can i download mp3 files in my ipad air?

From a quick look at the app store here in the UK these apps claim to be able to download music into them from websites :

- Downloader : the app is free to download so you could give it a try ; if it works it has an in-app purchase to remove adverts from it

- File Manager Free : same as above app, free to download, IAP to remove adverts

- QWE Downloads : appears to have a browser/download option, and I think supports MP3

There are also apps such as GoodReader which support multiple file types and has a browser within it and which can play MP3 tracks

Or are you able to download the music on your computer and add them to your computer's iTunes library and copy them from there to your iPad ? The above GoodReader app allows you to copy files to it from a computer via your wifi network : http://www.goodreader.com/gr-man-tr-wifi.html

If you can download them onto your computer then have do you have iTunes installed on your computer and do you connect your iPad to it to copy things to it or to backup the iPad ?

You can download and install iTunes from here : http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

If you do that then when you connect your iPad to it you will probably get a prompt in iTunes about whether you want to set up the iPad as a new device or restore from a backup on that computer i.e. whether you want to replace what you currently have on your iPad with what is in that computer's iTunes library. There are some steps on this page (the page is written specifically for phones, but it applies to iPads as well) for syncing to a new computer (and to therefore stop the current contents of the iPad being replaced by what's on that computer) : Syncing to a "New" Computer or replacing a "crashed" Hard Drive

Some of the steps on that page are slightly different now, newer versions of iTunes have slightly different menu options to when that page was written e.g. step 5 is File > Devices > Transfer Purchases, and steps 7 and 8 can also be done via the File > Devices menu.

If you download the MP3s on your computer then you should be able to add them to its iTunes library via the File > Add To Library menu option (which I think can be accessed via control-O on a PC). Syncing with iTunes : Sync your iPhone, iPad and iPod with iTunes using USB.

I've just tried the GoodReader app that I included in my last reply, and that allows me to navigate to a site and download an MP3 into the app from it, though it may not work with all sites (it might depend upon how they are stored/accessed on it) : http://www.goodreader.com/gr-man-tr-web.html

You won't be able to download them into the Music app directly on your iPad - the only way to get music into that is via the iTunes store app on the iPad, and syncing via your computer's iTunes.

Have you had a look in your country's app store to see if there are any MP3 apps which have browsers within them to download music ?

If you have a large music collection, like I do, it might be worth investing in a wireless hard drive. I have one that allows me to get at my huge library of mp3's wirelessly, and it can plug into a PC so your can put anything you get to your PC on it. However...this involves investing a little money And the music is played played from an app provided by the drive's manufacturer, and will not appear in the main music library. Let me know if you want more details.

With the built-in Music app on your iPad there are two ways of getting music into it :

- buying music directly on your iPad via the iTunes Store app (or redownloading past purchases in it)

- adding your music to your computer's iTunes library (via File > Add To Library), connecting your iPad to your computer's iTunes, and copying the music over to it

Where is the music that you want on your iPad e.g. is it on a website, on your computer ?

Buying a wirless hard drive might be a bit excessive for you, from what you say. it was a perfect solution for me, but I have 0ver 200000 songs, and my dusty old PC can't communitcate with my ipad At all.

you would still need to download the files and get them onto the hard drive anyway, so I don't think my idea is any good to you. Sorry, mate.

if you are curious, the wireless hard drive I use that is compatible with ipads and iPhones, which I use for backups and music, is made by a company called Seagate, and a simple Google search will provide all the details you might need, including where to get one locally.

sorry I couldn't be more help!

I have the exact same problem. My wife is in a choir and the parts for each song are held on a website as MP3 files. Prior to 8.1 this worked perfectly. When she clicked on a link it would start playing the track fine.

Two days ago we wanted to get Keynote for doing a presentation. The App Store insisted that to download Keynote she needed IOS 8.1 so we installed it. Now when she clicks on one of the tracks she just gets a screen with an arrow at the bottom left and it says 'loading'. But however long we leave it to load, nothing happens.

I went into Stormfront today and asked them. In fact I tried the website on a couple of their new iPads - same problem. They did however offer as a solution to re-install an older version of the IOS. Apparently it can be downloaded from somewhere and chosen at launch. It sounded a bit complicated and scary so if we go down that route I will probably let them do it. It won't fix the problem of not being able to use Keynote though. My wife thinks there are other problems when browsing now with 8.1 (hers is an iPad 2) at it does seem a tad slower than before so I'm not sure yet where we are going with this one.

Have you tried a different browser e.g. Opera Mini web browser is free to download, or there are paid-for browsers such as Atomic Web and iCab Mobile.

I've just tried a site that has MP3s on it and I'm able to play them in Safari in iOS 8.1.1, and in Atomic Web browser (though I don't get the play option on the site in Opera).

(Downgrading the iOS version is not supported by Apple, so if you go that route then you won't get any help on these forums or from Apple if things go wrong.

Maybe you've solved the problem meanwhile, but I'll post my solution for this issue anyway. I had the same problem (and angriness), but thanks to the few hints of King Penguin above, I was able to make it work for me.

It may help others.

1. Use a normal PC to save the mp3 files on. Rip them from a CD, or download them from a website. If it's your own website, you probably have them already stored on your PC somewhere.

2. Make sure ITunes application is installed on this PC. (see above post from king_penguin for the link)

3. Create a Playlist in ITunes (on your PC) and add mp3 files to this playlist (drag and drop to the applicable area; you'll notice)

4. Connect your Ipad to the PC, using a cable (the one you use for charging the IPAD)

5. Wait a few seconds, one minute...the icon for a connected device becomes visible (depends a bit on ITunes version where exactly)

6. Open this device, that is, your IPAD in ITunes

7. Drag and drop the files from step 3 to the Ipad area in ITunes

8. Wait a few seconds... now turn to your IPAD and open the built in Music app, et Voilà, you'll have your mp3 files

9. You can play the files OFF LINE, any time.

The whole process above does not need internet, apart from the eventual, one time, installation of ITunes on the PC and maybe the download of mp3 files.

No apps needed like GoodRead or others. Just Itunes on your PC.