option. On a Windows PC, open the Apple Music app or the classic iTunes for Windows app.
2. Search for the Track: Type the name of the song or artist into the search bar, and make sure you are searching within the Store tab (rather than your personal library).
3. Locate the Price Arrow: Find the exact song you want to buy. Hover your mouse over the song title or price button. Click the small arrow next to the price to open a drop-down menu of sharing options.
4. Select “Gift This Song”: Click on Gift This Song (or Gift This [Item] depending on the version).
5. Fill Out the Details: A prompt will ask you to enter:
   • The recipient’s email address (double-check that this is tied to their Apple Account).
   • Your name (optional, but nice!).
   • A personalized message.
   • A delivery date (you can send it immediately or schedule it for a future date, like a birthday or holiday).
6. Confirm and Checkout: Review your details, complete your purchase with your Apple Account payment method, and hit send.

Method 2: Gifting an Album or Using an iOS Device

If you want to gift an entire album rather than a single track—or if you prefer using your iPhone or iPad—you can use the built-in iTunes Store app.

1. Open the iTunes Store app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Search for and select the album or item you want to give.
3. Tap the Share button (the box with an arrow pointing upward) in the top-right corner.
4. Tap Gift from the pop-up share sheet.
5. Log in with your Apple Account credentials if prompted, and fill out the recipient’s email, your custom message, and your delivery schedule before checking out.

What Happens Next? (The Recipient’s Experience)

Once you hit send, Apple handles the rest:

• The Email Notification: The recipient will receive an email notifying them that you’ve sent them a musical gift.
• Redemption: Inside the email, they can click a Redeem Now link. This automatically opens up Apple Music or iTunes on their device and downloads the song directly to their library.
• The Backup Plan (Gift Cards): If you run into region restrictions or aren’t entirely sure what song they already own, you can always send a digital Apple Gift Card via email through the App Store or iTunes Store. This lets them choose their favorite tracks or put the balance toward an Apple Music subscription instead.

Pro-Tip: Typed the email address wrong? Don’t panic. You can easily resend or edit a pending gift by navigating to your Apple Account settings under Media & Purchases > View Account > Gifts, finding the unredeemed item, correcting the email address, and hitting Resend Gift.