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How to Switch From Google Play Music to YouTube Music

Google Play Music is going away. Google’s first music service will be shut down by December 2020. To keep your data, you’ll have to switch to YouTube Music—or download it. Here’s what you need to know.

When is Google Play Music Going Away?

Google has announced that “YouTube Music will replace Google Play Music by December 2020.” YouTube Music is Google’s replacement for Google Play Music. It appears to have the same big library of streaming music, but the interface is changing—and the app you’ll use to stream is changing, too. Google has been adding features from Google Play Music to YouTube Music, including the ability to upload and stream your own songs.

You will no longer be able to use the Google Play Music app to stream music starting October 2020. (The cutoff date is September 2020 in New Zealand and South Africa.) If you’re currently paying for a Google Play Music subscription and don’t transfer your account, Google will cancel your subscription at the end of your billing cycle in October (or September in New Zealand sn South Africa.)

However, you will be able to transfer everything you have in Google Play Music—your playlists, music uploads, purchases, and likes—to YouTube Music. The transfer service will be available through the end of December 2020.

After December 2020, Google will delete your Google Play Music data from its servers.

How to Switch to YouTube Music

You can transfer your Google Play Music account by using Google’s YouTube Music transfer tool. This is a one-time transfer process that will migrate all your Google Play Music data to YouTube Music. Visit the web page and click “Start Transfer.”

Whether you subscribe to Google Play Music’s streaming library or you’ve uploaded some of your own songs and you use Google Play Music to listen to them—or both—you can continue using YouTube Music to play your music after the switch.

If you’re an existing subscriber, you’ll now be billed through YouTube but your monthly subscription price and benefits will stay the same (“unless you are in a location with fluctuating currency,” according to Google.) Even if YouTube now charges extra for the benefits you’re paying for, you’ll keep any discounts you have.

After you’ve switched, head to the YouTube Music website and use the YouTube Music apps for Android, iPhone, and iPad to stream your music.

How to Download Your Music

If you’re done with Google’s music services, you can also download any uploaded music and take it with you.

Until late August 2020, you can still use the Google Play Music Manager application to download your uploaded music files from Google Play Music.

You can also use Google Takeout to download your Google Play Music data and take it with you. Ensure “Google Play Music” is checked to download everything—from a list of all the songs you’ve added to your library to any music files you’ve uploaded. Google Takeout should work until Google Play Music shuts down at the end of December 2020.

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How to Choose Your Shopping List App in the Google Home App

Google Assistant and Nest smart speakers (aka Google Home) make it easy to add items to shopping lists with just your voice. If you don’t want to use Google’s built-in list, you can connect your device to a third-party app. Here’s how.

You can simply add things to a shopping list using the Assistant or your Nest speaker by saying, “Okay Google, add milk to my shopping list.” If you have a Google Nest speaker or display, you don’t even need to pull out your phone. Selecting a preferred shopping list is the first step in getting the most out of this feature.

Choose a Shopping List App on Google Home

Open the Google Home app on your iPhoneiPad, or Android device, and tap the “Settings” gear icon in the top section.

Scroll down to the “Services” section, and tap “Shopping List.”

Navigate to the “Select your notes & lists provider” section, and you will see a few different apps to choose from. Select the app you wish to use.

After selecting an app, a pop-up message will tell you that all future notes and lists created with Google Assistant will be visible in the selected app. Tap “Continue.”

You will be redirected to sign in to the selected app. Follow the steps outlined by your selected app.

Once finished signing in, you will be brought back to the “Notes & Lists” page in the Google Home app. Now, whenever saying something like “Okay Google, add milk to shopping list,” the Google Assistant will add the item to your chosen shopping list app.

 

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Best Ways to Hide Your Identity Online

WHY IS HIDING YOUR IDENTITY IMPORTANT?

It’s far too easy for our personal details to leak on the internet, either via hackers, companies selling the information, or some other dishonorable method. Securing your identity as you use the web helps keep your personal details at a minimum so that you don’t have to worry so much about identity theft, harassment, privacy intrusion, spam, etc.

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