Airdrop: Sending a mp3 file from mac to iphone6

Apple doesn't want you to get music into your phone any other way that through the Apple Store or iTunes. It's that simple. Stream music? No problem, just use AirPlay. But transfer a music file via AirDrop? No.

Apple dropped DRM for music (not video) but they don't want abet people trading music. And that also means you can't 'trade' your own music between your own iDevices and Macs without using the Apple Music Store, iColund, or iTunes.

So you can put a music file on your phone via AirDrop but you'll need some third party app to play it.

iTunes

1. Open iTunes on your macOS and import your song to the library

2. Connect your iPhone with mac (via cable ideally)

2. Drag your song in iTunes and drop it on your iPhone device

AirDrop

You can also use AirDrop (which is significantly slower). But you would need some app which is capable to open the airdropped song - maybe VLC?) You will not be able to open the file using iTunes app.

When is apple going to repair this broken iTunes problem. It is not just airdrop, it seems that iTunes forgets that it processes mp3 files for any type of receive mp3 file regardless of getting it from a file server, iMessage, airdrop or email. This is a trivial thing to fix, yet the smartest software engineers on the planet seem incapable of fixing this. I am so angry and frustrated about this major inconvenience. When I make a recording of my HAM radio training on my networked high end microphone/recorder, I have to get a PC involved. I’m in a field with a portable radio and cell coverage when I do this. Why do I have to drive to a place with a PC and internet service, just to put this in iphone iTunes in my ham radio train g playlist

? Even when I record a song on my music synthesizer into WAV or MP3 format and access the synthesizers Bluetooth/Wi-Fi file server showing up in IOS 11 “Files” iTunes STILL refuses to understand this as something it uses.

This feature seems to have broken since the earliest versions of the iPhone and I’m pretty sure iTunes has been rewritten several times. Why would this bug be faithfully reproduced from version to version?

No. The only way to get music into the Music app of the phone is to either synced it from a computer or purchase it/redownload/stream from iTunes store.

An app like GoodReader can play and store mp3 files. When you send an mp3 to the phone you should get an option for which app to open it in.

You can use an app called Static music player. It's compatible with AirDrop.

I tried downloading this app^ and resent the mp3 through airdrop, it does not show up as an option.

When I send mp3s via Airdrop, the only options I get are iTunes U and iMovie ... iMovie actually works to play mp3s, but I had the best luck sending by message so it opens right up.